Illegal drugs and heart disease – the facts

There are quite a few drugs that change the way you feel and change your behaviour that are bad for your health so they have been made illegal.

Photograph of distressed boyWhat are illegal drugs?

Illegal drugs can damage the brain, heart, and other important organs. Different drugs affect you in different ways and include different risks. Here you can find out more about them.

Class A, B or C?

The British government separate the different kinds of illegal drugs into three different categories. These classes (A, B and C) carry different levels of penalty for possession and dealing. Drugs classified ‘A’ have the strongest penalties, drugs classified ‘C’ have the lowest.

(These classes have nothing to do with how strong or dangerous a drug is – some class ‘C’ drugs can kill you.)

To find out more about the fines and prison sentences you can get for carrying drugs, go to talktofrank

About illegal drugs

What should I do if I am worried about my drug use or my friend’s?

If you are worried about your drug use or friend’s drug use, contact one of the organisations that know about drugs, which are listed on this page.

If you have congenital heart disease and are using illegal drugs, contact your specialist heart disease nurse or cardiologist and ask to talk to them confidentially. It is important that they know what you are taking because they will know what risks it involves and they will try to help you.

Useful links

Talk to Frank: www.talktofrank.com 
0800 776600 24 hours a day, every day.

Textphone for people with hearing difficulties 0800 9178765

Release: www.release.org.uk
0845 4500 215 helpline and legal advice line.

(open 11am-1pm for drug or legal advice. 2-4pm drugs advice only)



References

Talk to Frank (drugs information service) www.talktofrank.com

0800 77 66 00 24 hours a day

Release (drugs information service)

www.release.org.uk

0845 4500 215

‘Cocaine and the Heart’
New England Journal of Medicine 2003 
Vol 348:487-488 
loner.R, Rezkalla.S

Cocaine Abuse: Repolarisation Abnormalities and Ventricular Arrhythmias. The American Journal of Medical Science 2000
Vol 320 (1)
Gamouras.G et al