Substance Abuse - Research Paper Example

However, according to National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA 2011), it is a common misreading that drug abusers lack moral principles or will power essential for changing their behavioral traits. In reality, drug addiction is a complicated state of health which encourages compulsive drug abuse in individuals. As a result, it becomes very difficult for users to give up the habit despite their aspiration to do so. This paper will evaluate various causes and implications of substance abuse specifically about the use of alcohol, prescribed drugs, and illegal drugs.

Alcohol abuse To begin with, in American society, numerous beliefs persist regarding alcohol consumption. In the colonial era, the American community believed that alcohol was the “good gift of god” solely meant enjoyment. However, decades later, US government prohibited alcohol sale and consumption in the country as the science proved that alcohol consumption raised serious issues such as poverty, violence, and health problems. However, now US regulations allow people to enjoy alcohol beverage.

Subsequently, the number of younger alcoholics is alarmingly increasing in the present US society. As per the reports of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Oct 22, 2010), 14,046 people die each year due to alcoholic liver diseases; and at the same time, alcohol induced deaths excluding accidents and homicides constitutes 23,199. Prescription drugs abuse From the legal point of view, a prescription drug is a licensed medicine which can be legally used with the prescription of a physician.

Heroin and aspirin are the examples of prescription drugs. Although they are licensed medicine, they also can cause many health issues. Generally, dispensation of prescription drugs includes a detailed description regarding its contents. In United States, a special regulation called Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act defines prescription drug requirements. According to this act, medical practitioners who prescribe a drug must possess specific qualifications. Furthermore, while prescribing medical drugs, a physician must make his patient aware of the intended effects of the drugs and its expected side effects.

However, prescription drugs are largely misused for intoxication purposes across the States, which has evoked the governmental attention to the issue. Obviously, unethical drug marketing plays a major role in the rampant growth of prescription drug abuse. Illegal drug abuse Illegal drug trade offers large opportunities to global black markets as it includes the manufacture, distribution, and sale of substances which are prohibited by drug prevention laws. Hashish, Cocaine, and Crack are some of the examples of illegal drugs.

According to the UN report, “global drug trade generated an estimated $321.6 billion in 2003” (Pollard, 2005). The drug prevention laws were the main causes that persuaded international black markets to trade drugs illegally. Despite the strict regulations and penalties imposed on illegal drug traders and users, the US government has not yet succeeded to control this illegal activity. Illegal drugs leave more dreadful impacts than legal drugs on users because the illicit drug manufacturers add excessive addictives to their products with intent to attract and retain more users.

Causes of substance abuse Undoubtedly substance abuse is a serious problem that affects a person both mentally and