How Does Drugs Affect Society

Addiction can affect individuals in different ways and is very complicated. There is no test to show if an individual will become addicted. A small number of people are genetically predisposed to addictive behaviour. If they use drugs, they are more likely than others to become addicted.
However, addiction to a drug is influenced broadly by 3 main factors – the drug, the person and the environment. Drug factors include the drug’s addictiveness, how long you’ve been using it and how much you normally use. Person factors include the role of genetic differences and the individual’s capacity to cope with stresses. And environmental factors include availability of work and social integration
Millions of people around the world use drugs and/or alcohol

Biological factors. These include genetics, mental illness and gender. Children of addicts are 8 times more likely to become addicted than children of non-addicted parents. As well, those with certain mental illnesses are more likely to develop addiction, and gender can sometimes play a role.
2. Environmental Risks and Influences. These include home and family, age, peer pressure and stress. Those who come from a family where physical or mental abuse was common during childhood are at a higher risk for developing addiction. Overall, those who live in a state of frequent stress in any way are at a higher risk for becoming addicted.
3. Drug type and administration. Certain drugs are more addictive than others. If a user quickly became familiar with a heavy drug such as heroin, their chances of becoming addicted increase. As well, if drugs are injected or smoked, it releases the high more quickly, enhancing the addictive qualities.

There are many factors at play which ultimately decide whether a person will become addicted or not. But the main truth of the matter is that addiction is a disease, and it is important to realise that in the same way a person does not choose to have heart disease, a person does not choose to become