Substance Abuse And Its Effects On Society - 1285 Words

Substance abuse has existed since the start of civilization and it is an ever present entity in the modern era as well. Distilled beverages were the main drinking source in many cases even safer to drink than water in early civilizations, for instance during the Middle Ages. Many substances were also used in medicine derived from certain plants for anesthetics such as opioids from poppy seeds. In addition, nicotine and tobacco products and other hallucinogenic substances were used for recreational and relaxation purposes. Whereas perhaps hundreds of years ago the use of many of these substances was considered widely acceptable and the norm, modern science and medicine has uncovered the harmful effects that these drugs can cause when they are abused and can lead to addiction and dangerous behaviors in society. In the United States, the first of the many laws to regulate and control addictive drugs was the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906, which required the correct labeling of medicine s that contained opiates. In 1914 the Harrison Narcotic Act banned the sale of medicines that contained opiates or cocaine and required a prescription by physicians (Brown, 1981).Then, in 1919 â€Å"spirit of temperance†, or self-control, led to the Prohibition of alcohol by the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which was then revoked 14 years later (Infoplease.com, Drug addiction and Drug abuse). As the 20th century passed, there was more awareness and more studies about drug abuse andShow MoreRelatedSubstance Abuse And Its Effects On Society Essay1579 Words   |  7 Pageskiller, substance abuse. Substance abuse affects the user and everyone that they are around and most of the time the user doesn’t even realize nor care that it affects other people because they are consumed by the substances. These substances have the power to dramatically change people’s lives, such as the physical toll it takes on our body, the ways in which it corrupts our metal process, and the detrimental effects it has on our social lives. Most substances that are used in our society, are usedRead MoreEffects Of Parental Addiction On Children1457 Words   |  6 Pages THE EFFECTS PARENTAL ADDICTIONS HAVE ON CHILDREN Alexis Holcomb The cost of alcohol and substance abuse in the United States reaches heights of four hundred eighty four billion dollars per year (â€Å"Magnitude†). That’s about seven hundred eighty times the amount it cost to diagnose and treat sexually transmitted diseases in the year 2000 (Chesson). The sole purpose of this is not to persuade you one way or the other on this topic. Nor is the purpose to apologize for this social issueRead MoreSubstance Abuse : A Social Problem1608 Words   |  7 Pages we must also take substance abuse into consideration because it is all too often neglected. According to the World Health Organization, substance abuse â€Å"refers to the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol and illicit drugs† (Substance). Individuals who become victims of substance abuse become dependent on and overindulge in substances such as drugs and alcohol. The outside forces in our world today influence behaviors including substance abuse, ultimately displayingRead MoreThe Psychological Effects Of Adolescent Substance Abuse1469 Words   |  6 PagesAdolescent substance abuse is one of the largest issues faced by our society today. According to Teenrehab.com, nearly 50% of all high school seniors have abused some form of illicit substance and according to National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism nearly 70% of 18 year olds have at the least tried alcohol. Many more adolescents are trying, and getting addicted to, drugs every year. In my opinion this is one of the most critical issues that we have to address as a society. Summary Response:Read MoreThe Effects Of Drugs On The Human Body1158 Words   |  5 Pagessince it became a nation. The abuse of substances has become more and more common on this society, that now thinking about legalizing one of its illicit drugs is a main political topic. Even though the United States has become a war on drugs country, many people in its society are still being affected. Out of all the substances that are being abuse in this country, there are three that outstand the rest. The three substances that are being abuse the most in our society are alcohol, marijuana, and methamphetamineRead MoreDetrimental Social Problems: Substance Abuse Essays1197 Words   |  5 PagesSubstance abuse is one of the most detrimental social problems found in all societies. It has been the leading cause for generational breakdowns of families and communities, and is probably the most controversial social problem when developing corrective solutions. Substance abuse can be defined as the chemical dependence, or pattern of usage of both legal and illegal substances, that has adverse physical, psychological, and psychomotor effects on the human body. The use of substances does not alwaysRead MoreModels in the Substance Abuse Field 1206 Words   |  5 PagesThe term substance refers to all psycho active substances –â€Å"any substances when taken by a living organism may modify its mood perception, cognition deportment or motor function,† (DSM-IV, 4th edition) whether it is legal or illegal. Substance abuse refers to the utilization of a drug or other substances for non-medical purposes with the aim of engendering a mind-altering effect in the utilizer (MOH, 2005). It involves the utilization of illegal substances such as cannabis, misuse of licit drugsRead MoreThe Effects Of Substance Use On The Social Institutions And Effective Mechanisms Of Dealing With The Drug Offenders1230 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Drug abuse is continuous use of substances like alcohol in quantities or with ways unacceptable by medical experts mostly for purposes of altering normal body functioning. It is majorly a health concern, but in the recent decades, it has risen to become one of the worst ills in the society (Haw Hawton, 2011). There are various laws that prohibit use certain drug types especially those often abused. Most judicial systems protect their citizens from drug abuse and related issues. ThereRead MoreThe Effects Of Alcohol And Drug Abuse On Criminal Activities1620 Words   |  7 Pagestheorists have differing views on whether or not alcohol and drug abuse is related to criminal activities, there are however a variety of preventative and intervention methods known commonly as ‘harm reduction’. This theory aims to assist in society’s responses in how we intervene when it comes to drug abusers as well as how the use of drug taking harms society itself. Such designed strat egies aim to reduce and eventually stop substance abuse. Harm reduction methods can come in the form of interventionRead MoreDrug Abuse And Addiction1261 Words   |  6 PagesDrug Abuse and Addiction Individuals are well on the way to begin drug abuse including alcohol, tobacco, marijuana and many more drugs which are illegal. It has been seen that most affected category falls under the effect of drug abuse is adolescence and young adulthood. The percentage of senior students during their high school, who will have tried alcohol is 70 percent in the ratio and 40 percent of them start smoking and nearly 20 percent of them start taking prescription drugs. (National Institute