Drug Abuse Essay

Teenage drug abuse is an issue that can result from a wide variety of social influences, stressful events, and mental disorders. Drug abuse among adolescents is a troubling issue because it decreases focus, increases the chance of consistency in behavior during adulthood, increases the chances of developing emotional issues, permanently damages the brain, and damages tissues in every system that can lead to death. Previous scientific research has identified that social factors, including the media and peers, play an important role in psychological development and impact the adolescent's decision to start experimenting with substances (Botvin 888). Appropriate solutions for the teenage drug abuse issue already exist, but the only remaining

Prescription drug abuse has become an epidemic in the United States especially among the youth of our country. The Partnership for a Drug Free America says that 2,500 teens a day abuse prescription drugs. Abuse of these narcotics can lead to serious mental and physical consequences. Why is this such a problem, what can we do to solve it, and how is it affecting our social lives?

The fact that the United States treats drug use as a terrible crime instead of treating it as a physical problem or illness, and the drug problem is still not going away, shows that the United States is going about drug abuse all wrong. The United States has over 25% of the world's incarcerated population and over half of those are in prison for drug abuse/distribution. Other countries have decriminalized drugs and have seen an extremely positive difference in the drug abuse problem. Therapeutic drug treatments can be offered as an option to drug abusers so they feel safe and not afraid or angry of what is happening. The United States needs to find a new policy on drug abuse because the current policy has failed.

The war on drugs in our culture is a continuous action that is swiftly lessening our society. This has been going on for roughly 10-15 years and has yet to slow down in any way. Drugs continue to be a problem for the obvious reason that certain people abuse them in a way that can lead to ultimate harm on such a person. These drugs do not just consist of street drugs (marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy), but prescription medications as well. Although there are some instances where drugs are being used by subjects excessively, there has been medical research to prove that some of these drugs have made a successful impact on certain disorders and diseases.

The topic is talked about but quietly and behind closed doors. No one wants to admit that it is their problem. The stigma attached to drug use needs to be eradicated and instead be discussed openly and often. Recognizing it as an illness, identifying risk factors, educating and communicating are strategies needed to combat this health problem. The Health People 2020 objective SA-2.4 works to “Increase the proportion of high school seniors never using substances—Illicit drugs.” Educating adolescents, families and the community about the risks and consequences associated with illegal drug use makes objective SA-2.4

Our criminal justice system has undoubtedly failed to effectively deal with the issue of illegal drugs use, and to address the underlying issues of problematic drug users. Surely, the use of illegal drugs does not belong in the criminal justice system, but is a matter that needs to be dealt with from a public health perspective. As Toby Seddon Articulates:

Drug abuse problems are continuing to rise in the United States. One reason for this rise is the increased availability of both illegal and prescription drugs. Drug abuse has many negative consequences, and one of the most common results is homelessness.

When living in a society of risky drug use and homelessness, it is easy to begin to ignore what is going on around you and pretend it is not a problem. It is also easy to assume one is a direct result of the other. After being in a drug-free zone like the military for so long, it was easy for me to forget the effects that drugs have on people and how much their lives are affected by their addictions. It was also easy for me to develop biases and prejudices towards those individuals. Over the years I developed a discomfort around those individuals that were clearly users of drugs. This made me decided that I wanted to learn more about addiction and what is being done today to help those who have

You only have to turn on your TV, radio or open a newspaper/magazine to be familiar that the structure of our nation is being corrupted and weathered right down to its deepest core by the ever enlarged immoral plague of drug misuse. In this society of ever growing human rights and of an increasing freedom of choice, we are presumed to observe and permit the demolition of our family values and the crime of our righteous and legal ideals. Ideals which are deliberated to function as a guide to all, presenting what is considered to be the dissimilarity between wrong and correct.

Although some people argue for the legalization of drugs, addiction to these substances has caused a huge increase in violent crimes in the home, at school, and on the street. Many people do not understand why individuals become addicted to drugs or how drugs change the brain to create compulsive drug abuse. They mistakenly view drug abuse and addiction as strictly a social problem and may characterize those who take drugs as morally weak. One very common belief is that drug abusers should be able to just stop taking drugs if they are only willing to change their behavior. This is a false and uneducated belief. Drug abuse may start as a social problem or social escape but one the addiction has taken ahold of a person

Addicts don't only lose self-respect but also lose the respect of all those closest to them. Some people may use drugs to feel better about themselves or to fit in, while others use it for relaxation, stress, or just to experiment. Using drugs for any of these reasons causes a person to become addicted and then the drugs are what become a problem. Though it can be treated, it is a very long process to fix addiction or to help how a person feels about themselves after treatment. Difficult as it may be to face someone's problems, the consequences of using are always worse than the problem that a person is facing

Substance abuse has a tremendous effect on society. It affects families, communities and taxpayers. It discriminates against no creed. Anybody can become a victim to drugs, legal or illegal. According to Matthew David O’Deane, he describes substance abuse as the following: “Substance abuse is the overindulgence in and dependence of a drug or other chemical leading to effects that are detrimental to the individual’s physical and mental health”. Having a chemical dependency can cause young people to join a gang or maintain their allegiance to the gang because it’s a means of making money to support their habit.

Alcohol abuse is a serious problem, driving while drunk or under the influence of drugs is an even bigger problem that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Abusing either one of these substances can lead to the death of you or the death of someone else or even cause a major change in their life like Jacqueline’s story, her whole life has been changed because of another person’s ignorance and carelessness. Therefore, you should know the facts about drug and alcohol abuse before you do something you may regret for the rest of your life.

Drug abuse is a major public health issue that impacts society both directly and indirectly; every person, every community is somehow affected by drug abuse and addiction and this economic burden is not exclusive to those who use substance, it inevitably impacts those who don 't. Drugs impact our society in various ways including but not limited to lost earnings, health care expenditures, costs associated with crime, accidents, and deaths. The use of licit or illicit drugs long term, causes millions of deaths and costs billions for medical care and substance abuse rehabilitation and the effects of drug abuse extend beyond users, spilling over into the society at large, imposing increasing

A person’s body, in almost every aspect of its being, is addicted when one is a mild to chronic user and abuser. The nervous system, brain, and muscle tissue are all living in anticipation of the next high. So, for the addict, it is crucial that the cycle of behavior, is broken. The addict needs to pull up the anchor that keeps them from moving forward. This means changing environments, patterns and even sometimes friends and social associates.