The Effects Of Substance Abuse On The United States

The Effects of Substance Abuse Alexis Holcomb Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis The cost of alcohol and substance abuse in the United States reaches heights of four hundred eighty four billion dollars per year (â€Å"Drug Abuse is Costly, n.d.†). That’s about seven hundred eighty times the amount it cost to diagnose and treat sexually transmitted diseases in the year 2000 (Chesson, 2000). The social issue I will be analyzing in this writing is substance abuse. Much of my childhood and adolescence was spent dealing with the consequences of substance abuse of many of my family members. I would not only like to help bring more awareness to this issue, but also help in some way to end the stigma associated with substance abuse, because it is a mental illness all on its own. And these individuals do need proper intervention and care. What exactly is substance abuse one may ask? According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, substance abuse is defined as a â€Å"maladaptive pattern of substance use manifested by recurrent and significant adverse consequences related to the repeated use of substances† (â€Å"2 Definitions, 2005†). Substance abuse in its own is a very broad topic. These substances can range anywhere from alcohol to prescription narcotics such as Benzodiazepines to illegal, illicit drugs such as methamphetamines. Alcoholism is one of the leading causes of disease and death in the United States (â€Å"Long-Term Health RisksShow MoreRelatedSubstance Abuse And Its Effects On The United States1050 Words   |  5 Pages4000 B.C. narcotics were used, but during the 19th century is when the active substances in drugs were found. Many of these substances were given over the counter and weren t regulated, which meant that people could easily obtain substances such as morphine, cocaine, landuam, and many others. 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