Substance Abuse In America

Substance abuse is a very current problem in the United States. Opiate addiction is a particularly difficult problem in the State of Vermont where the abuse of prescription opioids has created addictions for many individuals. The problem of substance abuse has severe repercussions that may encompass severe dependence and overdose.1 Substance abuse is an epidemic that cannot be ignored. However, the combined forces of over-prescription, addiction and subsequent unemployment may mean that coverage for treatment for opioid addiction is not guaranteed even with increased Medicaid access through the Affordable care Act (ACA).

The issue of substance abuse in the United States is quickly reaching epidemic proportions. The steady increase in abuse of prescription medications has been one of the largest factors in this recent trend. Opiates in particularly have come under quite a bit of scrutiny due to the over prescribing of the medications by clinicians. Along with this epidemic has been the increased knowledge of addiction and its various forms of treatment. While society is becoming more aware of the problems associated with substance abuse, it still is seen by many as a moral defect or lack of individual will-power. With the vast impact substance abuse has on the health care system, it is imperative this issue is addressed and discussed in ways to best treat those who suffer from addiction and substance abuse problems.

The Domino Effect can be interpreted as an abstract theory associated with one event playing off of another, causing a predictable and connotatively negative, outcome. Since 2002, drug use within the United States has been on a strong incline upwards, resulting in 12% of Americans claiming to have used illicit drugs in the past month, up 4% in the past decade (National Trends). An illicit drug refers to a substance, either prohibited by law or medically prescribed, that is being abused in great quantities. The impact of this abuse has resulted in a five time increase of infants born with opiate addiction (Hove). A few widely abused opiates, across the United States, consistent of heroin, hydrocodone, codeine, and morphine (What Drugs…). While

One of the fastest growing epidemics in the United States is prescription drug abuse as reported by the DEA (Partnership for Drug Free Kids, 2013). All ages are guilty of abuse of medications, however, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (2016) reports young adults abuse these prescription drugs at the highest rates compared to all other age groups. The NIDA reports misuse and abuse is highest among opioid pain relievers, ADHD stimulants, and anti-anxiety drugs (NIDA, 2016). The use of these prescription drugs to treat a variety of physical and mental health issues is quickly becoming a top conservative treatment option. While pharmaceutical companies make extreme amounts of profit off of these physical and mental issues, young adults are increasingly taking on the consequences of addiction and overdose.

“Crack-babies” a media induced phenomena brought about by the climax of public outcry from the results of the 1980’s war on drugs. This term laid the foundation for biased prosecutions which sparked a political crusade during climate of the time. Thus exploiting the public’s fear of children born to substance addicted mother and creating a firestorm of litigation to prosecute pregnant drug addicts. According to Flavin, Paltrow (2010), current evidence points to public stigmas and prejudice as posing a greater danger to both maternal and fetal health than use of the drug itself. Leaving the question as to why addicted women are still publicly reviled for the outcomes of their circumstances. From this abhorrence stems the likelihood that

If the United States is serious about winning the war on drugs, it will have to face some hard facts about the failure of its drug policy to date. Since Reagan introduced the war on drugs in the early 1980s, the focus of anti-drug legislation has been on incarceration and eradication, not on drug education and treatment. Drug use is viewed as a crimethe same way that burglary and murder are viewed as crimeswithout examining the social and economic causes behind drug use. This categorization of drug use as criminal misrepresents the nature of addiction. Drug addicts do not abuse drugs because they are deviant or even because they consciously desire to cause harm to themselves or to those around them, they abuse drugs because they are

Substance abuse is a significant public health issue across the United States today, especially regarding our nation’s youth. The United States consistently continues to have the highest levels of substance use among all other developed countries and has remained third in regards to alcohol consumption (CDC, 2013). Despite leading the world with drug research, illegal drug policy, and one of the highest legal drinking age mandates, the U.S has the highest rates of illegal drug use and abuse, especially pertaining to marijuana, cocaine and prescription painkillers (Healthy Americans Organization, 2013). Nationally, drug overdose deaths have doubled in 29 states since 1999, with Massachusetts having the 32nd highest rate in the country (Healthy Americans Organization, 2013). A large percentage of drug use is reportedly by adolescents, beginning as young as 12 years old (Bureau of Substance Abuse Services, 2012). Recent statistics show that teenage drug abuse has been on the rise for the past decade with 50 percent of high school seniors reportedly having used an illicit substance of some kind (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2014). Furthermore, 1 in 10 teens report using marijuana about 20 times per month and 1 in 5 teens reportedly have taken prescription pain killers recreationally (CASA, 2011). According to the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services (2012), almost 8 percent of adolescents in Massachusetts, ranging from 12-17years of age, suffer from substance dependence

In and around most large cities in America, the rising substance abuse epidemic has brought about a renewed interested in determining the root cause of substance abuse, the effects of substance abuse on individuals and societies, and the substance abuse treatment modalities that achieve the best outcomes. In reviewing the current research on substance abuse there seems to be no one clear cause of substance abuse disorders, although there is strong evidence that a number of life circumstances may predispose an individual to a substance abuse disorder, as well as a number of protective factors that may reduce an individual’s risk of developing a substance abuse disorder. One important risk factor that is commonly associated with substance

In an attempt to demonstrate the absurdity of the drug abuse problems in the United States, it should be brought to light that the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use Health estimated that “27 million people aged 12 or older have used an illicit drug in the past 30 days” (Hedden, Kennet, Lipari, Medley, & Tice, 2015). As gun violence has become a popular topic in America over the past few years due to its’ related deaths, many Americans’ fail to realize that more people are dying from drug overdose than by weapon. In today’s society, controversy regarding drug abuse has taken a forefront due to various media outlets in our technologically possessed world. In order to grasp the underlying issue of drug abuse in the United States, it is imperative to observe the media’s effects on adolescents in a technologically and socially consumed digital age, how family and peers correlate with drug abuse, and whether or not drug abuse effects criminal activity.

Substance abuse in America has gone to lengths such as reaching the rural Appalachian culture in West Virginia. Despite the Nationwide crisis and epidemic of 23 million individuals using, misusing and abusing substances West Virginia is currently unable to say that they are safe and that they have not been affected by this epidemic (Carpenter, Mcclellan, & Rees, 2016). All types of drugs ranging from medication prescribed substances to street drugs have been reported in just about all areas of West Virginia and substances have been reported reaching this community that once was known as being close knitted, family orientated and inseparable. In simpler terms this means that West Virginia has now become a part of the United States

Drug use in America is epidemic, and more figures are increasing compared to the past. Drug use ranges from hardcore drugs like crack ,cocaine, and heroine to recreational drugs like marijuana. Also, the abuse of prescription drugs like Oxycontin, and fentanyl are common go to choices. The Center of Disease Control states that 24 million Americans from the age of 12 and older use Illicit drugs, thats out of the 324 million total people living in the U.S. That's a significant number of people.

The use and abuse of substances can have a big impact on children and adolescents. It comes with various negative health affects. The use of alcohol and other drugs can affect the development of adolescents’ brains in ways like decreased performance in cognitive tasks like memory, attention and spatial skills as well as compromised quality of white matter in the brain. Using alcohol and other substances that alter the brain function can result in an increased risk of serious drug use later on in life, failure in school, and poor judgments that can result in

Drug addiction has been known to be the most common health problem in the United

I believe that drug consumption is highest in the world right here in America. Is it hard to believe our great country is addicted to drugs? No I don't believe so. Here's why did you know it is more common for a teen in American to use drugs then to graduate from high school? I know it's actually shocking. Biology can play a major role in this because of a person's genes. Which would account for about half the reason a person could potentially become addicted to drugs.

Over 22 million people in America are addicted to drugs whether it me Marijuana or Heroine. Drug addiction has never seen a decrease in those addicted infact in 2016 it has only increased by a few million, these few million are not just grown adults 1 in every 10 people 12 face it. Not only does drug addiction kill most who do not receive treatment it is directly correlated to other leading causes of deaths in America such as Cancer, Heart disease, and HIV/AIDS. With that addiction is costing America 166 billion in the healthcare business because most addicts have no way to pay their medical bills. Addiction is also causing about 534 billion within incarceration, crime, and loss of work productivity which is no help