Drug Overdose

Drugs use, be it medicinal or for pleasure, may have short and long-term effects on the individual’s body. These effects are different depending on the type of drugs used and the way they are taken. The short-term effects may include lack of sleep, overdose, and lack of appetite, and so on. The long-term effects may include addiction, mental illness, and organ failures, such as lung and heart failure. Drug addiction seems to be the root cause of drug overdose.

Prince Rogers Nelson, an American songwriter, and singer, was found dead in his home after an overdose. Prince was taking a painkiller Vicodin for a hip problem, which was later found to be laced with fentanyl. According to toxicology reports, high amounts of fentanyl were found in his blood, stomach, and liver. Prince took this drug for years, causing addiction, which might have led to the overdose.

Fentanyl has effects on the individual, which include drowsiness, nausea, sedation, unconsciousness, and problems in breathing. When these effects are looked at, it can be seen how they could lead to death. Breathing resumes one to two minutes after a fentanyl overdose induced apnea (Philippe, 2020). If Prince experienced a breathing problem and couldn’t breathe for some time, that would lead to suffocation and even death.

Drug overdose is an effect that seems to stem from drug addiction. The individual builds up a tolerance for the drug and has to take more to supplement the need. Drug overdose has many adverse effects on the individual’s body. The end result is death, which seems to occur at any moment. For drug overdose to be tackled, drug addiction must be solved both medically and at an individual level.

Philippe, H. N. (2020). Evidence for the emergence of an opioid‐resistant respiratory rhythm following fentanyl overdose. ScienceDirect, 50-62.