World AIDS Day 2010

December 1st is dedicated as World AIDS Day to promote awareness in the world about AIDS and the effects in the lives of those infected with this virus and how to fight it, or avoid it entirely.  You may be driving and see signs on school fences made by the students in red usually reading "Say No to Drugs."  You may also see other people wearing a red ribbon.  These are different ways in which the world is trying to support the cause of helping the world become more aware and helping to find a cure.

Over 90,000 people are living with HIV in the UK and new infections continue every year. World AIDS Day 2010 is all about raising awareness to tackle HIV prejudice and help stop the spread of HIV.
The Relations of Drug Abuse and AIDS

Injection Drug Use (IDU): Injection drug use refers to when a drug is injected into a tissue or vein with a needle.  HIV is typically transmitted through the sharing of needles or syringes between drug users. Other infections, such as Hepatitis C, can also be transmitted this way.  IDU has directly and indirectly accounted for more than one-third (36%) of AIDS cases in the United States.  The most commonly injected drugs are heroin and other opiates, cocaine and amphetamines, and the prevalence of each is likely to vary according to location and population group.

Poor Judgement and Risky Behavior: Drug and alcohol intoxication can affect a person's ability to make decisions and can lead to unsafe sexual practices.  These unsafe sexual practices can put them at risk for getting HIV and possibly transmitting it to various other sexual partners.

Biological Effects of Drugs: Use of drugs and addictions can affect the person's overall health and possibly make them more susceptible to HIV.  People that are already infected with HIV and are drug users are worsening the progression of the virus, and especially affecting the brain.

How Are Teens Affected?
In general, middle and late adolescence is the common stage when teens engage in risk-taking and sensation-seeking behaviors that may put them in jeopardy of contracting HIV. However, regardless of whether a teen takes drugs, unsafe sexual practices increase a person's risk of contracting HIV. But drugs and alcohol can increase the chances of unsafe behavior by altering judgment and decision making.

If you would like to make a difference and do something in promoting AIDS awareness, visit http://www.worldaidsday.org/.