The war against drugs in America has been raging for years. The nation consistently expresses that it is attempting its best to eradicate the usage of particular drugs known to pose an extraordinary risk to human life. But still, the death tolls show that not only illegal but legal drugs remain a major public health problem. Are you aware that two of the most deadly drugs are legal?

1. WHAT YOU DONT KNOW
MAY SHOCK YOU!
ABOUT THE DEADLISET DRUGS

2. 0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
26,654
16,917
4,681 4,397
Alcohol
Deaths
Painkiller
Deaths
Cocaine
Deaths
Heroin
Deaths
Still, the death tolls show that the LEGAL DRUGS remain a major
public health problem and, according to experts and research-
ers, policymakers could do more to curb deaths caused by the
two(alcohol and painkillers) of the most deadly drugs.
DEATHS IN USA CAUSED BY DRUGS, 2011

3. 26,654 deaths in 2011
are caused by alcohol-induced problems
But that under-counts the number of deaths created by
alcohol: when including other causes of death like drunk
driving and other accidents, the toll ascends to 88,000 for
each year.
76% of those who
died from alcohol
poisoning are men.
6 people die of
alcohol poisoning
each day in the
us.
alcohol is a factor
in 40% of violent
crimes.

4. 16,917 deaths in 2011
are caused by Opioid-based prescription painkillers
31% of prescription painkiller-linked overdose deaths
in 2011 were also related to benzodiazepines, a legal
anti-anxiety drug.
Over time, this can
damage the heart and
lungs because you aren t
getting enough air.
Opioid use can lower the
amount of saliva in your
mouth, saliva flushes away
bacteria in your mouth
that cause tooth decay.
Patients taking opioids are
at risk of accidental over -
dose or death.

5. 4,681 deaths in 2011
are caused by cocaine
Despite its dangers, cocaine use continues to
increase likely because users find it so difficult to
escape from the first steps taken down the long dark
road that leads to addiction.
Cocaine can constrict blood
vessels in the brain, causing
strokes. This can happen
even in young people with-
out other risk factors for
strokes. Cocaine causes
seizures and can lead to
bizzare or violent behavior.
Cocaine increases heart rate
and blood pressure while
constricting the arteries sup-
plying blood to the heart.
The result can be a heart
attack. Cocaine can also
trigger a deadly abnormal
heart rhythm called arrhyth-
mia.
Cocaine can cause sudden
overwhelming kidney failure
through a process called
rhabdomyolysis. In people
with high blood pressure,
regular cocaine use can
accelerate the long-term
kidney damage caused by
high blood pressure.

6. 4,397 deaths in 2011
are caused by heroin
Most heroin is injected, creating additional risks for the
user, who faces the danger of AIDS or other infection
on top of the pain of addiction.
Heroin and other opiates
reduce the action of
muscles in the intestines,
making constipation a
constant problem. This
can result in hemorrhoids,
anal tissues or damae to
the rectum that may
require surgery to repair.
Heroin slows down the
function of the lungs,
which is normally the way
an overdose kills a person.
In fact, a person may stop
breathing before the heart
stops beating.
Heroin abuse has been
associated with high levels
of protein in the urine, a
condition that can lead to
kidney failure.

7. The general point of showing drugs' deadliness in this case isn't to
build a perfect rank for how dangerous each drug is. Rather, the
purpose is to show that legality doesn't always correlate with
safety, so the public and policymakers shouldn't assume that a
substance is more dangerous just because it's illegal.
SOURCES:
http://disinfo.com
http://www.vox.com
http://www.wakingtimes.com
http://www.webmd.com
http://www.cdc.gov
http://www.consumerreports.org
http://healthcare.utah.edu
http://www.webmd.com
http://www.drugfreeworld.org
http://www.narconon.org
(877)257-7997
www.recoveryexperts.com