Drug Abuse Effects - 1320 Words

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 dont. 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 social and economic costs. In the 1990’s there was†¦show more content†¦Drug abuse and crime is not a new concept and the statistics around the problem have continued to rise. According to (Office of Justice Programs, 2011), there were an estimated 1,846,400 state and local arrests for drug abuse in the United States. Additionally, 17 percent of state prisoners and 18 percent of federal inmates said they committed their current offense to obtain money for drugs (Office of Justice Programs, 2011). Based on this information, we can conclude that our criminal justice systems are saturated with drug abusers. The United States has the highest imprisonment rate and about 83 percent of arrests are for possession of illegal drugs (Prisons Drug Offenders, 2011). Based on these figures, I can conclude that we should be more concerned about solving the drug abusers problems and showing them an alternative lifestyle rather than strict penalty of long term incarceration which will inevitably challenge thei r ability to be fully functioning citizens after release. The use of criminal restrictions for drug related crimes is not always an entirely punitive tool, and that penalties, or even the threat of them, often urge individuals struggling with addiction or substance abuse to get the treatment they might never seek or receive on their own, therefore increasing their opportunities to become productive members of society. In fact, more than one-third of all treatment referrals in the U.S. are currently from the criminalShow MoreRelatedDrug Abuse And Its Effects1907 Words   |  8 Pageshave been many drugs created over the years to help lessen or diminish sicknesses. However, there are people that have abused these drugs to reach a certain high and this is considered abuse. The people that do this could do it out of boredom or curiosity. Some may even feel that it will help them escape from the problems that they are faced with or fill a void in their life. No matter what the reasoning is for them the outcome remains the same. The body becom es used to the drugs they are abusingRead MoreDrug Abuse And Its Effects1391 Words   |  6 Pages1. Introduction: Drug abuse is a serious issue in today’s society. Drug abuse is a pattern of using a substance (drug) that leads to a serious problems or distress. 7% of people experience drug abuse one point of their lives. Drug use doesn’t automatically lead to drug abuse, it depends on how much you use. There is no specific level to were drug using moves from casual to becoming a serious problem. 2. Types of drugs/what are they: There are three main types of drugs that people use and theyRead MorePrescription Drug Abuse And Its Effects952 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Prescription drug abuse is the use of a medication without a prescription, in a way other than as prescribed, or for the experience or feelings elicited.† Prescription Drugs are ranked number two in drugs abused (Volkow 7). The most common prescription drugs abused are opioids, central nervous system depressants, and stimulants. Opioids were meant to treat pain. CNS depressants are meant to treat sleep disorders and anxiety. Stimulants treat sleep disorders, narcolepsy and ADHD (unknown 8) WhatRead MoreDrug Abuse And Its Effects1391 Words   |  6 Pages1. Introduction: Drug abuse is a serious issue in today’s society. Drug abuse is a pattern of using a substance (drug) that leads to a serious problems or distress. 7% of people experience drug abuse one point of their lives. Drug use doesn’t automatically lead to drug abuse, it depends on how much you use. There is no specific level to were drug using moves from casual to becoming a serious problem. 2. Types of drugs/what are they: There are three main types of drugs that people use and theyRead MoreThe Effects Of Drug Abuse On America1350 Words   |  6 PagesDrug abuse in America is evidently a huge problem, yet remains to be misunderstood by many people. Elizabeth Foy Larsen writes a strong, informative article about a young woman named Brittany who has fallen to drug abuse. Brittany was a drug free, well rounded student with great potential just like many other young adults in America. However, one occasion flipped her life completely upside down. She had gotten her wisdom teeth removed and received prescription medication to reduce her pain. She soonRead MoreDrug Abuse And Its Effects On Society1690 Words   |  7 Pagesdecision to do one thing that can change your life forever. As you may already know, drugs can be some of the best things known to mankind-they solve illnesses, provide some relief from the killer pollen levels, and even stop that annoying nasal congestion you get in the winter season. Al though many people don t think about it often, drugs can be just as dangerous as they are good if too much or too many are taken. Drug abuse is a very serious problem that can often lead to serious health complicationsRead MoreDrug Abuse And Its Effect On Society Essay1167 Words   |  5 PagesProfessor Course Date Introduction A drug is a chemical substance applied into treating, diagnosing and preventing one from disease infections or a substance that is used by a person to enhance his or her physical and mental state in the perceived effect. Drugs used for different purposes and their effect depend on which cause for usage. It causes both positive and negative consequences directly to the user and in the long-run it affects the whole society or community. Drug addiction is the activity of uncontrollableRead MoreCauses and Effects of Drug Abuse1905 Words   |  8 Pagesaddicted to drugs or how drugs change the brain to foster 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. What people often underestimate is the complexity of drug addiction—that it is a dise ase that impacts the brain and because of that, stopping drug abuse is notRead MoreNegative Effects Of Drug Abuse Essay1141 Words   |  5 Pageswith addiction. Addiction can surely be a life sentence to people who let it consume them. Throughout time, people start depending on the drugs; some people don’t know how to act or think without drugs. This dependence causes bad habits that can lead to losing family, friends, jobs, money, shelter and much more. Addiction and drug abuse can cause many negative effects on the brain, behavior, body, and others around. Teens and young adults have an undeveloped brain. The frontal cortex controls decisionRead MoreThe Effects Of Drug Abuse On The United States1717 Words   |  7 Pagesdemonstrate 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 â€Å"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