THE EFFECTS OF DRUG ABUSE AND ADDICTION IN COMMUNITIES 1

The Effects of Drug Abuse and Addiction In Communities

Abstract

This paper will give you information about the effects of drug abuse and addiction on

communities. The information below will show that if we do not help the people in need with

programs and professional help it will affect your community in a negative way.
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The Effects of Drug Abuse and Addiction in Communities

When settling down to have kids, most people look for the ideal neighborhood for their

kids to be raised. The ideal neighborhood includes low crime rates, great schools, a good

community, and many other things depending on the lifestyle of the family. You see people

abusing drugs on a daily basis whether it be pain medication or the “hard stuff” like meth,

cocaine, etc. Drug abuse and addiction can be traced back for centuries. Raising crime rates,

child abuse and neglect, and lowering employment rates. Drug abuse is still a relative issue in

today’s society and the issue needs to be fixed. We need to stop looking past all the

neighborhoods that are not ideal and help those neighborhoods in need. Instead of judging those

who abuse drugs, why do we not help them? When most people see someone who fits the profile

of a “druggy,” we judge them or avoid them. Why not have a conversation with them? Ask them

if they need help? Instead of sitting back and watching them struggle through life because they

made a few mistakes leading up to them getting addicted to drugs. The person using drugs in the

first place is at fault for getting addicted but that does not mean we can not help them fix the

mistake. If we want our communities to be safe, then we need to keep them safe by helping the

people in need within those communities. Avoiding the issues will only make the issue worse.

Drug abuse not only affects the person abusing, it also affects the community as a whole.

Increase In Crime Rates

An increase in crime rates can be a result of drug addiction and abuse. “Drug law

violations are, in fact, the most common type of criminal offense.” (Services, 2019) The

population in these prisons is mostly drug- related because when a person gets high off of drugs,

they have a better chance of getting violent and acting out. Drugs affect feelings, mood,
THE EFFECTS OF DRUG ABUSE AND ADDICTION IN COMMUNITIES 4

judgement, decision making, learning, and memory. So, someone that is typically a well behaved

person, might become violent after repeated drug use. Drug use does not always result in violent

behavior or getting arrested. However, doing drugs can ruin someone's life. A study was done

that proves getting drug addicts treatment will decrease the amount of crime in the community.

“The results indicate that substance-abuse-treatment facilities reduce both violent and financially

motivated crimes in an area,” (Bondurant, Lindo, & Swensen, 2018) Proving that drug addiction

is a cause of an increase in crime rates in communities.

Child Abuse and Neglect

Abusing drugs not only affects the community it also affects the children of the

individuals abusing the drugs. As stated in the last paragraph, when someone uses drugs they

tend to get more violent. Children with parents that abuse drugs are exposed to traumatic things

like domestic violence, incarceration, overdose, sexual assault, and neglect. Drugs like cocaine

and meth are more likely to bring out aggressive behavior; these drugs cause them to lose control

of their impulses. Meaning, the drug abuser has a better chance of losing control causing

domestic violence, incarceration, child neglect, and maybe even sexual assault. “ Risk factors for

perpetration include caregivers with drug abuse or alcohol abuse ... caregivers with attitudes

accepting of or justifying violence or aggression”(Risk and PROTECTION FACTORS CHILD

abuse and neglect 2021) So, someone that is not normally violent can become violent after taking

drugs. Drug abuse can lead to child neglect and abuse.

Drug Abuse Leads to Unemployment

Abusing drugs can lead to unemployment; “drug abuse can reduce a person's

employment prospects, both by reducing productivity and by decreasing the chance of getting a

job in the first place, especially if an employer tests applicants for illegal drug consumption.”
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(Badel & Greaney, 2018) Someone that is under the influence of drugs would not be able to

keep a stable job, because some companies have the choice to randomly drug test their

employees at any time. “Possession of any Schedule I or II substance, except marijuana, was a

felony, and you could spend up to five years in the Department of Corrections and pay a $5,000

fine.” (Law & Punishment, 2020) Having a criminal record can make a person unemployable in

many supervisors' eyes. Making it harder if not impossible to get a job. Also, having a full-time

job is rare for a drug addict. Their addiction practically takes over their life, causing them to

prioritize getting high over getting up for work.

Rebuttal

Drug users normally use drugs for three reasons. They try to fill an emotional void like the

death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, or even something traumatic. Such as

psychological pain like a mental illness. The last reason is physical pain, resulting in self-

medication. Many drug addicts claim “they are not addicted,” or they know they are but they do

not have the right state of mind to get sober. A huge reason why people do drugs is to avoid

emotional, physical, or psychological pain. I am not saying that everyone that does drugs has a

reason, some people try it one time and get addicted to it. However, a good portion of drug

abusers feel like they have a legitimate reason to be using the drugs.

This Will Fix It

In an ideal world there is a way to eradicate drug abuse. In reality people will always

abuse drugs because they think it is fun at first and then they become dependent on the substance

or because they try to block out the pain. I think we can do things to prevent people from

starting drugs in the first place. Like, informing kids of the dangers of using drugs and having a

drug awareness week. But, I also think there are ways to decrease the amount of people using
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drugs. A few ways to decrease the amount of people using drugs is by sending them to rehab

and/or getting them checked out by a physician for their pain. The best way to help people that

already have a drug addiction is to help them get into rehab, get counseling, see a physician, and

find or be a support system for that individual. Rehab is not this magical thing you send someone

to and it makes them all better. Those who get out of rehab need a support system that they can

lean on and talk to when they feel like they might relapse. I feel like the counseling would help a

lot. A person in this situation would not need a fancy expensive therapist. I feel it would make a

big difference if the individuals would go get checked out by a doctor. Like I stated before the

three main causes for people who start abusing drugs are physical pain, emotional pain, and

psychological pain.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I think we should be helping the people in need. Every parent looks for

that ideal neighborhood to raise their children in. But, if the community does not want to help

others or keep the community an “ideal” place for their children it will no longer be up to their

standards. We are not supposed to judge people on the mistakes of their past. I truly think that if

the people of the community put their minds together and help those around them struggling with

drugs it will not be as big of an issue. Going to jail does not help those struggling with drug

addiction. What helps them is getting sober the right way, having a support system to keep them

sober, and always having someone to talk to when they feel like they are going to relapse. We

also need to be looking out for the children in the homes of known drug abusers. We need to be

looking for signs of physical abuse and neglect to children. Drug abuse does affect more than

just the abuser; it also affects crime rates, child abuse and neglect, and unemployment rates.

Overall, affecting the community in a negative way. Do not let your community become another
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example on how drugs can ruin a community. Take charge of the community and help those in

need.
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References

Badel, A., & Greaney, B. (2018, June 25). The link between drug use and job status in the U.s.:

St. Louis Fed. Retrieved March 23, 2021, from

https://www.stlouisfed.org/publications/regional-economist/july-2013/exploring-the-link-

between-drug-use-and-job-status-in-the-us

Bondurant, S., Lindo, J., & Swensen, I. (2018, February 07). Substance abuse treatment centers

and local crime. Retrieved March 26, 2021, from

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S009411901830007X

CDS/Drug/Marijuana possession in Oklahoma - Law & Punishment. (2020, June 17). Retrieved

March 22, 2021, from https://www.urbanic.law/answers/drug-crimes/penalties-

possession-drugs-oklahoma/

Risk and PROTECTIVE FACTORS|CHILD abuse and Neglect|violence Prevention|Injury

Center|CDC. (2021, March 15). Retrieved March 26, 2021, from

https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/childabuseandneglect/riskprotectivefactors.html

Services, P. (2019, October 30). How are addiction and crime rates correlated? Retrieved March

22, 2021, from https://www.providence-recovery.com/blog/how-are-addiction-and-

crime-rates-correlated