The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence fights the stigma and the disease of alcoholism and other drug addictions.

Who's Got the Power?
You or Drugs?

Everybody is always telling you that you'll die if you drink or do drugs - and that's hard to imagine. But there are other bad things that can happen - things that are easier to believe.



Some young people use alcohol and other drugs to try and reduce stress in their lives. This can backfire and end up causing more stress, sometimes enough to make you want to kill yourself. Many teens attempt suicide, and most who do use a lot of alcohol and drugs.



Teens are more likely to have sex if they and their partner have been drinking. They're also more likely not to use a condom. This can lead to unplanned pregnancy or the risk of getting a sexual disease, like syphilis or HIV.



Teens who drop out of school often use alcohol and drugs before and after they drop out. Dropping out can hurt your chances to be successful in life. This creates stress and makes it easier to develop alcohol and other drug problems.



Making your own decisions is an important part of becoming an adult. It's hard enough to make choices when you're straight - why make it harder by drinking or using drugs?

YOUR BODY AND YOUR HEALTH

• Alcohol is a drug that can cause more serious health problems for girls than guys. Girls feel the effects of alcohol more quickly, and health problems happen faster.
  
  
• Cocaine increases your blood pressure. Both alcohol and cocaine increase your heart rate. When you use alcohol and cocaine together, your heart rate increases more than if you used either drug alone.
  
  
• Pills - like those taken for nerves or to sleep - can be dangerous...especially if you take them with alcohol.
  
  
• Girls get HIV infection and AIDS more easily from boys than boys do from girls.
  
  
• Inhalants (glue, paint thinner, etc.) can cause damage to your lungs, liver, and heart. They can also cause memory loss.
  
  
• Steroids can stunt your growth, lead to sterility and cause you to be angry and tense all the time.
  
  
• Marijuana can harm your lungs and increase your heart rate and blood pressure.
  
  
• Alcohol is a drug that can hurt your liver. Heavy drinking makes it harder for your body to fight off diseases. So does using heroin or cocaine.
  
  
• If you drink a lot of alcohol in a very short time, you can die of alcohol poisoning. The people who usually die from this kind of drinking are teens.
  

"Girls Talk To Girls" and "Guys Talk To Guys" in "Who's Got The Power? You or Drugs," a brochure available from NCADD. See our publications page for more information.

National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc.

244 East 58th Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10022 phone: 212/269-7797   fax: 212/269-7510 email: national@ncadd.org   http://www.ncadd.org HOPE LINE: 800/NCA-CALL (24-hour Affiliate referral)