We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
To save content items to your account,
please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies.
If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account.
Find out more about saving content to .
To save content items to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org
is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings
on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part
of your Kindle email address below.
Find out more about saving to your Kindle.
Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations.
‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi.
‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.
The effects of alcohol and illicit drug use are far reaching, extending to all aspects of a person’s life, particularly to their physical, psychological and social health. With recreational use, users are interested in the effects of acute intoxication and long-term consequences are rarely considered. However, following addiction or dependence to a substance, chronic misuse becomes associated with a variety of physical health issues and disorders. This chapter begins by providing the practising clinician with information about the impact of alcohol on the cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, haematological and nervous systems. The second half covers the impact of illicit drugs, starting with the opioids and the physical complications of intravenous drug use. The unique patterns of morbidity associated with cannabis, stimulants, depressants, hallucinogens, ketamine, solvents and nitrous oxide are then considered.