Enjoying life is essential for everyone. But one should do this in moderation. Intoxication to receive a “high” or “buzz” is a personal choice when done in the safety of your own home or other safe location. However, being in such a state can be life-threatening in situations when you are driving.
In the United States, authorities detained almost 1.1 million motorists for operating a vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs in 2014. In 2018, the numbers increased to 20.5 million persons aged 16 or older who drove while under the influence of alcohol, and 12.6 million did so while under the influence of illicit substances, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).
You should be aware of the various drawbacks of the consumption of narcotics, alcohol, and a combination of these on your concentration level and health.
The Effects of Getting “Buzzed” or “High”
Getting behind the wheel after consuming drugs or alcohol is a serious crime because of its serious demerits. Because people frequently combine drugs with alcohol or use multiple drugs simultaneously , it is challenging to assess how certain drugs impair driving.
However, we know that some substances can have profound effects, even in small doses. As a result, several states have zero-tolerance policies regarding drug use while driving. This implies that if a drug is found in the blood or urine, a person may be charged with driving under the influence (DUI). However, research that clearly identifies blood levels, like those they use with alcohol, indicates impairment due to drug abuse.
It can be challenging to determine which substance had the most impact. Many drivers who cause collisions are discovered to have drugs and alcohol in their systems. How many accidents are brought on by drugged driving is difficult to quantify. This is due to the lack of a reliable roadside test for determining drug levels in the body. It can be challenging to tell when a drug was taken, how it affected driving, and whether it did so. This is because certain substances can remain in your bloodstream for quite a while.
The following are the ill effects of drugs, alcohol, and their combination on your driving.
#1 Drugs
The substance most frequently detected in the blood of drivers involved in accidents, after alcohol, is marijuana. The amount of the mind-altering component of marijuana, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), in the blood is measured in tests to identify marijuana use in drivers. Prescription medicines are frequently associated with impaired driving accidents along with marijuana. 19.7% of those who operated a vehicle while impaired by drugs or alcohol tested positive for an opioid in 2016.
According to 2015 research on driving after cannabis use, THC in marijuana also impairs a driver’s capacity for multitasking. Researches also show that drivers are using drugs at higher rates. The general incidence of cannabis and opioids appeared to have grown during the public health emergency compared to prior, according to a 2020 NHTSA analysis of critically or fatally injured road users at examined trauma centers.
Some drugs and their impact on driving are:
- Medications on prescription- Being aware of potential driving hazards is crucial if you take prescription medications. Driving might be risky if you’re feeling sleepy, aggressive, dizzy, nauseated, light-headed, or shaky since your eyesight and focus may be affected. Therefore, always read labels thoroughly and heed instructions and warnings if you’re using prescription or over-the-counter medicine. Plan alternate transportation, and if prescribed, take it slowly when starting any new drugs because your body could require some time to adjust.
- Tranquilizer- All depressant drugs can “depress” or “slow down” bodily activity. Reduced reaction times, decreased attention, tiredness, difficulties processing information, and difficulty multitasking are among the side effects of depressants. Combining multiple opioid or depressive medications can intensify these effects and significantly negatively influence your driving.
- Anti-depressants- Cocaine and other stimulant substances “speed up” bodily activities. Enhanced heart rate, blood pressure, anxiousness, and increased sensation of capability are just a few effects that may occur. This may result in problems paying attention, a propensity to fidget, aggressive and risky driving, increased risk-taking, and overconfidence in one’s driving abilities. Therefore, a person who has recently used cocaine is more likely to drive recklessly. Combing stimulants can strengthen this impact by placing more strain on the heart and other vital organs. Additionally, the risk of psychosis, anxiety, and panic attacks is raised.
- Psychedelics- LSD, magic mushrooms, and mescaline are examples of psychedelics or hallucinogen substances that impact mood, perception, and cognitive functions. These medications may cause users to perceive or hear things that aren’t there or to perceive reality in skewed ways. Psychedelic medications can cause hallucinations, fuzzy thinking, hazy eyesight, and poor coordination, among other things. Drivers may make hazardous decisions if they are under the influence of the substance while operating a vehicle since hallucinogens can seriously impair a driver’s ability to pay attention to the road. Using hallucinogens can result in significant mood swings, visual or auditory hallucinations, a sense of being out of control, and a disconnection from reality. The hazard with hallucinogens is that they might cause you to miss things that are there. Flashbacks can have hallucinatory side effects that impair a driver’s ability to drive safely on the roads, even if they haven’t taken these drugs recently.
#2 Alcohol
Approximately 28 individuals per day in the United States perish in car accidents caused by drunk drivers. Almost one-third of fatal traffic-related incidents were alcohol-related. Driving while intoxicated (DWI) or while under the influence (DUI) refers to the act of operating a vehicle while having a blood alcohol content (BAC) level of at least 0.08%. But even a little alcohol can cause bad things to happen. The situation is unsafe even if a motorist does not exhibit apparent indications of intoxication. It’s crucial to keep in mind that driving while intoxicated is against the law and can result in severe penalties.
Those who binge drink or struggle with an alcohol use disorder (AUD) are the most significant risk category for drinking and driving. This indicates that they down a lot of alcohol, which puts them at risk for adverse side effects. Alcohol is absorbed into your system for 30 to 2 hours. Your breathing can slow down, and you might have trouble thinking clearly during this period. As a result, it is never safe to drive after drinking.
Drinking can impair your driving abilities in the following ways:
- Delay in reaction- The amount of alcohol in your system impacts how quickly you can react to unavoidable circumstances. Drinking lowers your reaction time, which might make accidents more likely. Thus, it will take longer for your brain to assess the situation and avoid an accident if the automobile in front of you brakes unexpectedly or a pedestrian crosses the street.
- Judgment impairment- Your brain determines how you evaluate specific situations. Your decision-making when operating a motorized vehicle depends heavily on your judgment. For instance, if another car cuts you off, you must be prepared to anticipate possible issues and take decisive action. While driving, your judgment aids in maintaining your attention and awareness of your surroundings.
- Become less focused- Any amount of alcohol might affect your ability to concentrate. When driving, many factors call for your complete attention, including maintaining your lane, speed, other vehicles on the road, and traffic signals. Drinking drastically shortens your attention span, dramatically raising your risk of being in an accident.
- Impaired vision- Alcohol abuse can harm your vision. You can experience impaired vision or lose control over your eye movement after drinking. Your ability to assess the distance between your automobile and other moving objects on the road may be impacted by visual impairment. Furthermore, there can be fewer things in your peripheral vision or what you can see on either side of you while you stare directly ahead.
- Uncoordinated- Your ability to coordinate your eyes, hands, and feet is negatively impacted by heavy drinking. Without essential coordination abilities, you might not be able to prevent a dangerous scenario from occurring. Walking with difficulty, wobbling, and having difficulties standing straight are some unmistakable indications of poor coordination. Alcohol abuse might also make it challenging to start your automobile and get inside.
After only one drink, alcohol might start to interfere with several of your senses. For instance, a BAC of 0.02 might result in impaired judgment, greater relaxation, slightly elevated body temperature, mood fluctuations, diminished visual performance, and difficulty in multitasking. Small-muscle coordination decreases at a BAC of 0.08, and a BAC of 0.15 sets off vomiting and total loss of control. Some demographics have higher rates of driving after drinking. Drivers between the ages of 16 and 20 are ten times more likely than drivers over 21 to be in a fatal collision. The second greatest is the probability of an alcohol-related collision among those aged 21 to 24. In recent years, drivers in fatal accidents with BAC levels of 0.08% or above were most likely to be 21 to 24 years old.
College students and recent graduates who go to parties and other social gatherings where alcohol is readily available are frequently affected by this.
#3 Combing alcohol with drugs
Alcohol and drugs may be fatally deadly when used together. The risk of co-occurring illnesses, such as a drug use disorder, emerging is increased by alcoholism. Combining alcohol and other substances can harm one’s body, behavior, and health. Along with potentially harmful interactions, drinking and using drugs both have the potential to intensify their respective impacts. Drug and alcohol abuse may quickly get out of hand, putting your health at risk for long-term problems. Chronic alcohol and drug usage is a sign of substance addiction. A person who abuses alcohol is more likely to use at least one additional drug, like marijuana. When you use drugs and alcohol frequently, your tolerance rises, needing more of them to provide the same desired effects. You may raise the dosage once you’ve developed a tolerance to both to prevent unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Some people could turn to more addictive drugs like heroin or ecstasy to get a more potent high.
Some of the most common drug and alcohol combinations are as follows:
- Cannabis and alcohol- Combining marijuana with alcohol raises the risk of an overdose since both substances are depressants. Both drugs have the potential to produce nausea, vomiting, extreme anxiety, and paranoia. However, because marijuana lessens nausea sensations, it can keep alcohol from being expelled from your system. As a result, alcohol may stay in your system longer and could harm you.
- Benzodiazepines and alcohol- In the US, doctors frequently prescribe painkillers like Xanax and OxyContin to manage moderate to severe pain. These medicines can potentially cause harmful health consequences when used with alcohol. Alcohol and painkillers together may harm the liver. However, when the drugs are combined, your chance of having liver issues, including potentially fatal liver disease, increases dramatically.
- Cocaine and alcohol- Due to the potent high that both provide, cocaine plus alcohol consumption is one of the most popular combinations among drug users. The stimulant cocaine raises your heart rate, blood pressure, and alertness. Alcohol can enter the brain more quickly as a result. Cocaethylene, which is produced when cocaine and alcohol are combined, is highly pleasurable. The combination of cocaine and alcohol also increases the risk of heart attack, overdose, and mortality.
- Anti-depressant drugs and alcohol- Anti-depressants like Zoloft or Prozac are frequently administered to people with mental health conditions. Alcohol and anti-depressants can potentially be fatal since they can increase each other’s ill effects. Feeling more nervous or sad after drinking alcohol is one of the main risks associated with anti-depressant use. This may result in irritation, difficulty falling asleep and poor judgment.
- Heroin and alcohol- Alcohol and heroin are depressants with comparable potential adverse effects. Slowed breathing is one of the most severe side effects of depressants. These respiratory issues can become significantly more severe and even fatal if heroin is combined with alcohol. Heroin is a highly addictive narcotic, making it hard to stop using. Alcohol and heroin use increase the risk of overdose and abnormally low heart rates.
- Sleeping pills and alcohol- The hazards of using sleeping medications alone are numerous. However, the effects of sleeping medications might be fatal when mixed with alcohol use. Even a tiny amount of alcohol might intensify the sedative effects of sleeping medications. This combination can cause lightheadedness, disorientation, and fainting.
For years, abusing alcohol and drugs excessively can negatively affect your health. Some effects could be slight and short-lived. Other consequences could be more damaging and persist a lot longer. Health effects depend on the amount of alcohol taken and the type of substance used. There are a few short-term problems from alcohol and drug usage and long-term complications from some of the short-term difficulties. Some of these disorders may increase your chance of getting further health problems in the future.
Conclusion
The number of states that have legalized marijuana for recreational use has increased to 19 since 2012, which is expected to rise. Marijuana, once seen as illegal, is now frequently thought of as being no riskier than alcohol. This development mirrors a far more significant shift in how drugs are seen. Evidence shows that drug usage is increasing across the board, not only with marijuana, and this growth has catastrophic consequences.
Not just drug users are suffering as a result of their behavior. Every time drunk drivers get on the road, they peril several other motorists’ lives. Many people who participate in this conduct aren’t drawn to danger or thrill-seeking in the first place. Driving under the influence of drugs is usually a sign of a significant drug issue that needs to be addressed and treated. Considering this issue, the NHTSA campaigned for its National Drug-Impaired Driving Initiative, which raises awareness of the risks associated with drugged driving and encourages people to make safer decisions. Under it, you are encouraged to arrange for a sober driver if you will partake in drugs and ensure that your friends don’t drive under the influence of drugs.
Remember that by making wiser decisions, we can all save lives.