Addictive substances and narcotics

Khat

Khat is a plant which has a stimulant effect on the brain. For its stimulant effect, people do not feel tired and hungry and work for prolonged time while using it. In Ethiopia, it has been widely used for many years, and its consumption is increasing in young generation as a means of stimulation and pleasure.

Even though it seems harmless at the beginning, it causes an increase in respiratory rate, heart rate and blood pressure which may lead to health problems in the long term like the inability to sleep and mental problems like depression. It also affects appetite which causes gastric irritation and constipation. Since it affects mood and perception, this predisposes the individual to engage in unsafe sexual practices which could expose to HIV infection.

Tobacco and Cigarettes

Tobacco is a plant that can be chewed or smoked which contains an addictive substance called nicotine. Nicotine produces a feeling of happiness and pleasure. People cite many reasons for using tobacco, including pleasure, improved performance and vigilance, relief of depression, curbing hunger, and weight control. Some immediate health effects of smoking include shortness of breath, coughing blood, lungs burnt by the chemicals in cigarettes.

Smoking causes yellow teeth and nails, dull hair, and wrinkled skin. Cigarette smoking harms nearly every organ of the body. It increases the risk of cancer development in different body parts including lung cancer. It also predisposes for blood pressure, heart disease, difficulty in penile erection and problem in sperm production. Smoking also makes women less fertile and reduces their chance of conceiving. Smoking causes damage to the baby; they become underweight at birth and tend to have blood pressure problems later in life.

Passive smokers (non-smokers who are exposed to the cigarette smoke from smokers), are also adversely affected and could develop the same health problems that smokers have. The vast majority of tobacco users and smokers are hooked when they are young. Once hooked, the majority of tobacco users become hopelessly addicted. Young people are easily influenced by peer pressure and advertising on cigarettes.

Cannabis (Marijuana or Hashish)

Cannabis is a plant which grows in many parts of the world. It is the most common illicit psychoactive substance being used. Its use among young people in Ethiopia both in rural and urban areas is increasing. Cannabis can usually be smoked, but it can also be eaten. Its smoke irritates your lungs more and contains more cancer-causing chemicals than tobacco smoke.

Common effects of marijuana use include pleasure, relaxation, and impaired coordination and memory. Smoking cannabis disrupts short-term memory, and its long-term exposure produces long-lasting cognitive impairment. Cannabis use by men also brings an inability to have a satisfactory orgasm.