25 Most Addictive Legal Drugs

are you a drug addict without knowing it highly processed foods like chips ice cream and soda can be just as addictive as illegal drugs they have been manufactured to have a psychoactive effect on your brain and keep you coming back for more alcohol is much more dangerous than you think too once your body is hooked withdrawals can be so extreme that they kill you in this video we dig into drugs that are available and dangerous I'm Mike with list 25 and here are 25 of the most addictive legal drugs 25 katum katum has exploded in popularity in recent years mainly found in tropical parts of Asia it's a plant that has a range of physical effects when the leaf is crushed and ingested after taken it stimulates the body to increase alertness attention and energy some see it as a natural alternative to help with mental health pain and even as a way of managing cravings for other drugs like opioids but katum can be just as addictive as illegal drugs as time goes on users need to take higher doses to achieve the same effects internally it can damage the body causing liver problems breathing issues and even death 24 synthetic cannaboids with legislation around marijuana relaxing new products have flooded the market those include synthetic cannaboids designed to have a similar effect to the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana THC these are made up of solids oils herbs and spices and are consumed in the same way usually by smoking just like marijuana though it can be both a physically and psychologically addictive drug the difference is that because the products are constantly changing they can have effects that aren't as predictable as regular marijuana in fact the exact compounds in them are often unclear meaning they could be toxic research has found that synthetic cannaboids can cause serious health problems and even death 23 caffeine caffeine is one of the most widely available stimulants in the world most commonly caffeine is found in coffee soft drinks and chocolate around 80% of Americans consume some amount of caffeine every single day there are plenty of benefits from caffeine including increased concentration reduced pain from headaches and in long-term studies there could be lower risks of conditions like Parkinson's or Alzheimer's it may not have the same kind of health effects as other drugs on this list but caffeine can still be addictive especially for people with depression or fatigue it can interrupt sleep cause gastrointestinal problems increase blood pressure and worsen mental health caffeine has been linked to heighten anxiety panic attacks and even inducing psychotic or manic symptoms stopping caffeine cold turkey has a range of effects from headaches to mood food changes 22 highly processed foods it may sound like a stretch but some researchers found that highly processed foods can be as addictive as drugs they fit many of the prerequisites for an addictive substance they can cause psycho active effects on the brain trigger compulsive use and Cravings plus reinforce Behavior highly processed foods are foods that are hyper palatable and have refined carbohydrates or additive fats which make them so addictive examples are chocolate ice cream pizza soda as these products have become more available rates of obesity and diet related diseases have increased changing to a healthier diet can even trigger symptoms of withdrawal including tiredness cravings and irritability 21 nitrous oxide better known as a laughing gas nitrous oxide has been used as a pain reliever in hospitals going back more than 200 years the brief Euphoria and lowered anxiety have been particularly useful for dental work over the past few decades though nitrous oxide has made its way into recreational use the drug is widely available because it's used to power whipped cream cans because it isn't mixed with oxygen like in hospitals the immediate danger is not getting enough oxygen to the body and risking brain damage the low cost of the canisters has made nitrous oxide addiction a growing problem and anything but a laughing matter and if you think that drug sounds dangerous just wait until we get to number 15 20 dextrin cough syrup is used to treat sore and irritated throats especially among children that's when it's used responsibly but the active ingredient either Codine or more recently dextrin has another use when taken in large enough doses it causes a dizzying high and hallucinations the percentage of dextrom arren also known as DXM that comes in each bottle is relatively small but people chasing a high can take it in pill form powder or extract the drug from the syrup and make it more potent the effects of taking DXM include dissociation rapid eye movement paranoia erasing heartbeat and it can last up to 6 hours consuming cough syrup is popular among adolescents because well it's easy to access and available Ates or grocery stores it's also common to mix with alcohol which leads to Greater intoxication but can also be deadly large doses can put a person into a coma or even kill them if urgent medical attention isn't provided 19 Beetle nut ER nut more commonly known as the beetle nut is a nut consumed by about 600 million people in different parts of the world especially Asia that makes them the fourth most popular psychoactive substance it's a stimulate inducing Euphoria and alertness and is mainly consumed through chewing unfortunately it has a dark side too it's why it's on this list it's been classified as an anti-depressant by researchers and found to be toxic it stains the teeth of longtime users and has been found to cause cancer in the lungs the pancreas the liver and the mouth many users have been addicted for years using the drug to stay alert and some believe that it's a better alternative to smoking cigarettes since it's deeply tied to cultural practices in parts of Asia the addiction has proven to be difficult to control 18 pseudo aedin those cold and flu drugs can pick up off the shelf have a dark secondary use that you may never have considered pseudoephedrine is an over-the-counter medicine used as a nasal decongestant to treat symptoms of the flu but it also has well documented addictive properties it works by acting as a stimulant to the central nervous system in a similar way that amphetamines do the potential for its misuse has led to regulations and restrictions in different parts of the world one case involved an addict taking as much as 4,500 milligrams of pseudo fedrin each day uh for context the maximum recommended dose is 240 mg 17 Diamond Hydrate Diamond Hydrate usually sold under the name Dramamine is an antihistamine medication used for motion sickness throughout the '90s and early 2000s though it became popular among young people they found that it could induce feelings of sedation and Euphoria of taken in high enough doses usually more than 800 mg cases of addiction are rare but it can be an attractive drug because of its sedative effects especially among people self-medicating anxiety problems or disorders related to trauma since it's available over the- counter and an easy to take tablet form diin hydrate is an appealing drug for some just like most overthe counter drugs though these high doses are extremely dangerous with risk of losing Consciousness having convulsions or even slipping into a coma 16 laramide one of the newest drugs to make the list laramide is a medication used to treat diarrhea that's available over the counter usually it remains in the digestion tract to slow contractions and relieve the symptoms of diarrhea however in large doses it has the same effect as an opioid and is able to pass the blood brain barrier the drug is becoming more popular with opioid users because of how easy it is to buy although it is accessible the amount of pills needed to achieve that satisfying high is huge making it a very dangerous addiction the number of deaths from laramide overdose is growing every year 15 Amal nitrite Amel nitrite better known as poppers is freely available for the public to buy it's used to relax muscles and was once a prescription for health conditions like angina where a patient experiences tightness of the chest Amal nitrite opens up the blood vessels and lowers blood pressure today it's mainly sold in Smoke and sex shops for recreational use marketed as an air freshener cleaning product users inhale the vapor from the bottle to experience a short euphoric High long-term use has the potential to interrupt heart function the respiratory system cognitive abilities and vision loss those are scary side effects but if nothing compared to what some products found around the house can do and that's coming up at number 10 14 marijuana it might not be legal everywhere but marijuana is fast becoming a normalized treatment in the US 23 states have already legalized it the immediate and most appealing effects include Euphoria and relaxation but that isn't the case for everyone and certainly not the long term apart from affecting decreasing motor skills and lowering inhibitions marijuana can be addictive about 30% of the people who use cannabis are addicted Studies have linked it to social anxiety disorder and the development of serious psychiatric conditions like schizophrenia stopping can be difficult leading to aggression depression and a loss of appetite for up to 3 weeks after quitting 13 Morphine Morphine is so strong that even taking only the recommended amount can lead to becoming dependent on it over time tolerance builds up increasing dependence and changes the way the brain functions it's an opioid usually prescribed for pain management after surgery during labor and in end of life care it's taken in either a pill form or through injection and produces pleasurable feelings of relaxation and Euphoria one of the risks is overdosing which can cause respiratory depression where the body isn't able to breathe properly addicts ignore these risks because of how dependent they become on morphine 12 volume anxiety disorders are rapidly On The Rise and there is no shortage of medication to meet the demand volume is one of the most popular it relieves feelings of anxiety by increasing the amount of gamma amino butyric acid in the brain which is the calming chemical however misuse of value is growing it has been described as a worldwide Public Health concern valume is part of the benzodiazapine family which between 1996 and 2013 has seen a rise of deaths by over 400% that doesn't even include hospital admission and unreported addictions 11 sugar one of the most pervasive drugs on this list is sugar on average Americans consume around 70 g of sugar each day that number might seem low since even a healthy granola bar can contain over 10 g of sugar alone what's even more shocking is that this is actually three times the recommended amount some scientists categorize sugar as an addictive substance with similar characteristics to cocaine mhm it Alters Mood by activating reward Pathways releasing opioids and dopamine in experiments rodents even experience withdrawals from sugar weight gain heart disease diabetes and a range of other illnesses are linked to the consum conson of sugar just like other drugs sugar withdrawal can be serious it can mean headaches irritability and intense Cravings 10 inhalant many household products can be misused by inhaling them in vapor form things like cleaning products paint thinners gasoline and glues can cause psychoactive effects when inhaled an estimated 300,000 people in the US are addicted to inhalant similar to alcohol they can induce slurred speech lower inhibitions stimulation and in some cases hallucinations these effects don't last long but they can create an unhealthy and potentially lethal relationship this can make these substances addictive chemicals that give off a high can stay in the body for years long-term consequences can be permanent including organ nerve brain and bone marrow damage According to some research withdrawals from inhalence can cause seizures too which can be fatal nine steroids anabolic androgenic steroids are synthetic products that work in the same way that testosterone does they can be prescribed by a doctor to help with recovery from injuries illnesses and infections but they are equally used illegally by groups like athletes and bodybuilders as a way to improve muscle mass recovery and performance enhancement they are most commonly injected into a muscle or taken orally usually as a part of a cycle these drugs can be addictive because they often help to achieve the desired aesthetic effects however under the surface there are a range of Health impacts from liver problems high blood pressure and prostate cancer to infertility and erectile dysfunction more visible side effects include loss of hair and severe acne once a user begins to inject anabolic steroids they're prone to becoming addicted meaning they crave the drug as with most addictive drugs there are withdrawal symptoms too such as depression insomnia anorexia and fatigue eight fentanyl everyone knows knows about the devastating effects of heroin derived from the poppy plant heroin is a powerful opioid known to be the most addictive substance on Earth now there's a new even more deadly substance it's called Fentanyl and it's a synthetic version it's used in hospital settings for pain relief when traditional painkillers aren't effective it's now broken into the illegal drug Market especially since it's cheaper to make or acquire than heroin terrifyingly it's between 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine that strength also makes it more addictive and much more dangerous a dose as small as a/4 milligram can be lethal it's impossible to taste see or smell which is why it's become common to lace or cut other drugs with fentanyl every day in the US more than 150 people die from overdosing on synthetic opioids mainly fentanyl seven saol saob barbital better known as saol is a drug Norm norly used before surgery to help calm patients but when used in the wrong setting it can be addictive especially for people with a substance use disorder between the 1960s and 1980s SEO barbital was used as a recreational drug because it induces a state of sedation it's also been associated with a number of famous deaths including actress Carol Landis and activist Fred Hampton after a long period of use withdraws can be severe anxiety twitching hallucination seizures and in extreme cases death six Ambien between 10 and 30% of adults are affected by insomnia struggling to have a healthy sleeping routine we know that sleep is essential for your body and brain function for a range of reasons but when people turn to prescription medication to help sleep it can be deadly drugs like ambian are offered as a temporary solution to help instill a healthy sleeping pattern though the reality can be much darker firstly the body builds up a tolerance to these types of drugs meaning that users need to take increasingly higher doses to have the same effect the day after taking sleeping pills side effects include feeling drowsy dizzy constipated and less able to concentrate they can also have a big impact on Mental Health having been known to cause depression agitation and even hallucinations stopping treatment immediately is also risky it can cause withdrawals like nausea anxiety and a vicious cycle that leads to taking the same drugs five ADHD medication medicine for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD is used to help concentration learning and everyday function there are two types stimulants and non-stimulants non-stimulants work over a longer time frame to boost a certain chemical in the brain however stimulants are much stronger which is why they are controlled substances these include rlin and adol both powerful fast acting drugs both of which I had been prescribed in the past with more Young people prescribed ADHD medicine than ever before there is a threat of falling into a spiral of addiction young adults with ADHD are between two to three times more likely to become addicted to alcohol or other drugs than others four benzodiazapines benzo diazines are a family of mood regulating drugs that are prescribed to help with anxiety and stress what's so risky about them is just how quickly users can become dependent on them within just 7 Days of use users can build up tolerance to drugs like volume and become addicted that's why medical professionals only recommend them for short-term use in 2020 alone almost 2% of people in the US reported abusing benzodiazapines the drug can change the chemical makeup of the brain making it difficult to stop withdrawal symptoms range from hand tremors and dry wretching to seizures and heart palpitations three alcohol alcohol is everywhere from media and entertainment to socializing ing in family life it's almost impossible to escape that's why most alcoholics slip slowly into an addictive relationship with a drug it's one of the leading lifestyle related causes of death strongly associated with Strokes dementia liver disease and a range of other illnesses in 2019 alone alcohol was responsible for almost 2 and half million deaths worldwide because of how it works as a depressant of the central nervous system it makes quitting complicated the body becomes dependent on the drug and the side effects of withdrawal can r from Tremors and anxiety to seizures and death two nicotine by far the most addictive and accessible substance in the world is nicotine most often found in cigarettes the drug shoots up to the brain within seconds releasing dopamine similar to the way that opioids cocaine and alcohol do in fact it's just as addictive as these drugs nicotine is a stimulant meaning that it helps to speed up messages carried between the brain and the body nicotine users mainly smokers are often physically and psychologically dependent on the drug there are an estimated 1 billion smokers in the world more than 10% of the global population and it's not just cigarettes either now ecigarettes and vape pens contain the drug too smoking has been known to cause cancer for almost a century but a combination of a powerful tobacco industry and the addictiveness of the product has made it difficult to slow down one opioids opioids doesn't mean only heroin there are plenty of legal available opioids that are devastatingly addictive drugs like oxycoton percocet and Vicodin are all prescribed to help manage severe pain the problem is that these are all dangerously addictive when ingested opioids bind to receptors located throughout the body and brain on nerve cells the major effects might be pain suppression but they also create euphoric Feelings by triggering the release of endorphins since the feeling doesn't last it leaves the user wanting more and often abusing them overdosing on opioids can lead to your breathing system shutting down which can put you into a coma or kill you within minutes between 1999 and 2021 almost 280,000 people in the US died from overdosing on prescription opioids the number is currently an average of 45 people every single day finding the balance between medical treatment and public health has never been more difficult so do you think any of the drugs on this list need to be banned let us know in the comments below also don't forget to like share comment subscribe hit that notification Bell and check out our social medias including my personal ones links in the description and if you like this list you will love 25 FDA approved drugs that eventually got banned the video not not the drugs themselves don't don't do drugs kids don't that sounded better in my head uh click it but just watch it click right here somewhere it's in this area click click this please watch it go down the rabbit hole of list 25 that's an addiction that's okay it's a positive one because you're learning or in the words of Ralph Wiggum you're learing

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Id: 6C_4wc36zQY

Length: 21min 14sec (1274 seconds)

Published: Tue Nov 21 2023