Problems caused by Drug Abuse
Problems caused by Drug Abuse
Introduction
Drug abuse, also referred to as substance abuse, refers to a patterned use of using a drug where the user consumes wrong amounts that is harmful to the body. Drug abuse is known to be a social problem, and it has negative impacts to the society. Regarding this matter, the government, non-profit organizations, and businesses strive hard to make sure that they deal with this matter as it is a problem. This paper, therefore, seeks to provide information on how these units in the society help to deal with the problem.
Drug abuse is considered a problem because the effects felt from it are negative. Users who abuse substances do not contribute to the betterment of the society, but rather make it difficult to have a healthy community at large. In the United States of America, many regions are involved in drug abuse. About 8.3% of individuals, who are at the age of 12 and above, are known to be using medicinal substances as well as illicit drugs which have not been prescribed. The following are drugs that are known to be commonly used:
Cocaine which is used by approximately 2.4 million users
Methamphetamine which is used by about 731,000 users
Marijuana which is used by 14.8 million people or 6% of the drug users
Hallucinogens which is used by approximately 1 million individuals
Medicinal substances that are not prescribed are used by about 7 million users.
These drugs which are misused are acquired from illegal sources. These sources include the following:
55.7% of the users get their drugs from friends or relatives.
19.1% of the users get their drugs from one specific doctor.
3.9% of the users get their drugs from a stranger.
0.1% buys them through the internet.
Drug abuse is associated with various challenges. These challenges include:
Community resistance to drug abuse and facilities of treatment which contributes to increase in crime and encourages the use of drug, hence increasing the chances of drug abuse.
Increase in addiction which has, in turn, led to an increase in individuals with mental disorders.
Poor management which encourages misuse of resources including drugs
Easy access and widespread availability of resources which enhance the use and misuse of drugs.
These are some of the challenges which are experienced in the health sector. They are aspects which contribute to the increase in drug abuse, hence making it difficult to deal with the situation especially when it seems to be getting out of hand (Burt 90). The government takes the responsibility and plays its role in making sure that drug abuse issues are dealt with. There are various ways in which the government takes part in this. The administration body puts in place rules and regulations that control the use of drugs. These regulations are meant to be adhered to wherein for those who do not follow the rules experience some consequences. With this strategy, the government has been able to control how drugs are used and reduce the rate at which drugs are misused. The government also works with social entrepreneurs to deal with this issue. At this point, the government works together with the entrepreneurs to educate individuals on social impacts as well as on how to deal with social problems. Drug abuse, being one of the social problems, is one of issues discussed so that members of the public are able to comprehend what social problems are all about and how they should deal with them (Wilson 45). The other way in which the government takes part in dealing with drug abuse as a social problem is funding organizations that deal with drug abuse. There are various organizations which have been formed with the aim of controlling drug use in the society. The government, therefore, provides funds for such organizations so that they can cover wide areas and ensure that every member of the public is empowered with important information.
The non-profit organization sector is another unit which plays a role in dealing with drug abuse. These are organizations which play their role as service providers. They play different roles in the social, political, and economic sectors. Drug abuse, being one of the issues in the social sector, gives a clear impression that non-profit organizations help in making sure that effective solutions to such problems are found (Sussam 84). These organizations make sure that they foster community engagement and participation of the civic society in activities that relate to the society. In this case, they help in making individuals take part in activities such as promoting peace and activities that benefit the society. Drug abuse is an issue among those they deal with as they help to make sure that the negative impacts of this issue is prevented. Fostering community participation means that they involve the members of the public to make certain that they come up with possible solutions for drug abuse predicaments.
The business sector also takes part in dealing with drug abuse in its own way. This starts right from the business organizations where managerial staff members play their effective roles. Managers put in place rules and regulations which govern employees to make sure that they work effectively to satisfy their clients. In this case, the regulations have to be followed as there are consequences to be faced in case of any violation. Drug use is part of the rules and regulations that govern business organizations. Employees are supposed to make sure that they do not abuse drugs. This is because drug abuse has negative effects, not only to the community, but also to the user (Roberts 56). Abusing drugs, therefore, means that the employees will not be in a position to work in an effective manner and serve the clients in a satisfactory way. This will, in turn, make the status of the economy low rather than improving it. Any business activity is carried out for the purpose of making high sales and earning high profits. With this in mind, managers tend to implement strict rules for the purpose of achieving their set goals and serving the community. To practice effective operations, human resource has to be sufficient. This will only happen if the employees have the strength to deal with every situation at hand. Healthy employees are those who are known to work effectively. This can be controlled by making sure that they abide with the rules, especially those that concern their health.
Conclusion
In conclusion, drug abuse is a social problem which has to be examined in order to make sure that further negative impacts are avoided. This is what the government, non-profit organizations, as well as businesses are doing. They take part in various activities to make certain that the issue of drug abuse is dealt with appropriately. For effective dealings in drug abuse, unions have to combine efforts for the purpose of achieving the best for the society at large, hence ensuring a healthy society and improving the status of the economy in general.
Works Cited
Burt, Marvin, Pines Sharon and Glynn Thomas. Drug Abuse: Its Natural History and the Effectiveness of Current Treatments. United States: Transaction Publishers, 1979. Print.
Roberts, Jeremy. Prescription Drug Abuse. The Rosen Publishing Group, 2000. Print.
Sussman, Steve, Ames, Susan. Drug Abuse: Concepts, Prevention and Cessation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008. Print.
Wilson, Richard, Kolander, Cheryl. Drug Abuse Prevention. New Jersey: Jones and Bartlett Learning, 2011. Print.
