khat | The PWD Forum

Drug addiction can lead to disability.

For drugs can affect the brain, a person’s nutrition; sleep; decision-making and impulsivity; and risk for trauma, violence, injury, and communicable diseases. This could eventually have negative outcomes in education, employment, housing, relationships, and criminal justice involvement.

Examples of drugs that can lead to disability are steroids, heroin, cocaine, marijuana, inhalants, 3,4methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), phencyclidine (PCP), metamphetamine, opioids, γ-hy·drox·y·bu·tyr·ate (GHB), lysergic acid (LSD), mescaline (peyote), synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic cathinones, dex·tro·me·thor·phan (DXM), tobacco, khat, stimulants, psilocybin, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), kratom, nicotine, Rohypnol, ayahuasca, prescription sedatives, salvia, prescription and over-the-counter drugs.

Abuse of them can cause the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis, and cancer. The cardiovascular system, respiratory system, gastrointestinal system, musculoskeletal system can also be affected, the kidney and liver damaged, and neurological problems, hormonal problems, mental health problems, and prenatal effects to happen.

In a debate hosted by the National University of Ireland in Galway and organized by the International Centre on Human Rights and Drug Policy, however, executive director Richard Elliott of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network equates drug use as a disability since it is exactly what drug dependence does: disable people by criminalizing them and prohibiting their participation to society. Even lecturer Simon Flacks of the University of Reading believes so upon finding out that drugs are ‘agents causing malfunction’ that will eventually lead to a disorder.

“…most people encounter varying mental health problems throughout their life and it is in everyone’s interest not to be discriminated against when that happens.” ~Simon Flacks