The effects and risks of illegal and so-called “recreational” drugs vary greatly, but the ones described below have all caused seizures in people without epilepsy, and triggered seizures in people with epilepsy. Other illegal drugs could also trigger seizures, in addition to their other negative health effects.

Cocaine
All forms of cocaine consumption can cause seizures within seconds, minutes, or hours after its use. Seizures caused by cocaine are uniquely dangerous and may be associated with heart attacks, interruption of the heart's normal rhythm (cardiac arrhythmia), and death. They can even occur in someone who has never had a seizure before.

Amphetamines and other stimulants
Amphetamines are brain stimulants. When used under a doctor's supervision, amphetamines or other stimulants do not appear to increase the likelihood of seizures in people with epilepsy. But people who abuse amphetamines or related drugs like "Ecstasy" (MDMA) can experience sleep deprivation, confusion, or major psychiatric disorders. With these effects, they are very likely to forget to take their seizure medicines and thus are much more likely to have seizures. Some researchers have also found long-lasting damage to the brain from the use of some types of stimulants. Very high doses of amphetamines can cause severe tonic-clonic seizures, heart attacks, and death.

Marijuana
Some studies in animals have suggested that marijuana can provoke seizures under certain circumstances. Abruptly stopping use of marijuana can also increase the likelihood of seizures.

Tips for managing and preventing drug abuse

If any of these drugs of abuse are thought to trigger your seizures, sit down with your doctor and talk seriously about what to do. There are two major questions here:

• Do you use the drugs occasionally and can you stop using them to help your seizures?
• Do you abuse any of these drugs, which means you use them too often or are dependent on them, physically and/or emotionally? If this is the problem, then dealing with the drug abuse problem is the main issue. Doing so will help your emotional health, your physical health, and also your seizures. Dealing with a drug (or alcohol) abuse problem isn't easy, so talk to your doctor and get referrals to professionals and programs who can help you.

Topic Editor: Steven C. Schachter, MD and Patricia O. Shafer, RN, MN.
Last Reviewed: 9/30/08