Drug Abuse And Its Effects On Society

Drug abuse today is higher than it ever has been, and is in constant use every day. “The impact of drugs on society is made worse because many drugs can become addictive over time, causing physical or psychological dependence” (Drug Abuse, 2014). This is a proven fact that it really affects you and your body. From the Gale group research center, “Certain drugs, such as cocaine, stimulate an area of the brain called the limbic system, which gives a pleasurable feeling, or “reward,” when a person does something that is necessary for survival, such as eating” (Drug Abuse, 2014). It causes many problems even for people and communities. Drugs are getting worse because, they are effecting are younger generations, there are more people in jail over

Americans also spend billions of dollars on cocaine, marijuana, and other drugs. In addition, the abuse of prescription medicines and common household substances is on the rise,” (Illegal Substances).

“Heroin (or “smack”) is a potent and highly addictive narcotic that is commonly injected into a vein. This method of taking a drug puts the user at risk of contracting HIV and other infections through the sharing of contaminated needles. The majority of new users reported that they took the drug by smoking or sniffing it.”

“Methamphetamine (also called “speed” or “ice”) is a stimulant that has dangerous effects on the central nervous system. It increases heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure, and causes violent and erratic behavior. Methamphetamine can be made easily and cheaply and is the fastest-growing drug of abuse in the United States. The drug has typically been associated with white, male, blue-collar workers, but its use is spreading to more diverse population groups in a variety of regions of the

Adults ages eighteen to twenty-five have the highest rate of cocaine use. Crack is powdered cocaine that has been processed into a form that can be smoked. Crack and cocaine can cause heart attacks and brain hemorrhages, and sometimes have fatal effects. During the 1980s the low cost of crack and its ability to produce an almost-immediate high made it very popular. Although the use of both cocaine and crack has decreased since that time, these drugs remain a serious problem.”

“Marijuana (also known as “pot,” “dope,” or “weed”) is the most commonly used illegal drug in the United States. Smoking marijuana produces a general feeling of well-being but also impairs a person’s judgment and reaction time and decreases coordination. According to the 2009 Youth Risk Behavioral Survey, 38 percent of ninth- through twelfth-grade students in public and private schools in the United States had used marijuana one or more times during their