Drug abuse is when people use substances that are considered legal or illegal in an abusive way. Some people use the drug repeatedly for pleasure, alleviating stress or to avoid reality. It has also been abused by those who are on prescribed drugs that are used in ways other than what it is prescribed for or using someone else’s prescription. As a result of persons who can’t control themselves and have over usage, people become addicted even when there are negative consequences (National Institute on Drug Abuse, n.d.). According to a survey done in 2009 by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), it has revealed that illicit drugs have risen to its highest levels. Also, it has been found that there is an increase in prescription drug abuse with drugs such as methamphetamine and ecstasy. Drug usage or abuse in New York City has shown continuous predominance in cocaine, heroin and marijuana. Also there is an increase in the use of opiate analgesics (Undestanding Addiction, n.d.). Marijuana has remained at a high level where just about anywhere availability of this drug can be found. Even though there is usage for marijuana for medical purposes with doctor’s permission it is used quite illicitly by other people (Understanding Addiction, n.d.). It has been proven by researchers that marijuana has negative effects on individuals such as their attention span, memory and even in their learning. It is also linked to psychiatric disorders such as psychosis
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, is a patterned use of a substance (drug) in which the user consumes the
Marijuana has been deeply studied in the past few decades and has shown scientist many things that weren’t evident before. Marijuana has been linked to many health issues good and bad. It has shown to reduce stress and anxiety, help with headaches, lower blood pressure and one of the most evident and positive health affects is that it has been shown in many studies to stop and even kill cancer cells in the body. There are however negative effects that have been looked into and studied by scientist. These include, blocking memory formation, psychosis, and an increased risk of depression while using marijuana regularly. Not everything revolving around marijuana is a “health issue” though, the biggest reason that people use marijuana today is because it simply makes people feel good. That is a positive effect.
Drug abuse in America is at an all time high across the country. Most people start out with a legit medical issue that leads to a prescription for pain, anxiety, stress, or even trouble concentrating. After repeated prescriptions, the body tends to get use to the medicine, with then leaves the body craving more. In fact, prescription drug abuse is the highest drugs abused my both men and women. Research shows that young adults ages 18 to 25 are the prime abusers of prescription drugs, ADHD drugs as well as anti-anxiety drugs. There several reason why this age group abuse these types of drugs. The reasons include getting high, to feel good, better study habits, stress, and weight loss.
Marijuana is considered in popular culture to be a widely accepted mainstream recreational illegal drug used in the United States; its use comes with severe adverse side effects that are often overlooked. Long-Term use of marijuana 'sis shown to have negative effects on physical, mental, and environmental health. Studies have shown that in the United States, up to 20% of daily marijuana users become dependent (Marijuana and Lung Health) showing a physical or emotional need for the drug. Marijuana use has the potential to affect every aspect of a person 's physical and mental wellbeing negatively. Its use also comes with potentially life-altering risks to one 's future including an individual’s likelihood of obtaining a degree, impacting their future earning potential and decreasing their overall reported life satisfaction. Once dependent on marijuana, people stop caring about their schooling. Long-term use of smoking marijuana can result in the inability to learn, retain information and think critically.
Though marijuana is illegal, it is still used recreationally by millions everyday. “About 4% of American adults smoke pot at least once a year. Roughly 1% of adults abuse pot, and one in 300 have a pot addiction” (Goldberg, WebMD). The psychoactive affects of marijuana is the main reason for its popularity amongst drug users. By smoking marijuana, a sense of euphoria bliss, compared to the feeling of intoxication from alcohol, is achieved due to Tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, the main psychoactive drug found in
In the United States today, an approximated 24.5 million people are abusing drugs. The most popularly abused drug out of them all is marijuana, also known as cannabis, weed, etc. Everybody has their own opinion on whether or not marijuana should be legalized, but they do not know enough about the subject matter to make a knowledgeable decision. What many people do not know is that there are a countless amount of health risks that are likely to come from smoking marijuana. Consuming cannabis can have significant effects on both your mental and physical health. Heavy use of the substance has even been proven to lead to reduced brain function, which causes individuals to go through life at a reduced intellectual level. Credible
Substance abuse is the use of drugs, alcohol, or chemicals. The substance abuse results in physical, psychological, emotional harm to the user or others. People abuse substances such as drugs and alcohol for varied and complicated reasons, but it is clear that it comes at a significant cost. 0Substance abuse can be recognized through it 's signs and behavior changes, as well as short and long term effects. There are various ways however to treat substance abuse.
Marijuana is taken very lightly and is the most highly used illegal drug. In fact, 1 out of 7 high school students smoke marijuana more than once a day. For this reason, society should know its short and long term effects on the brain. Marijuana can effect these two areas emotionally or physically. Also in some cases physical damages causes the emotional response. Although most public information on drugs are funded by anti-drug organizations, hopefully we will still learn these true facts of marijuana in spite of that.
Marijuana has been in the world for over hundreds of years. It has strength and endurance; it was used to make fibrous products like rope. According to the article “Marijuana”, “Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the United States” (Sego). Due to the wild use of it many people believe the accouterments of the drug are harmless. Currently, it is legal in 4 states for recreational use. There are also other states they approve it’s use for medical reasons. THC a component in Marijuana creates a euphoric feeling, allowing the user to be relaxed because it is distributed to the receptors in the central nervous system.
“Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States(SAMHSA,2014)”(drug abuse). Marijuana affects how the brain develops, and can affect the user's learning functions. A good number of people support the legalization of marijuana, and say it can benefit the economy as well as the public health. Even though it may be able to help with the economy and the public’s health, it won’t have a big benefit in the long run.
The drug is a part of the highly addictive opioid family, which are used to make painkillers needed by many Americans. The issue is that the many Americans who have used painkillers, whether prescribed or taken illegally, are forty times more likely to try heroin (“Today’s Heroin Epidemic”). The epidemic is hard to control because it effects everyone. Not one gender, race or economic level is considered safe from the abuse of this substance. The government has been attempting to end the high levels of abuse in America since the late sixties, but old methods proved costly and ineffective. The transitioning of viewing heroin addiction as a crime to mental health has reaped some benefits. Facilities now a days have made break throughs in assuring better futures for addicts by proving them with proper treatment and arming them with correct knowledge of how to combat their disease. Heroin has sparked an important discussion in society involving media, race, sex and economic status, and the epidemic forced the federal government to act accordingly, which allowed communities to properly react and try to lower addiction. Though the rise of heroin use will most likely continue, the epidemic has to eventually come to an end; whether the government makes a final push to eliminate drug use completely or police enforcement cuts down on dealers, the epidemic eventually
The use of marijuana has gone on behind closed doors for generations. The fact that in recent decades medical doctors have found that it assists in relieving many symptoms of multiple deadly and painful medical conditions. Many medical conditions have been approved for the use of marijuana. Crohn’s disease, PTSD, Auto Immune diseases, and many chronic pain conditions. The relief that is found in the body proves to relax and de-stress a patient enough to give them relieve of their condition. With that having been said the drug itself is not without its own set of faults with continued use. Merrill (2015)
To begin, I believe that it is important to look at marijuana’s history. The history of marijuana dates back to the beginning of time, but by the mid 1940’s things changed for users. “Marijuana had been recognized and utilized as a safe, non-addictive, naturally occurring substance that was listed as a viable prescription for the treatment of coughs, insomnia, convulsions, asthma, opiate addiction, pain and
Marijuana has been used by people over many centuries for medical uses. It is a natural pain killer used today as a recreational drug by people all over the world. According to Noel Merino in, “Introduction to Gateway Drugs: Opposing Viewpoints”, “a drug is something other than food intended to affect the structure or function of the body”. Marijuana is a very controversial drug and has been outlawed in many countries for its affect on the function of the body. “Effects may involve hallucinations, impaired judgment, and mood swings.” Describes the effects of marijuana in “Marijuana” Current Issues Macmillian social science library. During the past century Marijuana has been legal, made illegal, strictly enforced, decriminalized,
Many people when they think of Marijuana, better known as weed, think of partying and having fun. Some may even think of the pharmaceutical uses of this herb but very few people truly know the destructive capabilities of this drug. Marijuana has been known to cause a multitude of harmful effects to not only the brain of the user but their body as well. Marijuana can even cause these damaging effects to those simply around the user of this drug. It is true that some medical uses for marijuana have been discovered and verified but the dangers of this drug far out weight any and all beneficial uses for it. Such has been agreed on by most all pharmaceutical companies and doctors in the nation.