Final Research Paper: Drug Abuse

Final Research Paper Student: Professor: Course title: Date: Introduction Drug abuse remains one of the biggest menaces in society (Sloboda, 2016). It is a problem that continues to bite into many societies and consequently cause destruction, especially among young people. Drug abuse takes two forms. The first form is when people buy curative drugs over the counter without the prescription of a medical practitioner. The second form of drug abuse involves the use of illicit substances such as marijuana and heroin. The second form of substance abuse is more rampant and risky as the continued use of these drugs leads to addiction. Drug abuse has been declared as a national disaster in many countries. Governments of different countries have come up with measures to curb the menace. The focus of this paper is to look at why is drug abuse a problem in society, what causes drug abuse and what solutions are available to deal with drug abuse. Problem A couple of years back, famine, the AIDS pandemic, and poverty were classified among the issues of concern in society. In contemporary society, one cannot help but notice that drug abuse is a serious problem that has destroyed the lives of many young people. There are many problems associated with drug abuse. Besides the obvious health problems associated with different drugs, other societal problems arise as a result of drug abuse (Sloboda, 2016). To begin with, people with drug abuse problem have serious health complications. This has a direct effect on their productivity. It is unfortunate to note that a majority of those hooked too hard drugs are people between the ages of eighteen to forty (Sloboda, 2003).In any country, this age bracket is classified as the working or labor force of the country’s economy. It is, therefore, a serious problem when more than half the people in this age bracket cannot be productive due to drugs. Drug abuse also results in infertility in both men and women (Espejo, 2002). A man who uses hard drugs for a prolonged period is likely to become infertile. On the other hand, women who use drugs are at high risk of having difficulties in getting pregnant. Medical researches also reveal that women who take drugs when they are expected are likely to give birth to children with deformities. In the worst case scenarios, the baby could be born dead. Literature Review There are many drugs on the market which are legal, and the public is free to consume. Such drugs include alcohol, cigarettes, tobacco, khat among others. This means that drugs are not declared illegal unilaterally. There must be a specific reason and certain parameters that are employed, which lead to the illegalization of a drug. In the early 1920s in America, marijuana was legal. People could freely buy it in the streets and consume without fear of apprehension. However, owing to the negative effects that users of the drug were exhibiting, a research was conducted into the substance. The research concluded that marijuana has no value as far as medicinal importance is concerned. Also, it was found that long term use of the drug can lead to serious permanent brain damage. It is after this research that the sale and use of marijuana were made illegal in America and has been since. Narconon (p. 3) note...