Drug Abuse and Its Impact on America's Social Problems
In addition to the incredible costs we as a nation pay thanks to drug abuse, many of our top social problems are also impacted by it. See a short list below provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse:
- Drugged Driving- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that drugs are used by approximately 10 to 22 percent of drivers involved in crashes.
- Violence- At the time of their arrest, over 50 percent of the individuals arrested for major crimes including homicide, theft and assault were under the influence of illicit drugs.
- Child Abuse- At least two-thirds of patients in drug abuse treatment facilities say that they were physically or sexually abused as children. Approximately 50% to 80% of all child abuse and neglect cases confirmed by child protective services involve some degree of substance abuse by the child's parents.
- Stress- Exposure to stress is one of the most powerful triggers of substance abuse in vulnerable individuals and of relapse in former addicts.
The Prescription Drug Abuse Epidemic
Without question, American's fastest growing drug problem is that of prescription drug abuse. It is the second most abused category of drugs currently, falling only behind marijuana. Prescription drug abuse has become so deadly that it is now the second leading cause of death in the U.S. after car accidents. The number of people who overdose from prescription drugs has now surpassed the number of people who die from gunshot wounds. Whether it's the misconception so many Americans have that prescription drugs are not as harmful as illicit drugs because they can be obtained legally or the sheer number of them currently available on the market, over 20 percent of people in the United States have used prescription drugs for a non-medical purpose, and therefore engaged in drug abuse whether they realize it's as dangerous as it is or not.