In 2008, 47 percent of Americans over the age of 12 had tried an illicit drug, according to Drug War Facts. Prescription drug abuse in adolescents, older adults and women is on the rise, says the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Drug abuse not only alters the brain’s chemistry, but also weakens the immune system. Drug abuse can destroy the mind and the body.
Dependence
According to Drugs.com, drug abuse can lead to dependence and addiction. Factors associated with drug dependence include genetics, emotional distress, anxiety, depression, peer pressure and the type of drug being abused. Mental health issues are noted in at least 50 percent of individuals who become addicted, according to Drugs.com. Post-traumatic stress disorder, attention deficit disorder and depression can lead from abuse to dependence. Dependence is the compulsive use of a drug due to altered brain chemistry despite the dangers it poses.
HIV
According to the NIDA, HIV disease has killed 25 million people worldwide. NIDA states there are 40,000 new reported cases of HIV yearly in America and notes that the use of drugs and the risky sexual behavior associated with them has been “central to the spread” of HIV.
Those who abuse drugs spread HIV by sharing needles and other paraphernalia. Cookers, cotton swabs and rinse water can spread HIV. Impaired judgment as a result of alcohol or drug use can lead to risky sexual contacts. Men and women sometimes prostitute themselves for drugs and risk contracting HIV.
Hepatitis
Four million people in the United States have been infected with hepatitis C virus, or HCV, according to the NIDA. Hepatitis C is transmitted through direct exposure to blood and is the single most common reason for liver transplants in the United States. Hepatitis C can also be transmitted through sexual contact. This occurs in only about 20 percent of cases.
The NIDA goes on to state that HCV is now endemic among intravenous drug users and accounts for 60 percent of HCV cases. Hepatitis C infects the cells of the liver and can cause liver failure, cirrhosis and cancer. Currently, there is no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C, and treatments are only effective in some individuals.
