Excerpt: Chemical dependency is an illness that casts a shadow overeverything it comes near. Chemical dependency can affect the quality and safetyof your work environment, and seriously jeopardize the health of the user.Alcohol is the most commonly abused substance in the workplace. It can lead to poorjudgment and coordination, drowsiness, and mood swings, liver damage, and heartdisease. Marijuana is addictive although many people believe it is not. Thedrug is much stronger than it was several years ago. Marijuana can cause impairedshort-term memory, slowed reaction time, lung disease, and infertility. Prescriptiondrugs are used to reduce stress, and they really aren’t safe unless you usethem according to the prescription. If abused they can lead to sluggishness orhyperactivity, impaired reflexes, addiction, and brain damage. Cocaine andcrack are highly addictive. They speed up performance but the affect isshort-lived. Some of the risks include short attention spam, irritability anddepression, seizure, and heart attack. Doing coke is like driving your car inthe fast lane, in first gear. Back in 1982, 83 there was a big resurgence incocaine.