Use of drugs during pregnancy has effects on the baby. Women who use cocaine and heroin during pregnancy have an increase in miscarriages. They give birth to babies addicted and usually of low birth weight. The infant must go through a difficult withdrawal. Long term effects in these children are not yet known.
Addiction is a major risk of using illegal and controlled prescription drugs.
Heroin, codeine, opiates, barbiturates, and morphine are strongly physically addicting. Cocaine produces both physical and psychological addiction. Withdrawal from narcotics, barbiturates and cocaine is difficult and painful. Drug users aften return to using drugs. Over time, the drug user usually suffers from malnutrition and a lowered immune system.