Drug abuse is a serious problem, which is capable of not only causing death to the one using it, but create a havoc in the lives of those who are associated with that person too. There have been plenty cases, whether it is Matthew Perry or the recent death of Liam Payne, which is in trial currently.

It is also a problem in the US and is emerging as one of the health concerns that could destroy families and society. One of the most alarming aspects of drug abuse is also its impact on public safety as well as increased crime rates. Drugs also take a heavy toll on healthcare systems as emergency departments frequently encounter cases of drug overdoses, which puts the burden on medical professional who have the strain the limited resources available.

There are also long-term health impact due to drug abuse, which includes organ damage, infectious disease, mental health disorders and rise in healthcare cost.

Are there any specific drugs which are most abused in US?

Yes. There are commonly used drugs, which also includes prescribed painkillers like oxycodone, hydrocodone, and fentanyl, as well as illicit substances like heroin. As per recent data, opioid abuse has also reached alarming levels which has affected millions of Americans.

Here are the most abused drugs in the US:

Stimulants

They are used to increase alertness, attention, and energy. They also have a high potential for abuse due to the euphoric and performance enhancing effects. Cocaine and methamphetamine are notable stimulants frequently abused in the US. As per 2019 data, 10.3 million people reported to misuse stimulants in the previous year.

Depressants

These substances are used to slow down brain activity and induce relaxation. Benzodiazepines is one of the commonly prescribed medicine. Around 4.8 million individuals in the US have misused this drug.

Other misused drugs and its affects on the health:

Opioids:

It could lead to slow breathing and heart rate. It can also increase the risk of overdose and respiratory failure, constipation and a weakened immune system.

Stimulants:

It can elevate heart rate and blood pressure. It could also increase body temperate and lead to an irregular heartbeat. Furthermore, one can experience loss of appetite and weight loss.

Cannabis:

This can alter perception and coordination. People who consume it often have red eyes and a dry mouth. This can increase appetite, sometimes the "munchies" can reach to a point of no return and it could impair memory and cognitive function.

Benzodiazepines:

It could lead to sedation and drowsiness and an impaired coordination and balance. There also could be memory problems and confusion, along with respiratory depression, when combined with other depressant substance.

Alcohol:

This could lead to slurred speech, impaired condition, poor judgment and decision-making, liver damage and cirrhosis and an increased risk of accidents and injuries, which is the 3rd most leading cause of death in the US.

Additional Negative Impact: Social and psychological

Substance abuse impairs job performance and reliability, leading to frequent absenteeism, reduced productivity, and even job loss. This further leads to financial instability, strained relationships, and a cycle of dependency.

In June 2025, 337 ton of toxic waste from the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal finally left from the city in 12 trucks and arrived at the Pithampura industrial area. The waste was carried in spill-free trucks, but the impact of this toxic waste and the toxic gas on people, still spills today.

As we observe the National Pollution Control Day today, which commemorates the victims of the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy, we also look back onto how its spill on human lives.

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What Happened On December 2 and 3, 1984?

Between December 2 and 3, around midnight, in 1984, there was a massive leak of a poisonous chemical methyl isocyanate (MIC) from a Union Carbide pesticide plant that took thousand lives, and maimed a thousand more, leaving many, even four decades later, impacted.

As per the 1992 study by R Dhara, the gas leak caused chronic inflammatory damage to the eyes and lungs, which was also the main cause of morbidity. Reproductive health problems in form of increased spontaneous abortions and psychological problems were also reported.

The leak was called world's worst industrial disaster. Around 40 ton of toxic methyl isocyanate gas was released into air, and killed more than 3,000 people.

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Those Who Are Still Affected

The toxic waste which had been lying till June this year, as per surveys, contain 6 of the persistent organic pollutants that are banned by the United Nations for their highly poisonous impacts on the environment and human health.

As per the data by the Sambhavna Trust, even after 3 decades, the mortality rate for gas-exposed victims is still 28% higher than the average. The survivors are twice as likely to die of cancers, lung diseases, and tuberculosis. They are also three times as likely to die from kidney diseases and 63% more likely to have illnesses. The data also showed that a 25% of the survivors who had been exposed to the gas were under-active thyroid and can have long-term health impacts.

The explosion also had adverse effects on women, babies, and caused a high rate of infertility, stillbirths, abortions, early menopause and irregularities in menstrual cycles. The Guardian reported that many women left their husbands as they believed "not to be capable of fulfilling the familial duties expected of them".

The Chingari Children's Centre which was established for those born with disabilities due to the gas tragedy registered over 1,000 children. Many of these kids were affected by cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, autism, intellectual disabilities, and severe learning difficulties.

A study by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), found that still 9% of babies who were born between 2016-17 had birth defects. These babies were born to mothers who had been exposed to gas. The Guardian reports that the "study was subsequently discredited by the ICMR, who ordered it not to be published or disclosed."

The Leak That Leaks Even Today

Last year, in September, survivors of the tragedy also visited Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health and shared their stories. The survivors included two women who were children when the gas leak happened, Farhat Jahan and Bati Bai Rajak. They shared that the disaster still continues to leave its impact on the new generation.

A 2023 study published in journal BMJ One also revealed that even after four decades of the tragedy, future generations are afflicted by disabilities and cancer. The study also noted a decline in male births a year after the tragedy, impacting around 100km radius around Bhopal.

Other health conditions include respiratory, neurological, musculoskeletal, ophthalmic, and endocrine issues. The impact also resulted in a 4-fold increase in miscarriages and a higher risk of stillbirth. Researchers from the University of California San Diego also noted that reproductive health impacts could trickle town to future generations, which could be seen even today.

Gordon McCord from the School of Global Policy and Strategy at UC San Diego and the author of the study said that male fetuses are more suspectable to adverse shocks including smog, disease, natural disasters and stressful events during pregnancy. This was reported in media outlet Down To Earth.

Studies also found that men born in 1985 within the 100 km of Bhopal had eight-fold increased risk of cancer.

Another study which analyzed the survivors from 1985 to 1994, titled Health Effects of the Toxic Gas Leak from the Union Carbide Methyl Isocyanate Plant in Bhopal noted for genetic risk of pregnancy outcome in women who were exposed to the toxic gas. The abortion rate was 523 per 1000, immediately after the tragedy. The study also found that infants were born with congenital malformations.

Bhopal gas leak tragedy paved way for a safer workspace and lead to the many laws which aims to protect the survivors, their rights, and also holds the companies accountable for the damage. However, despite this, many survivors still continue to live with chronic pain, diseases, and scarred memories from the tragedy.

This day observed as the National Pollution Control Day is a reminder to why environmental safety is key to health safety, and must alarm the nation for the air pollution situation that continues to worsen by every passing day.

Lots of new developments around weight-loss drugs, with the World Health Organization now stepping in to lower the dosage, and many companies like Eli Lilly actually slashing down the price for better access. Amid this what people may be forgetting are the unusual side effects of being on popular weight loss drugs.

The internet has made room for a lot of unusual confessions, but few are as chaotic, or as oddly supportive, as the Reddit threads where people taking weight-loss jabs like Ozempic and Wegovy openly discuss their most embarrassing side effects. And one theme keeps popping up: unpredictable bowel movements, including the dreaded “sleep sh*ts.”

One Reddit user started a viral thread with a painfully honest plea: “Any advice for not sh*tt*ng in the bed while sleep?” The user said they’d been dealing with this for months and called it “the most annoying side effect.” Another person, already three shots in, nervously listed “sh*tt*ng the bed” as something they were “not looking forward to.”

This mix of diarrhea, constipation, and everything in between has sparked concern, and, for many, shame. But as more people turn to GLP-1 medications for weight loss, understanding why this happens has never been more important.

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Pooping Uncontrollably: It Happens More Often Than You Think

The phenomenon isn’t limited to anonymous Reddit users. A Florida nurse, interviewed by Business Insider, described weeks of constipation so bad she tried “everything from stool softeners to a megadose of Milk of Magnesia.” But by attempting to “hit it from the top and bottom,” she ended up losing control altogether, hence her reluctant membership in the self-appointed “sh*t the bed club.”

Another semaglutide user confessed online: “I quite literally sh*t myself while sleeping… tough few days of diarrhea after my first injection.” And yet, others reported the opposite: stubborn constipation, going days without relief, or passing what one Redditor bluntly called “rocks.”

These extremes highlight one thing clearly, digestive unpredictability is surprisingly common.

Why Do GLP-1 Drugs Mess With Your Gut?

Semaglutide (the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy) is part of a class of medications called GLP-1 receptor agonists. These drugs work by slowing gastric emptying and nutrient absorption so users feel full for longer. But the same mechanism that makes the drugs effective can also confuse the digestive system.

Medical News Today notes that Ozempic often triggers a “stool reflex”, when food entering the gut prompts the colon to clear space. For some people, this reflex becomes unusually strong or overactive, leading to diarrhea.

On the flip side, slowing the gut too much can cause constipation. That’s why Wegovy’s own prescription info reports both diarrhea (30% of users) and constipation (24% of users) during clinical trials.

New York gastroenterologist Dr. Eric Goldstein told Insider that while digestive issues are a known side effect of GLP-1 drugs, the severity seen in social media posts is likely exaggerated because people tend to share the worst-case scenarios. Still, he emphasised that “any medication… may have changes or side effects that need to be monitored.”

How Long Does It Last — And Should You Be Worried?

Fortunately, most people don’t deal with weeks of chaos. According to 2022 research, Ozempic-related diarrhea typically lasts around three days after starting treatment. For the majority, symptoms settle within the first four weeks as the body adjusts. Only 4.3% of people stopped treatment because of GI side effects.

However, flare-ups are common after dose increases, and doctors may recommend slowing dose escalation or adjusting timing if symptoms become disruptive.

Still, experts consistently advise the same thing Reddit does, though with less sarcasm: monitor your symptoms, stay hydrated, avoid greasy or heavy foods, and reach out to your doctor if things become severe or last longer than a few weeks.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that not enough weight loss jabs will be left for those who need it. While weight loss drugs offer a great potential to tackle the obesity issue that is on the rise, globally. However, the accessibility to those who actually need it is fewer than 1 in 10 people.

Worldwide, there are one billion obese people, and are the ones calling for widespread and fairer access to these GLP-1 medication. Health prediction says that by 2030, more than two billion people will be obese unless action is taken seriously.

However, the limited production of the GLP-1 medication, high costs, and supply chain constraints have become a barrier to its universal access. WHO has already added the GLP-1 medication to its 'essential' medicines list for overweight patients with diabetes that countries are advised to provide.

"Our new guidance recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong care. While medication alone won't solve this global health crisis, GLP-1 therapies can help millions overcome obesity and reduce its associated harms," says WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

As per WHO, these drugs represent a new chapter in how society approaches obesity from a lifestyle condition to a complex, preventable, and treatable chronic disease. It says these drugs can be used long-term, for six months or more, but they should be prescribed together with guidance on diet and exercise to help people maintain their weight loss. The problem is only few people can actually access them. "Our greatest concern is equitable access," says Tedros.

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How Short Are We On Skinny Jabs?

As of now, WHO notes that under the present scenario of GLP-1 therapies, only 100 million people could benefit them, which is less than 10% of those who need them.

WHO's latest guidelines are now calling on countries and companies to expand access, through strategies and voluntary licensing. This means companies can grant permission for others to make affordable non-brand versions of its patented drug.

A patent on semaglutide, the main ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, is set to expire in many countries in 2026. Once that happens, other manufacturers will be able to produce and sell cheaper versions in markets such as India, Canada, China, Brazil and Turkey.

The WHO also says countries need to build healthier environments that support good health and help prevent obesity.

How Do GLP-1 Medications Work?

GLP-1 drugs mimic the action of the natural hormone GLP-1 to regulate blood sugar and promote weight loss. They work by increasing insulin release in a glucose-dependent manner, decreasing the liver's production of glucagon, and slowing down the emptying of the stomach, which helps lower blood sugar levels after a meal. They also act on the brain to suppress appetite and increase feelings of fullness, leading to reduced calorie intake.

In people with type 2 diabetes, notes Harvard Health, the body's cells are resistant to the effects of insulin and body does not produce enough insulin, or both. This is when GLP-1 agonists stimulate pancreas to release insulin and suppress the release of another hormone called glucagon.

These drugs also act in the brain to reduce hunger and act on the stomach to delay emptying, so you feel full for a longer time. These effects can lead to weight loss, which can be an important part of managing diabetes.