Drug and substance abuse is a critical problem in the United States. The consumption of alcohol and drugs in the United States is often influenced by underlying sociodemographic conditions of individuals (Barkan, 2017). Such use is also justified by the innate psychological, physiological, and social effects of drug use. Historically, some of the most notorious substances, including marijuana, cocaine, and opium, have been linked to multiple societal issues, leading to their regulations and ban (Barkan, 2017).
The dependency on mind-altering constituents has been an endearing practice for ages, with alcohol consumption remaining one of the United States’ dominant traditions. For example, rum and beer have been consumed for centuries, dating back to colonial New England (Barkan, 2017). Importantly, alcohol was the most consumed psychoactive substance in the United States until the nineteenth century.
Today, alcoholism is increasingly prevalent in the country, requiring proactive and more effective countermeasures. As a consequence, modern society faces adverse effects associated with such consumption. One of the ways increased drug use occurs today is through the advancement of medical technology. Prescription drugs like antidepressants are widely manufactured and misused across the country (Barkan, 2017).
The pervasiveness of this use is fueled, in part, by the lack of clarity in distinguishing legal and non-legal drugs. Nonetheless, the negative impact of drugs and alcohol rises annually, given that certain legal drugs pose multiple societal threats. Notably, the gallons of ethanol per capita consumption rate has risen by 4 percent in the last decade (Elflein, 2021), signaling an influx of alcohol abuse, especially among young people. This data indicates a negative correlation between the well-documented health risks associated with excessive chemical addiction.
References
Barkan, S. E. (2017). Social problems: Continuity and change. University of Minnesota Press.
Elflein, J. (2021). Per capita alcohol consumption of all beverages in the U.S. 1850-2019. Statista. Web.