Illegal Drugs
Illegal drugs
Illegal drugs are drugs which have controls on them by a government and are illegal in certain situations (a person is not allowed to have them). A drug is any chemical designed to affect the human body. A psychoactive drug is a drug that affects the brain. Some controlled drugs are allowed if you have permission (called a "prescription") from a doctor. Other drugs are illegal - meaning you are never allowed to have them. Individual countries and places have different laws about different drugs, and there are also international treaties against some drugs. The most used drugs are not illegal.
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Drug Abuse
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, is a patterned use of a substance (drug) in which the user consumes the substance in amounts or with methods which are harmful to themselves or others. The exact cause of substance abuse is impossible to know because there is not just one direct cause. However substance abuse and addiction is known to run in families. One theory suggests there is a genetic disposition which predisposes certain individuals toward substance abuse. Another suggests substance abuse is learned there for people subjected to substance abuse by those around them begin to copy the same behaviors. Substance abuse might start out as a bad habit but when and if addiction develops it manifests as a chronic debilitating disease.
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Patterns of Abuse
#1 ‘Hard’ Drug Use
“Hard” drugs, such as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine, tend to be the most dangerous, both in terms of their effects on health and behavior as well as the risk of addiction. While some individuals use these drugs recreationally, addiction can set in after just one use, setting into motion a rapid downward spiral. Once a person has escalated to the use of hard drugs, they often engage in high-risk behavior, isolate themselves from friends and family, and live “outside” society.
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#2 Frequent Drug Use
By itself, frequency of drug use is not the
Illegal drugs are drugs which have controls on them by a government and are illegal in certain situations (a person is not allowed to have them). A drug is any chemical designed to affect the human body. A psychoactive drug is a drug that affects the brain. Some controlled drugs are allowed if you have permission (called a "prescription") from a doctor. Other drugs are illegal - meaning you are never allowed to have them. Individual countries and places have different laws about different drugs, and there are also international treaties against some drugs. The most used drugs are not illegal.
Page 1
Drug Abuse
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, is a patterned use of a substance (drug) in which the user consumes the substance in amounts or with methods which are harmful to themselves or others. The exact cause of substance abuse is impossible to know because there is not just one direct cause. However substance abuse and addiction is known to run in families. One theory suggests there is a genetic disposition which predisposes certain individuals toward substance abuse. Another suggests substance abuse is learned there for people subjected to substance abuse by those around them begin to copy the same behaviors. Substance abuse might start out as a bad habit but when and if addiction develops it manifests as a chronic debilitating disease.
Page 2
Patterns of Abuse
#1 ‘Hard’ Drug Use
“Hard” drugs, such as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine, tend to be the most dangerous, both in terms of their effects on health and behavior as well as the risk of addiction. While some individuals use these drugs recreationally, addiction can set in after just one use, setting into motion a rapid downward spiral. Once a person has escalated to the use of hard drugs, they often engage in high-risk behavior, isolate themselves from friends and family, and live “outside” society.
Bottom of Form
#2 Frequent Drug Use
By itself, frequency of drug use is not the