• Contamination risks - Contaminated or mixed drugs may be purchased unknowingly by the user; drugs requiring injection often cause serious infectious diseases

• Mixed drugs dangers - Certain drugs become very harmful when taken with other drugs; for instance, taking barbituates while drinking alcohol is a deadly combination

• Financial pressures - A drug habit becomes increasingly costly due to price and quantity need increases. This has led many into other sins and crimes to obtain the necessary money

• Criminal record problems - Drug abuse is against the law. If a person is caught in possession of illegal drugs, he establishes a criminal record which can result in his being unable to secure certain jobs or travel to certain countries. It will also result in a serious fine, juvenile or adult probation sentence, or jail sentence.

For these reasons, God's law and societal law oppose drug abuse.

Liane thought that smoking marijuana was relatively harmless until she heard a doctor present the results of a marijuana research at a school assembly. The following facts were presented:

• One marijuana cigarette (joint) contains more cancer-causing agents than a tobacco cigarette

• Marijuana can raise heart rates as much as fifty percent

• Marijuana causes forgetfulness, confuses one's sense of time, and ruins concentration, producing numerous personal and social problems

• Sustained marijuana use produces loss of interest in school work, job, family, and friends

• Marijuana decreases sex hormones and can harm a person's ability to have healthy children

• Marijuana weakens muscle cells

• Marijuana decreases the effectiveness of the body's immunity system

• Driving while high on marijuana is as dangerous as driving while drunk