Many people choose to ingest certain substances in order to achieve a mental or physical “high,” but recreational drug use can quickly devolve into destructive drug abuse. Smoking marijuana and snorting cocaine are two of the most common forms of drug abuse, and these addictions afflict children, teens, and adults alike. Other illicit substances typically used as a vehicle for drug abuse include methamphetamines, ecstasy, and heroin. Each of these drugs poses a significant health risk and inevitably leads to harmful side defects such as respiratory problems, extreme weight loss, rotting teeth, and heart failure. Even legally obtained drugs, such as prescription painkillers or mood altering medications for anxiety, can lead to drug abuse if they are taken irresponsibly. Commonly administered medications such Vicodin, Valium, and Xanax have all been co-opted by drug users and turned into popular avenues for drug abuse. The most dangerous aspect of prescription drug abuse is the complacency which develops because the substances are not viewed as illicit drugs.

Drug abuse is a blight on society which is responsible, directly and indirectly, for hundreds of millions of dollars in costs to communities, schools, hospitals, and families. Repeated criminal charges stemming from drug abuse can lead to extended incarceration and the legal system is struggling to cope with the constant onslaught of drug-related convictions. The educational system loses some of its best and brightest students to drug abuse ever year, and addiction has been confirmed to increase the rate of high school dropouts. Drug abuse in adults leads to higher unemployment, a reliance on government welfare, more on the job accidents, and an increase in petty crimes such as burglary or theft.

As scientific advances have continued to support the view of drug addiction as a disease, genetically inherited and biologically influenced, intensive programs have been developed to help people cope with drug abuse. National organizations like Narcotics Anonymous have been crucial in providing a support system for those struggling to overcome drug abuse. The advent of the 12-step program to help guide people through the process of quitting drugs has resulted in tremendous success. Even something as simple as administering home drug tests has proven to have positive results. Today there are more resources available to help curb drug abuse than ever before, and societal views towards the issue of drug addiction have softened considerably.