Illegal Drugs and Their Effects on the U.S.

Illegal Drugs and Their Effects on the U.S.

Garrett Provost

ENGL1301

Prof. Taheri

Lonestar Community College

27 November 2017

Introduction

        Illegal drugs and substances have been a developing issue over time in the United States. A substance is something that a user can take, and an illegal substance is something that a user chooses to take even though it is against the law. Some examples of these illegal substances include heroin, methamphetamine, and cannabis. This problem has been rising tremendously in the United States over the past decades, and people are searching for solutions to decrease this issue. In the past, illegal drug use has been awful, especially during the 1960s-1970s; although the situation is gradually getting better, the substance use still continues to be bad in today’s time. During the 1970’s, marijuana was used to extreme levels even though it was, and still to this day, is illegal. With the use of illegal drugs in the United States there have been many issues; however, raising awareness and providing programs for this issue can help decrease and end the illegal drug problem in the United States.

Problem

        Throughout history, different kinds of substances have been used. According to Julian Buchanan, “the term ‘substance’ includes legal and/or illegal drugs.” She says that although many substance users were using legal drugs, it has been facing extreme competition against illegal drugs as those numbers continue to grow (Buchanan, 2008). Over the past six or so decades, the rise of the use of illegal drugs has been astonishing in the United States; a lot more people have begun to use illegal drugs, especially college students and teenagers.  Within the past two decades, the problem of illegal drugs has changed fundamentally in its extent as well as its nature, according to Jonathon Caulkins and Peter Reuter (Caulkins and Reuter, 2006).

        Many things can lead to the causes of substance and illegal drug use in a person, as lots can go on in someone’s life. People use drugs to get away from their problems, and when they try to fix said problem with drugs, they create an even bigger issue: addiction. Using illegal drugs can not only lead to a serious risk of criminal charges if caught, but life changes and health issues. Another cause is the feeling of wanting to fit in. A lot of college students and teenagers want to be a part of the “cool kids”, and want to fit in with that crowd; however, that crowd does drugs and illegal substances. The student feels obligated to participate in these activities, even if they feel it is not right. In the end, it can lead to an addiction and another illegal substance user. These numbers tend to add up quickly, leading to an increase in illegal drug use in the United States.