From 1999 through 2019, 840,000 people in the U.S. died from a drug overdose.¹ Misusing certain drugs may be more harmful than others, which is why it’s important to be aware of life-threatening drugs and of deadly drug interactions.

You may ask yourself, “What is the most deadly drug?” Based on statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Drug Enforcement Administration, the following substances represent the top 10 entries on the most dangerous drug list.

In This Article: Top 10 Killer Drugs

• Nicotine
• Alcohol
• Fentanyl
• Heroin
• Cocaine
• Oxycodone
• Morphine
• Methamphetamine
• Xanax
• Acetaminophen

1. Nicotine

Nicotine is a stimulant drug found in cigarettes and other forms of tobacco, including cigars, snuff, and most e-cigarettes.² In the U.S., it is illegal to sell nicotine products to anyone under the age of 21.³

When used by people under the age of 25, nicotine can change your brain chemistry, affecting your mood, attention span, and your ability to learn or control impulses.⁴

Nicotine products contribute to nearly 500,000 deaths each year in the U.S., with at least 41,000 resulting from secondhand smoke.⁵ Around the world, tobacco products contribute to 7 million deaths each year, making it the most dangerous drug per capita in many countries.⁶ However, quitting smoking before the age of 40 can reduce your risk of nicotine shortening your life by 90%.⁷

Acting as both a stimulant and a relaxing agent, nicotine is an addictive substance.⁵ When consumed in most tobacco products, dangerous smoke and other chemicals are introduced into your body, concentrated in your throat and lungs. Nicotine products increase your risk for stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).⁵

From FDA-approved medications to quit-smoking apps and conversations with medical professionals, help for nicotine addiction is available and effective.^{8, 9} These methods have helped 3 out of every 5 adult smokers who attempt to stop using nicotine successfully quit.⁹

2. Alcohol

Each day in the U.S., 261 people die from excessive alcohol use, adding up to more than 95,000 premature deaths per year.¹⁰ More than half of all alcohol-related deaths are due to health impacts from long-term drinking, such as various types of cancer, heart disease, and liver disease.¹⁰ A large number of deaths also occur from alcohol-involved drug overdoses, suicide, and motor vehicle crashes. In the U.S., anyone over the age of 21 can legally drink alcohol.¹⁰

Alcohol is a depressant drug that impacts your central nervous system. Initially, it causes relaxation, but with increased consumption, alcohol can slow down your reactions and cause loss of balance, slurred speech, and impaired brain function.¹⁰

Alcohol is also a highly addictive legal substance. It is easy to miss warning signs of alcohol addiction and alcohol-related health problems when social alcohol use encourages behaviors, including binge or heavy chronic drinking.¹⁰

Help for alcohol addiction includes medical detoxification, therapy, peer support groups, and inpatient rehabilitation. With the right treatment, many people who struggle with alcohol misuse can regain a life of health and sobriety.¹⁰

3. Fentanyl

Fentanyl is an opioid prescription drug that is also made and used illegally. As a prescription medication, legal fentanyl is a powerful pain killer, often used to relieve pain for patients with advanced forms of cancer.¹¹ It is 50-100 times more powerful than morphine.¹¹

Most cases of fentanyl overdose are linked to illegally made forms of the drug.¹² Each year in the U.S., more than 36,000 people die from synthetic opioids, including from fentanyl overdose.¹²

Overcoming opioid addiction alone can be challenging, but with support and intense treatment, including medication-assisted therapy and behavioral therapy, recovery is possible.¹³

4. Heroin

Heroin is an illegal, extremely addictive opioid. Heroin is made from morphine, a natural substance that comes from the seed pod of various opium poppy plants.¹⁴ In 2019, heroin overdoses contributed to nearly a third of all opioid-related deaths in the U.S., making it one of the most deadly drugs.¹⁵

Almost 15,000 people died of a heroin overdose nationally.¹⁶

As an opioid, heroin is very difficult to quit, but treatment can help you overcome addiction.¹⁴ Evidence-based approaches to treating heroin use disorder include medications such as buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone combined with behavioral therapy.¹⁴

5. Cocaine

Cocaine is a highly addictive illegal stimulant made from the leaves of the coca plant native to South America. Almost 14,000 Americans die from cocaine overdoses each year, making it one of the most dangerous drugs.¹⁶  As a street drug, it is often mixed with other drugs that can make it even more deadly.¹⁷

Once ingested—usually by being snorted, smoked, or injected—cocaine raises dopamine levels in your brain. While this can trigger feelings of euphoria, cocaine use can also trigger heart attacks, stroke, and death. After the initial euphoria, people who misuse cocaine may feel paranoid, agitated, anxious, or depressed. Long-term use of cocaine can impair your immune system, which may make you more vulnerable to contracting serious infections.¹⁷ Because cocaine can be injected intravenously, people who use cocaine are at higher risk for HIV and hepatitis infections due to exposure to the blood of individuals with these conditions or to the use of nonsterile syringes. Long-term cocaine use may also lead to malnourishment and weight loss due to decreased appetite. It may also make you susceptible to movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.¹⁷

Because cocaine use triggers extreme euphoria, dependency is common.¹⁵ Help for cocaine addiction likely requires professional treatment. Accepted treatments for cocaine addiction include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and recovery support groups. Although there are no FDA-approved prescription drugs to treat cocaine addiction, clinical trials for effective medications are underway.¹⁷

6. Oxycodone

Oxycodone, the active ingredient in OxyContin and Percocet, is a prescription opioid pain medication.

While oxycodone will initially make you feel happy or relaxed, up to 25% of people who take this medication develop an addiction.¹⁸ Misuse of this drug leads to 25% of all drug overdose deaths in the U.S., making it one of the top deadly drugs.¹⁸

The most effective treatments for oxycodone addiction include medication combined with therapy such as CBT.¹³

7. Morphine

Morphine is another highly addictive opioid drug, often used in medical settings to help with pain relief. Originally, morphine was used almost exclusively by injection. Today, other forms of morphine include oral solutions, tablets, and capsules. Morphine is commonly misused because it triggers euphoric highs, as well as relaxation and drowsiness.¹⁹

Each year, morphine contributes to over 5,000 deaths in the United States.¹⁸ Your risk for fatal morphine overdose increases dramatically if you use morphine in combination with other drugs.¹⁵ Treatment for morphine addiction follows the recommended standards for opioid treatment, which include medication and therapy.¹³

8. Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine is an extremely addictive central nervous system stimulant.²⁰ This drug can trigger highs that last for days.²¹ In 2016, more than 7,500 Americans died from drug overdoses related to methamphetamine misuse.¹⁸

People who struggle with methamphetamine misuse may lose weight rapidly or experience severe tooth decay and loss.²¹ Long-term use of methamphetamines can result in substantial cognitive changes,  impacting a person’s memory, attention, and executive brain function.²¹ The most effective treatments for methamphetamine addiction involve behavioral therapies.²¹

9. Xanax

Xanax is the brand name for alprazolam, which is a benzodiazepine—a class of prescription medications that address anxiety and sleep disorders by interacting with your body’s GABA-A neurotransmitter.²² Xanax is also prescribed for other conditions, including detoxification from alcohol and other substances, muscle spasticity, and convulsive disorders.²³

More than 6,000 Americans died of Xanax-related causes in recent years.¹ Many deaths related to Xanax also involved fentanyl overdoses and the use of other opioids, causing deadly drug interactions.²³

With treatment, you can break free of benzodiazepine addiction. Due to the risk of experiencing life-threatening drug interactions, always tell your doctor about any opioid use before filling a Xanax prescription.

10. Acetaminophen

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is an over-the-counter painkiller that researchers believe works by inhibiting neural pathways that transmit pain signals.²⁴ While people don’t typically misuse this medication, an acetaminophen overdose can result in liver toxicity because that’s where your body metabolizes this medication.²⁴

In fact, acetaminophen overdose is the most common cause of acute liver failure in the U.S., accounting for 56,000 emergency room visits, 2,600 hospitalizations, and 500 deaths in the U.S. each year.²⁴

If you suffer from an acetaminophen overdose, you’ll need immediate medical attention. Treatment may involve oral charcoal to help absorb the drug in your body, as well as oral or IV N-acetylcysteine, depending on the levels of toxicity in your body.²⁵

Even if you struggle with one of the most deadly drug addictions, help is available. Call 800-934-1582(Sponsored) today to take the first step toward recovery.

References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, August 8). Opioids.
2. U.S. Food & Drug Administration. (2021, March 15). Nicotine: The Addictive Chemical in Tobacco Products.
3. (2020, January 15). Newly Signed Legislation Raises Federal Minimum Age of Sale of Tobacco Products to 21.
4. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2016). E-Cigarette Use Among Youth and Young Adults: A Report of the Surgeon General.
5. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2014). The Health Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General.
6. World Health Organization. (2017). WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2017.
7. Jha, P., Ramasundarahettige, C., Landsman, V., Rostron, B., Thun, M., Anderson, R., McAfee, T., & Peto, R. (2013, January 24). 21st century hazards of smoking and benefits of cessation in the United States. New England Journal of Medicine, 368, 341-350.
8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, June 21). How to Quit Smoking.
9. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2020). Smoking Cessation. A Report of the Surgeon General.
10. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, February 16). Alcohol and public health.
11. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, February 16). Fentanyl.
12. Mattson, C. L., Tanz, L. J., Quinn, K., Kariisa, M., Patel, P., & Davis, N. L. (2021, February 12). Trends and geographic patterns in drug and synthetic opioid overdose deaths — United States, 2013–2019. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 70(6), 202-207.
13. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, August 12). RX Awareness.
14. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2021). Heroin DrugFacts..
15. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, March 25). Drug overdose.
16. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018, August 31). 2018 Annual Surveillance Report of Drug-Related Risks and Outcomes — United States.
17. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2021). Cocaine DrugFacts.
18. Hedegaard, H., Bastian, B., Trinidad, J., Spencer, M., & Warner, M. (2018, December 12). Drugs most frequently involved in drug overdose deaths: United States, 2011-2016. National Vital Statistics Reports, 67(9).
19. Drug Enforcement Administration. (2020). Drug Fact Sheet: Morphine.
20. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2019). Methamphetamine DrugFacts.
21. Barr, A. M., Panenka, W. J., MacEwan, G. W., Thornton, A. E., Lang, D. J., Honer, W. G., & Lecomte, T. (2006, September 31). The need for speed: an update on methamphetamine addiction. Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, 31(5), 301–13.
22. Longo, L., Johnson, B. (2000, April 1). Addiction: part 1. Benzodiazepines―side effects, abuse risk and alternatives. American Family Physician, 61(7), 2121-2128.
23. Sun, E. C., Dixit, A., Humphreys, K., Darnall, B. D., Baker, L. C., & Mackey, S. (2017, March 14). Association between concurrent use of prescription opioids and benzodiazepines and overdose: retrospective analysis. BMJ, 356(760).
24. Agrawal, S., Khazaeni, B. (2000, November 20). Acetaminophen Toxicity. National Center for Biotechnology Information.
25. O’Malley, G, O’Malley, R. (2020). Acetaminophen poisoning. Merck Manual.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “1 in 15 people who take non medical prescription pain relievers will try heroin within 10 years.” Many make the switch because the latter is less expensive, easier to obtain, and can create a stronger, longer-lasting high. Especially if your loved one is already abusing prescription narcotics, it is important to be able to recognize the signs that they have switched from these drugs of abuse to heroin.

Behavioral Signs of the Switch to Heroin

A person who is abusing heroin may begin to behave slightly differently than those who only abuse prescription drugs. For example, many individuals crush the prescription pills they abuse in order to snort them while only some then prepare the crushed pills for injection. Heroin is much more often injected than abused in any other way, and you will likely begin to notice that your loved one shows signs of injecting drugs when they switch to heroin. If so, they will only wear long sleeves and long pants (to hide their track marks), and you will likely be able to find used needles, spoons, syringes, lighters, balloons, and other paraphernalia to suggest this switch in their rooms or home.

Other behavioral signs associated with the switch include:

• More secretive actions
• Stealing or lying to cover their heroin abuse
• Longer periods of time where they sleep or are unresponsive
• Longer periods where they exhibit the signs of being high
• Spending time with different people
• Engaging in riskier behavior
• More intense withdrawal symptoms

Physical Signs of the Switch to Heroin

Prescription opioids can cause many of the same issues that heroin can cause when abused, such as constipation, respiratory depression, dependence, addiction, etc. But heroin can cause many issues that are often specifically related to the drug and the way it is prepared. According to the Center for Substance Abuse Research, “Infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses (pus-filled infections), liver disease, and lung-related complications such as pneumonia” are all conditions that are strongly associated with heroin use. A person’s risk for contracting HIV, hepatitis B and C, and other transmittable diseases will also increase with the switch to heroin. Weight loss is common as well.

How Can I Know My Loved One Has Moved on to Heroin?

It may be difficult to know for certain at first, but you will begin to recognize that your loved one’s behavior and physicality has changed as a result of their switch to heroin. They will likely become even less involved in the daily minutiae of their life, including anything that is not related to their drug use. This is because they are only focused on getting a stronger high that can combat their tolerance and allow them to use for a lower cost.

The switch to heroin often intensifies the amount of danger your loved one is in from abusing narcotics. Call 800-934-1582(Sponsored)  if you think your friend, family member, spouse, etc. is abusing any type of narcotic, and we will help you find a treatment option that meets their needs and will help them return to a happier, safer life.

Meth, also known as crystal meth, exists as one of the most powerful stimulant-based substances around. As a form of methamphetamine, using meth on a regular basis wreaks havoc on brain and body functions.

Once a person develops meth addiction, quality of life plummets leaving a shell of a person in its wake. Others can easily see the shocking truth about meth addiction, while the addict remains for the most part unaware.

As with most all addictive stimulants, meth addictions act aggressively, taking over brain and body functions within a short period of time. Likewise, the damage done to the brain is considerable and oftentimes permanent.

Without needed meth addiction treatment, users leave themselves open to ongoing decline, both physically and mentally. In effect, the shocking truth about meth addiction lies in the overall devastation this drug causes in the addict’s life.

Meth Usage Trends

A meth “high” produces a surge in energy and feelings of euphoria, the key initial ingredients that drive continued meth use. According to Harvard Health Publications, an estimated 1 out of every 25 Americans have tried methamphetamine at some point in their lives.

Like most all addictive drugs, meth usage trends run high inside big cities; however, the highest rates appear in rural areas within Iowa, Idaho and Utah. Part of the reason for its high use in rural regions has to do with the meth manufacturing process.

“Meth houses” can be set up within any locale since everyday household products are commonly used to make the drug. Overall, the more secluded the area the better, so rural areas work quite well in this respect.

Meth can be smoked, snorted and injected with injection routes producing the severest form of meth addiction.

Meth Effects in the Brain

Meth’s stimulant effects stem from a massive release of dopamine chemicals in the brain. When ingested, meth forces dopamine-releasing cell sites to produce dopamine in excess amounts while blocking the brain’s natural reuptake or recycling mechanism, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Meth addiction, per se develops out of the effects had to the brain reward center, which is mostly regulated by dopamine level fluctuations. Normally, dopamine levels increase in response to enjoyable experiences or activities had throughout the day. In effect, the reward center considers these events essential to a person’s well-being and overall survival, much like love, food and water.

When dopamine levels increase, the reward system records these events and uses the information to form a person’s motivations, drives and overall outlook on daily living. With meth addiction, the brain reward system has come to view meth effects as essential to a person’s survival due to the repeated surges in dopamine levels. At this point, a person’s world revolves around getting and using the drug.

Meth Addiction Effects

Psychiatric Problems

The brain chemical imbalances brought on by meth addiction leave users highly susceptible to developing psychological disturbances that produce full-blown psychiatric problems. Rampant fluctuations in dopamine levels set off a chain reaction that essential disrupt other chemical systems in the brain. This inevitably impacts a person’s emotional and mental well-being.

Over time, meth addiction causes any number of psychiatric symptoms to develop, including:

• Violent behavior displays
• Aggression
• Paranoia
• Visual/audible/tactile hallucinations
• Anxiety
• Mental confusion
• Depression
• Suicidal ideations
• Diminished intellectual capacity

In effect, these developments make it all but impossible for a person to cope with everyday problems. In turn, these effects may well persist for up to a year after stopping drug use.

Brain Damage

While other forms of long-term drug abuse may cause a certain degree of brain damage to develop, meth takes such a tremendous toll on brain cell functions that pronounced brain damage is more often the norm than the exception. With meth addiction, repeated drug use destroys nerve cells in the brain as well as throughout the body’s central nervous system.

In addition, the damage done to the brain’s reward system leaves a person unable to experience any form of pleasure or sense of contentment for years after stopping drug use. Ultimately, meth addiction changes the brain on a molecular level, reconfiguring chemical pathways and eventually changing the overall structure of the brain.

Damage Done to the Body

Meth’s stimulant effects place an incredible strain on the body’s circulatory system, narrowing blood vessel passageways in the process. Narrowing passageways slow and at times cut off circulation to most every part of the body. According to Frontline PBS, these conditions weaken blood vessels over time to the point where tissue damage develops. During the course of meth addiction, circulatory problems place users at high risk of stroke and heart attack.

Meth addiction also causes severe tooth decay, a condition commonly referred to as “meth mouth.” Meth mouth takes the form of rotting teeth that appear blackened and stained. The chemicals used in the making of meth contribute to tooth decay as well as the “dry mouth” syndrome users experience while on the drug.

Community Hazards

While common household chemicals are commonly used in the making of meth, these materials contain toxins, many of which are highly volatile. According to the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, meth ingredients may include:

• Starter fluid
• Rubbing alcohol
• De-icer fluid
• Drain cleaner
• Iodine
• Red phosphorous
• Lye
• Lithium batteries
• Hydrochloric acid

Meth houses can be set up inside motel rooms, apartments, barns, vehicles and vacant buildings. Considering how volatile these chemicals are, fires and explosions happen often, exposing surrounding areas to hazardous gases. Exposure to these materials can cause a range of symptoms, including:

• Disorientation
• Respiratory problems
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Pulmonary edema
• Chest pains
• Shortness of breath

Treatment Considerations

Meth’s powerful effects on the brain and body make for a highly addictive substance that rivals cocaine and heroin in terms of addiction potential. As with most any form of addiction, the effects of meth addiction only worsen with time leaving users hopelessly dependent on the drug’s effects to function at all.

If you or someone you know struggles with meth addiction, the sooner you get needed treatment help the better. If you have any questions about meth addiction or need help locating treatment programs in your area, please feel free to call our toll-free helpline at 800-934-1582(Sponsored) .