Drug Abuse As A Social Problem Essay

I chose drug abuse as a social problem because it is at the core of several other social problems we face. Currently, the most common social problems seen in our societies are unemployment, homelessness, divorces or family breakdowns, violence, child abuse and road accidents. A closer look at all these problems reveals a strong link with drug abuse, hence my interest in it. In addition to this, I see it every day, around me. Several youths losing their lives to drug abuse, people hurt due to drug-related cases and families breaking down due to drug abuse. A few weeks ago, in Staten Island, seven people overdosed and two of these people died from this overdose. We can all relate to the psychological and economic impact death has on families, the community and to the country’s economy. When children are neglected because their parents are addicted to drugs, they become a responsibility of the community and the government. Resources that are used to treat addiction must come from the hardworking citizens who pay taxes to the government. When drug addicts cause accidents due to drunk driving, innocent road users lose their

I used to think that people who abuse drugs are deviants, unemployed, people with poor upbringing, school drop outs, prostitutes and homeless people. I have come to realize that drug abuse is a problem for both the rich and the poor, people who are employed, smartly dressed and people with good family backgrounds are all at risk of abusing drugs. These are biases that so many people have, and which in turn lead to stigmatization and shame. By having these assumptions, we fail to recognize drug addiction early enough, especially in people close to us. We may live in denial and shame, which does not help in solving the problem. Due to stigma, drug addicts may shy away from receiving help, which makes their situation worse, and may lead to other problems such as