Drug Abuse and the FDA

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Drug abuse is generally defined as the use of a drug with such frequency that the user has physical or mental harm or it impairs social abilities. Drugs are used as pain killers to avert physical and/or emotional pain by providing the user with a temporary escape from life’s realities. Even though, they cause different, more serious problems with only a short escape from life’s agonies.

There are five different classifications (schedules) of drugs in the Controlled Substance Act of 1970. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) choose what substance falls into what classification. The placement of a drug on the Controlled Substances List is based on three categories: (1) potential abuse, (2) whether or not the drug is currently accepted for medical use, and (3) if abuse of the drug causes high or low dependency level. Marijuana is the most popular illicit drug. It is a Schedule I drug, the worst classification of drugs. Some drugs are not on the Controlled Substances List and are known not as drugs at all. The three most commonly used and sociably accepted drugs used are alcohol, tobacco products, and caffeine. Caffeine is believed to contribute to Parkinson’s Disease according to Dr. Jasvinder Chawla. Tobacco products have many contributing factors in causing cancer and other health problems. On average, alcohol kills 6.5 times more youth than all the other illicit drugs combined.

Drug abusers have many behavioral and attitude changes while on drugs. Teenagers on drugs will typically start missing school more often, and even when they are in school, they are more forgetful and their grades begin to decline. Drug abusers also suffer from depression and are emot...

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...l be there. In America, it began in 1762 when Virginia awarded bounties for hemp culture and manufacture, and imposed penalties upon those who did not produce it. The first anti-drug law in America was in 1875 when San Francisco outlawed smoking opium in opium dens. In 1937 Marijuana had a tax put on it, but still not illegal. The 1937 Act was then repealed by the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970. Currently, the War on Drugs has been the major fight against drug abuse for the past thirty years. It has been a major expense to the American peoples’ tax dollars.

In conclusion, drug abuse is a major topic in everyday life. It effects everyone, even if they did not know it. Drug abuse is one of the biggest problems the world/America has faced. They are doing the best they can. Drug abuse causes very serious problems with everyone.

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