Facts About Drug Addictions
The abuse of drugs changes how the brain is structured and functions, resulting in drug addiction. Per the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the abuse and addiction to drugs costs society more than half a trillion dollars yearly. Drug addiction is a complicated issue; the addict needs more than willpower to overcome it due to its adverse impact on the brain. Along with costing society monetarily, drug addiction also claims lives.
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Usage Tendency
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Per the Connecticut Clearinghouse, most people who use illegal drugs usually stop at the recreational or experimental stage. For reasons that may involve genetics, the environment, or social factors, some individuals go beyond these stages and venture into substance abuse. Prolonged use often morphs into drug dependency (physical and psychological) or drug addiction.
Commonly Abused
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Per NIDA, cannabinoids such as hashish and marijuana are among the most abused drugs in America. They produce slowed thinking, euphoria, confusion and impaired memory. Depressants such as barbiturates and benzodiazepines are also commonly abused, producing lowered anxiety and inhibitions, slowed breathing, impaired coordination and a high risk for addiction. Anesthetics such as ketamine and PCP are frequently abused, causing numbness, increase heart rate, impaired motor skills and nausea. Opioids such as heroin and codeine produce euphoria, pain relief, confusion, respiratory arrest and unconsciousness; stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine increase the heart rate but can result in heart failure.
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Juvenile Use
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Youth suffering from substance abuse often have academic and health problems, poor relationships with their peers and often get entangled in the juvenile justice system. These youth stand a greater risk than nonusers for developing mental health issues. Often, issues such as depression, behavioral problems, personality issues and suicidal tendencies are present. Per the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), in 2006, 2.1 million youths age 12 to 17 required treatment for illicit drug or alcohol use.
Juvenile Arrests
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Per the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, in 2007, 109,444 juveniles were arrested on a state and local level for drug-related violations. For fiscal year 2004, 1.9 percent of individuals arrested by the DEA were under 19 years old; 19 involved powder cocaine; 103 involved crack cocaine; 150 involved marijuana; 94 involved methamphethamine; 39 involved opiates; and 43 involved a different type of drug or were not for drug-related reasons.
Prevention
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Per NIDA, drug addiction is preventable. NIDA has funded research studies that show that prevention programs involving schools, families, the media and communities can help to lower drug abuse. When youth learn to view drug abuse as a dangerous practice, they tend to indulge less.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of David Goehring
