The Abuse Of Illicit Drugs Presents A Detrimental Effect...

The abuse of illicit drugs presents a detrimental effect on the health and well-being of millions of Americans. People begin to use drugs for a wide variety of reasons: to feel euphoric pleasure, energy or self-confidence; decrease anxiety or depression; increase cognitive or athletic ability; because of rebellion, peer-influence, or simple curiosities (FIX). Initial users are likely to experience seemingly positive effects and are naà ¯vely constrained by the addictive propensities of these drugs. Eventually, continued usage can lead to the impairment of self-control - the first indication of addiction (NIDA). The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) defines addiction as â€Å"a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by†¦show more content†¦Sacrifices of relationships, money, integrity, health, and household are all typical characteristics of an addict who fails to recognize their problem (FIX). Nearly all Americans are related to or know someone who is currently struggling with addiction. Collectively, drugs can corrupt families and communities, damaging society by evolving an unhealthy population of potentially menacing neighbors and coworkers. Throughout the last decade, there has been a significant increase in illicit drug use among Americans aged 12 and older. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) expressed a shift from 8.3% of the population using illicit drugs in the past month in 2002, to 9.4% (24.6 million people) in 2013 (SAMHSA). Within the 2011 NSDUH report, rates of marijuana use were primarily responsible for the rise from about 6.1% in 2008 to 6.9% (about 17.4 million people) in 2010 (2ND YEAR). Although this increase may be related to recent media coverage of medical marijuana legalization in some states and the impact that has on decreasing publicly perceived risks (@HIGHEST), the persistent growth of substance abuse issues in the United States is attributed to several decades of failing prohibition efforts and underachieving prevention and rehabilitation methods (FIX). More than