Question: Can a person get dementia from abusing medications for a certain amount of years?
Dr. Hibberd's answer:
Dementia is not a predictable side effect from prescription medications but non-prescription drug abuse has been associated with an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease.
Cigarette and cigar smoking also has a direct association with increasing risk of premature dementia.
Street drugs are often "cut" with substances may be toxic to our cells, including our brain cells. Drug abuse also damages brain cells, leaving abusers less able to withstand the cognitive declines that come from Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.
© 2026 NewsmaxHealth. All rights reserved.