Substance Abuse In Today's Society

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Substance abuse is a leading issue in today’s society; it can lead to physical and emotional damage as well as death. Drug addiction can completely change a person life in the worst ways; don’t be the one it affects. “More than 20 million Americans over the age of 12 currently use illicit drugs” (“Topic Overview: Substance Abuse” 1). There are many different reasons why people abuse drugs, and a range of effects on the user.
What is substance/drug abuse? “Drug abuse is the nonmedical use of drugs that interfere with a healthy and productive life” (Musto 361). Substance abuse over time turns into an addiction. “Addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences to the
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The powder form of cocaine is either inhaled and absorbed through the nasal cavity, or is dissolved in water to be injected into the bloodstream. The crystal form of cocaine known as crack is smoked. Abusers heat the crack substance which turns into vapor that is then inhaled through the lungs. With the effects of a small amount of cocaine only lasting about 30 minutes, it requires the abuser to binge use to sustain their high. While taking the substance many times and upping the amount in a short period of time is what cause the user to become …show more content…
Opioid pain relievers, depressants, anti-anxiety and uppers used to treat ADHD are among the highest abused prescription drugs. Just because prescription drugs are used to treat medical problems does not mean they are safe to use if not prescribed to you or the way they are prescribed. Pills can be very addictive, and when abused, they have the same effects as illicit

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