Alcohol withdrawal can be life-threatening. Long term consumption of large quantities of alcohol, especially when combined with poor nutrition, can lead to permanent damage of vital organs such as the brain and the liver. Mothers who drink alcohol during pregnancy may give birth to infants with fetal alcohol syndrome. These infants have irreversible physical abnormalities and mental retardation. Research also indicates that children of alcoholic parents are at increased risk to become alcoholics themselves.
Drugs interfere with the brain's ability to take in, sort, and synthesize information.
They distort perception, which can lead users to harm themselves or others. Drugs also effect sensation and impair memory. In addition, there are specific health risks associated with particular types of drugs. Cocaine use is the fastest growing drug problem in the United States. One reason for this is the ready availability of cocaine in a cheap but potent form called crack or rock.