Every society encounters a variety of problems that it needs to address, and one of the most common is drug use among the population. Essentially, illegal substances cause a considerable addiction in people, which can lead to numerous social issues and negative effects. Specifically, drug use causes people to become less productive, stimulates crime, and entails considerable medical and healthcare costs.
It is clear that the use of drugs is not an activity that is encouraged by society, partially because it is inherently harmful to all people. First of all, according to statistics, the consumption of illegal drugs causes the U.S. economy to lose more than $100 billion in terms of productivity. Such a problem emerges due to several factors, including reduced labor participation because of imprisoned drug addicts who could otherwise work wages and incarceration expenses (Hanson et al., 2020). Additionally, research shows that drug use is inextricably linked to crime, which means that people who consume illegal substances tend to frequently engage in illicit activities. Moreover, there are crimes that are partially related to drug use, such as murders of drug addicts and dealers, as well as robberies and theft (Hanson et al., 2020). Finally, an addiction which is an essential part of drug use, also requires treatment which leads to significant healthcare expenses for therapy and research. Thus, drug use is a social problem that negatively impacts many spheres and leads to unnecessary expenses and crime.
The use of drugs by people is an issue that causes numerous negative effects, ultimately undermining society. The consumption of illegal substances prevents many people from participating in the workforce and forces them to engage in criminal activities harming ordinary citizens. Drug use also impacts the field of healthcare since therapy and research annually cost society considerable sums of money, which could be otherwise spent on more beneficial projects and matters.
Reference
Hanson, G., Venturelli, P., &, Fleckenstein, A. (2020). Drugs & society. Jones & Bartlett Learning.