Drugs Misuse Harms the Others

Increased risk of motor vehicle accidents

Use of illicit drugs or misuse of prescription drugs can make driving a car unsafe—just like driving after drinking alcohol.

Increased spread of infectious diseases

Injection of drugs accounts for 1 in 10 of cases of HIV. Injection drug use is also a major factor in the spread of hepatitis C, and can be the cause of endocarditis and cellulitis.

Negative effects of secondhand smoke

Secondhand tobacco smoke exposes bystanders to at least 250 chemicals that are known to be harmful, particularly to children.

Negative effects of drug use while pregnant or breastfeeding

A mother's substance or medication use during pregnancy can cause her baby to go into withdrawal after it's born, which is called neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS).