Causes And Effects Of Substance Abuse

Substance abuse does not discriminate who you are or where you come from. Addiction has the ability to reach through every race, gender and economic status there is. Substance abuse is on the rise and does not seem to be slowing down. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “22.5 million people aged 12 or older needed treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol use problem in 2014. Only 4.2 million (18.5 percent of those who needed treatment) received any substance use treatment in the same year” (2015).

The 2014 Act provides the police and local councils with fast and flexible powers to stop and prevent illicit drug use, production or distribution from premises. If activities cause nuisance to the public or disorder near the premises the new closure power can be used. An important innovation is that the new power covers a wide and flexible range of behaviour that can be used immediately to close a building for up to 48 hours.

Substance abuse is serious problem that have negative implications not only on the individual and those closest to them, but on the society as a whole. According to a 2002 National Drug

In recent years, there has been increasing concerns about the frequent and excessive misuse of alcohol by adolescents (Jones & Gregory, 2009), and younger adolescents are starting to consume greater amounts of alcohol (Smith & Foxcroft, 2009). This brings up the issue of addiction. Addiction is a condition whereby an individual is both mentally and physically dependent on a substance or activity to the extent of compulsivity and it negatively impacts various aspects of his life. As defined by the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health (DSM-5), substance use disorder is the problematic pattern of substance use that results in impairment or distress in an individual’s daily life.

To have known so many people that have struggled with drug addiction in their teenage years it has become very apparent what a vital time in one’s life it is to know the dangers of abusing drugs as a teenager. Even though not all teens abuse drugs, it is an epidemic in the United States because more teens are turning to drugs to escape or use out of boredom. Take my younger brother for instance; he has struggled with drug addiction from the time he was a teenager into his early twenties. My brother Matthew started off smoking pot and drinking socially out of boredom. Then he found the

According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (2016), the abuse of drugs and alcohol is a major public health concern. These are concerns that are impacting the society and communities at all levels, the user and non user of these illicit drugs, families and law makers equally .The use of drugs and alcohol releases a tremendous toll on our society at many levels and affects cost associated with crime, accidents, deaths, and healthcare spending . There is an enormous burden that affects two groups in the society, those who abuse drugs and alcohol and those who do not. “Americans perceive drug abuse as a major public health problem, many of America`s top medical conditions are directly linked to drug addiction. Researchers have found a strong connection between the abuse of tobacco, cocaine, MDMA (ecstasy), amphetamines, and steroids and the development of cardiovascular diseases ” National Institute of Drug Abuse

For numerous generations now, drugs have been a dominant dilemma in our society. The fact that not only drug issues increased rapidly but drug related problems are on the rise. Using drugs increases the risk of injury. Car crashes, falls, burns, drowning, and suicide are all linked to drug use These substances affect the body in many ways, including the exchange of information within the brain, is slowed. The usage of drugs ruins the users looks, makes them depressed, and contributes to slipping grades. Although it is illegal for someone to purchase, possess, or consume alcohol under the age of 19, many teenagers do. In addition to breaking the law, these teenagers put themselves into vulnerable situations, that can change their lives

Substance abuse is something that has plagued our populations for as long as there has been a substance to abuse. Many of our top health concerns in the world can often be linked back to abuse of things like alcohol, cigarettes, drug use/injections, other types of tobacco products, and many other forms of legal or illegal substances. In the United States, substance abuse costs the nation more than $484 billion dollars per year. That’s more than the costs of cancer and diabetes care combined. Abuse of these substances does not stem solely from just environmental factors or just biological factors—both play a colossal role; along with personal characteristics and parental models.

Substance abuse accounts for a high number of deaths in the United States. Alcohol is the third leading cause of deaths in the country with approximately 88,000 deaths occurring annually (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). In contrast, almost 40,400 annual deaths are related to the use of illicit drugs. As reported by The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (2014), 24% of youths in the eighth grade, and 64% in the twelfth grade, have used alcohol in the past year. Of the adolescents ages 12-17, 11.6% have used alcohol in the past month, 6.2% have engaged in binge drinking, and 5.6% have smoked cigarettes (Fisher, G.L., & Harrison, T.C., 2013). Substance abuse is defined as the continuous use of alcohol and/or other drugs despite consequences in one or more areas of a person’s life (Fisher, G.L., & Harrison, T.C., 2013). Substance abuse relates to other problems, such as illegal behavior, family conflict, poor academic performance, lack of respect for authority, deficiencies in self-confidence, and psychiatric symptoms (Liddle, Rowe, Dakof, & Henderson, 2009). Although substance abuse is a prevalent issue, interventions have been implemented to assist these individuals in making a change.

When I was 12 years old, I recall watching as my brother piled into my father’s Honda, leaving for his first stint in rehab. As tears streamed down my face, I promised myself I would never try any sort of illicit drug as I grew older. A promise that I would inevitably break within a few more years. Growing up, I watched both my brother and mother fight terrible drug addictions that almost cost them their lives. Even after witnessing the terrible side effects of drug abuse throughout my childhood, by 18 years old I found myself, too, battling a drug addiction. Today, one in every 10 Americans over the age of 12 are addicted to alcohol, or some sort of illicit drug. Out of that staggering number of citizens, only 11 percent receive any sort of treatment for their addiction. Temptation is present in everyone and the truth is, most people do try illicit drugs at some point in their lives. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to prove that drugs are becoming more and more accessible on the streets and have become a growing problem in our society, especially with college-aged kids.

According to James A. Hall and Douglas C. Smith, substance abuse among adolescents is an enormous societal problem that we need to develop high quality and cost-effective treatment options for. Substance abuse problems during adolescence poses many risks for the future. Adolescents who use are more likely to have addictions as adults. They are also more likely to face delays in normal adult roles, such as relationships, employment, and education (Hall and Smith, 2007).

Substance abuse is a growing problem that not only affects the person who is abusing alcohol or drugs but affects the lives of those who are close to the abuser. Substance abuse is the abuse of any substance. A drug is a substance that modifies one or more of the body’s functions when it is consumed. Everything from over-the-counter pain medication, to opiates, prescription drugs such as Oxycontin, alcohol, cocaine, heroin and even coffee can be abused in one way or another. The two main substances being abused in our nation are nicotine and alcohol. According to the Michigan Institute for Social research, “Substance abuse is a major public health problem.” Substance abuse is responsible for half a million preventable deaths each year.

According to Dictionary.com, substance abuse is defined as a “long-term, pathological use of alcohol or drugs, characterized by daily intoxication, inability to reduce consumption, and impairment in social or occupational functioning; broadly, alcohol or drug addiction (dictionary.com).” Substance use can include anything from alcohol to any variety of drugs, prescription or illicit. Responsible alcohol use is considered being no more than 3 drinks for a woman and no more than 5 for a man in a single setting. Proper prescription medication use means only using the medication as it is recommended, or prescribed, by a doctor. Any other use of the medication falls under substance abuse and can put a person on the substance use disorder

Substance abuse is one of the major challenges facing the world today. It has been a major concern because much of those abusing the drugs are students in learning institutions and this may have an influence on their academic performance or life changing events in their life. In this article, I discussed how substance abuse can affect a teen in many ways. Not only at school, but also their home life and friendships. A teenager can be affected by peer pressure when encountering substance abuse. Along with large degrees of substance abuse, small degrees also can have a great impact on your life in negative ways. A person who is struggling with substance abuse is always thinking about “when to take drugs” and “how to buy drugs.” Their mind is

On a national level, teens are drinking and using drugs at unprecedented levels. Alcohol is responsible for killing 6.5X more teens each year that all other substances combined. Some studies indicate that at least 40% of all teens have tried marijuana in the last year and 15% have used opiates and/or speed. These and other numbers indicate it's time for parents to start taking teen addiction seriously and get them the help they