The Most Dangerous Drugs

The most dangerous drugs not only include controlled substances like opioids, but common over-the-counter treatments like Tylenol.

Dangerous Drugs

Any drug that creates a chemical imbalance in a person’s body or causes euphoric effects can be dangerous. Many drugs will interact with the brain and body to release certain feel-good chemicals such as endorphins, dopamine and serotonin. Releasing these chemicals creates a pleasurable feeling that can result in the body needing the drug to maintain a necessary chemical balance. This forms a physical dependence on the substance in addition to the psychological one created when the brain associates the euphoric high and positive feeling to drug use. Most dangerous drugs can affect the body and mind in this way.

However, some drugs are more addictive — and thus, more dangerous — than others.

Each person is unique, and their bodies might respond to varying drugs and doses differently than other people’s bodies. However, certain substances have a high rate of addiction overall and regularly result in overdose deaths.

What Are the Worst Drugs?

Many of the most dangerous drugs in the world are also illegal, but some prescription medications can be extremely harmful when misused as well. These drugs range from stimulants that cause a spike in energy to depressants that bring the body into a tranquil state. Many drugs classified as opioids, both illegal ones and prescription medications, are included in this list.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) releases the number of overdose deaths caused in the United States by each drug class.

As of July 2020, thetop 3 worst drugs classes in terms of overdose deathswere:

• Opioidshave caused more than 61,000 deaths. Of these, more than 14,000 deaths were due toheroin.
• Non-cocaine psychostimulants likemethamphetamine, responsible for more than 20,000 deaths
• Stimulants, includingcocaine, were responsible for more than 18,000 deaths.

These are not the only dangerous drug classes, though. Many prescription and illicit drugs are easily accessible and dangerous. Everyone should be aware of them for their own safety and that of their loved ones.

Some of the Most Dangerous Drugs May Not Be What You Think

Some of the most dangerous drugs may be sitting in your medicine cabinet. A2019 reportanalyzed the rates of death and risks for drugs and drug combinations to determine the 25 most dangerous drugs. Many well-known and frequently used drugs appear on the list, including:

• Acetaminophen
• Alcohol
• Benzodiazepines
• Anticoagulants
• Antidepressants
• Opioids

Although the drugs may be safe when used correctly, they can be fatal when improperly combined or abused.

The Most Dangerous Drugs Were Not Opioids

Althoughopioid addictionis frequently in the headlines, the most dangerous drugs in the world are not always opioids or narcotics. The most dangerous drug was determined by a few factors, including mortality rates associated with that drug’s use or abuse. These deaths are frequently accidental.

Acetaminophen Was the Most Dangerous Drug

In a list of the top 10 most dangerous drugs, most people may not think of a drug as common as acetaminophen. However, acetaminophen, sold under brand names like Tylenol, was found to be theworld’s most dangerous drugin the report. Acetaminophen is responsible for manydangerous drug interactions. Further, there is a high potential forliver damagefrom an acetaminophen overdose. Most people view the drug as innocuous, and that perception may contribute to its unintentional abuse.

Alcohol Was the Second Most Dangerous Drug

Among the top 10 most dangerous drugs comes another unlikely contender: alcohol. We don’t often perceive alcohol as a drug, but it is.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, in 2019,25.8%of people in the United States reportedbinge drinkingwithin the past month. The same report states that of the more than 85,000 cases of death as a result of liver disease in 2015, 43.1% of those cases were the result ofalcohol abuse.

Therisks of heavy and continued alcohol useare degenerative and can have long-term consequences on a person’s health. In arecent studyof people who tried to stop their alcohol use, 47.1% of them qualified as heavy alcohol users.

Benzodiazepines Were the Third Most Dangerous Kind of Drug

Another common type of drug in the list of the top 10 most dangerous drugs isbenzodiazepines. This includes popular brand names likeValium,Restoril,Klonopin,AtivanorXanax.

This class includes some of the most dangerous prescription drugs because they are strong sedatives. When prescribed for sleep, anxiety or seizures, these drugs can offer relief, but they are also abused and sold illegally as downers. They can belethal, especially when combined with opioids.

Hardest Drugs To Quit

Controlled substances are often very hard to quit. This is because people who become dependent on them will suffer from withdrawal symptoms. These uncomfortable effects can deter people from entering recovery, and many will continue to use a substance just to avoid the withdrawal symptoms. Further, controlled substances can cause dependence and lead to addiction.

Controlled substances include common street drugs likecocaine,heroinandmethamphetamine. They also include prescription medications such asCodeine,OxyContin,ValiumandXanax.

The government tracks how many people use illicit controlled substances. According to the2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, among U.S. Americans:

• About 46.2% of people have used cannabis
• Around 16.0% of people have used hallucinogens
• More than 15% of people have used cocaine, including 3.4% of people who have used crack cocaine
• More than 9% of people have used inhalants
• Approximately 5.8% of people have used methamphetamine
• About 2.1% of people have used heroin

Other Dangerous Drugs

Although some dangerous drugs are illicit street drugs, others are common prescription medications.The most dangerous drugsbased on side effects, death rates and drug interactions include the following:

• Anticoagulants (Warfarin):Blood thinners like warfarin can causeinteractions with alcohol, leading tounpredictable levels of blood thinnerin your body. If you drink while taking warfarin, you should tell your anticoagulation provider because they will need to monitor you carefully.
• Antidepressants (SSRIs):One of the five most dangerous drugs that may be susceptible to abuse and addiction are SSRIs, orantidepressants. Certain antidepressants can be dangerous when taken with alcohol (such asCelexaandEffexor). SSRI antidepressants include Lexapro, Celexa, Zoloft, Effexor, Paxil and Prozac.
• Clozapine:The drug clozapine (Clozaril, Versacloz) isFDA-approved to treat schizophrenia. Serious side effects can include abnormalities in your blood cells.
• Cough medicine:The active ingredients in cough medicine may includeguaifenesin, phenylephrine and dextromethorphan. Some cough medicines also contain alcohol. Cough medicine can be abused andmay cause psychosis. Brands of cough medicine include Robitussin and Delsym.
• Cocaine:Cocaineis a stimulant thatcan cause a stroke or heart attack. It is very addictive and susceptible to abuse.
• Heroin and other Opioids:Heroinis made from poppies and influences the opioid receptors in the brain. It ishighly addictiveand susceptible to abuse.
• MDMA:MDMAis an amphetamine analogue and may be referred to as ecstasy. This is an illegal stimulant and hallucinogenic drug that is often available in rave or club cultures around the world.MDMA can causebehavioral changes, memory loss and psychosis.
• Methamphetamine:Meth or crystal meth is a stimulant that causes euphoria and ishighly addictive. It is known as an upper and can besubject to overdosebecause it is unregulated andsold in multiple forms.
• NSAIDs:Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, or NSAIDs, can be used to treat pain from arthritis or ulcers. Stomach bleeding and kidney problems are some of the possible negative side effects. Mixing NSAIDs likeaspirin with alcoholcan cause harmful side effects like stomach bleeding. NSAIDs include over-the-counter remedies like naproxen, ibuprofen and aspirin.
• Tobacco: Tobacco is often consumed as nicotine in cigarettes, chew or e-cigarettes. Tobacco has no approved medical use and can lead to addiction as well as cancer, strokes and macular degeneration.

Find the Help You or a Loved One Needs

If you or someone you know struggles with an addiction to an illicit or prescription drug, help is available. Rehabilitation centers, such as The Recovery Village, have the staff and resources available to help people who are struggling with a substance use disorder. Many people die each year from illicit and prescription drug use, but many others have also successfully removed drug use from their lives.Call The Recovery Villageto speak with a knowledgeable representative on which treatment plan is the best fit for you or your loved one.