There are different kinds of alcoholics, from a "fall down drunk" to the everyday housewife who "copes" with her life through alcohol in the privacy of her own home. Alcoholism leads to sicknesses such as hypoglycemia, brain and heart damage, enlarged blood vessels in the skin, chronic gastritis, and pancreatitis. Clearly the negatives of alcohol outweigh the positives. As you have all heard the saying, "Don't Drink and Drive." This refers to the dangers that are created when and alcohol impaired person gets behind the wheel of a vehicle. The vehicle no longer is a mode of transportation but a deadly weapon that does not discriminate against women, children or innocent bystanders. .
Let's move on to our second legalized drug, tobacco cigarettes. Tobacco cigarettes contain nicotine which is a highly addictive. The addiction is usually based on genetics. The surgeon General warns that smoking is the number one cause of diseases that can be prevented. Every year more than one million Americans become smokers and four hundred thousand die. Smoking increases chances of lung cancer, cancers associated with smoking, heart disease, and emphysema.
Once the smoker is addicted, it can take up to six attempts before the smoker finally quits. Often these terrible diseases such as lung cancer are caused by second hand smoke. Tobacco does more than just effect your lungs, it can effect your mouth. Such diseases such as Acute Necrotizing Ulcerative Gingivitis (ANUG) cause a disease in the gums where symptoms include bleeding, swelling, and pain in the gum tissue. Another disgusting disease is one known as "Black Hairy Tongue" this includes a discoloration and elongation of the taste buds in the tongue. It causes a the tongue to take on a dark appearance and to look as if there is hair growing upon it.
Now that we have discussed the seemingly minor drugs, I would like to begin talking to you about more serious drugs.