• Question: is there a drug that could potentially kill a human?

    Asked by jellybaaby to Jack, Jon, Tom, Yalda on 19 Mar 2013. This question was also asked by icancu.
    • Photo: Jack Heal

      Jack Heal answered on 19 Mar 2013:

      Lots of drugs have the potential to kill. Of course there are all the recreational drugs like alcohol and cocaine and heroin which can kill. But medical drugs can kill too if they’re taken in the wrong amounts or at the wrong time, or if you take drugs in a combination they’re not supposed to be taken in.
      This things can happen by accident (I think Heath Ledger died like this). You have to be very careful with drugs and only take what you’re supposed to when you’re supposed to. I guess the take home message is listen to the doctor and …always read the label!

    • Photo: Yalda Javadi

      Yalda Javadi answered on 19 Mar 2013:

      Yes. Some drugs are toxic to your organs if taken to excess, and potentially kill too. It happens when you take more than is recommended, which is called an overdose. So you should always be careful and take medicines as recommended by your doctor.

      There are also other ways that people could be in danger from drugs. Some people could be allergic, which means they need to stay away from certain drugs. Penicillin allergies are quite common. Also, drugs can interact with other drugs… so sometimes if you’re on one drug it will be dangerous for you to take another drug. For example, if you’re on blood thinning medication like Warfarin, it’s dangerous to take some anti-inflammatory medications. Sleeping pills too, they can interact with other drugs and become dangerous.

    • Photo: Tom Branson

      Tom Branson answered on 19 Mar 2013:

      Like the other guys have said, many drugs can kill you. Never go over the recommended amount for medicines and always be careful with alergies!

      All drugs are not meant to be in the body, so all can be dangerous if used incorrectly.

    • Photo: anon

      anon answered on 19 Mar 2013:

      Yes, but not only the ones you might think of. Alcohol and tobacco are both drugs and they can both kill you even though they are legal. Many drugs that you can get from the doctor or pharmacy can also hurt you if you take too much or not in the right way. It’s always best to play it safe around drugs – being dead is probably no fun at all!

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