Psychoactive substances, popularly known as drugs , have a powerful addictive effect on their users. These substances, of mineral, vegetable and even animal origin, alter and modify the consciousness, the mood, as well as the thought processes of an individual.
Drugs modify the brain. They alter the reward circuits.
These substances are divided into two large groups: those that have legal approval (such as tobacco or alcohol) and those that do not. The latter are those that, for years, have been in the spotlight of health experts for their alarming growth and unbridled circulation.
Its use has become so common that the truth is that, in the European Union , just over a quarter of the population between 15 and 64 years old (which translates into more than 93 million people) has tried illegal drugs in some time in his life . In the specific case of Spain, it has positioned itself as the second country in Europe, after the United Kingdom, in cocaine consumption and the fourth in marijuana.
According to data from the UN Office on Drugs and Organized Crime, it is estimated that this business moves more than 300,000 million dollars each year . In our country , as shown in the latest report by the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction, in 2014, public spending related to drugs accounted for 0.03% of GDP .
Spain, France and the United Kingdom are the countries where the most drug requisition operations are concentrated . For example, in 2015 around 87,000 seizures were reported in the EU, with Belgium, Spain, France, Italy and Portugal accounting for 78% of the 69.4 tonnes seized.
However, one of the problems associated with drugs of greatest concern is their risk of mortality . Death related to the use of psychoactive substances is relevant because it is an important reflection of the social and health impact of the use of these substances. In Spain, the latest data show that the death rate caused by drug abuse stands at 14.8%. Street drugs are full of chemicals that are highly toxic to humans and their use is highly addictive. In this gallery, we show you a ranking of the most powerful.
