Drug addiction is the compulsive use of drugs despite the social, emotional, and/or physical harm they cause the individual. It is a problem which has occurred to some degree throughout recorded history (see "opium"), though modern agricultural practices and advancements in biochemistry have exacerbated the problem significantly in the twentieth century with the introduction of purified forms of active biological agents derived from plant materials, and with the synthesis of hitherto unknown substances, such as methamphetamine and gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB). While "addiction" has been replaced by "dependency" as a clinical term, the terms are used interchangeably here.
The addictive nature of drugs varies from substance to substance, and from individual to individual. Typically, however, drugs such as codeine or alcohol require more exposures to addict their users than drugs such as smoked heroin or crack cocaine.
The drug user is motivated to continue the use of a drug by two factors:
- the physical or psychological effect of that drug
- the need to avoid the effects of withdrawal.
Drug addiction has two components: physical dependency and psychological dependency. Physical dependency occurs when a drug has been used for such a period of time that the body has become accustomed to its presence. The addict must then continue to use the drug just to feel normal, even though he or she may no longer be able to achieve the effect the drug initially provided. Heroin is one drug which can cause physical dependency. Psychological dependence occurs when a drug is so central to a person's life that it is almost impossible to stop thinking about it. Desires, or cravings, for the drug are easily provoked by such things as the end of a meal, certain locations, images of paraphenalia, or seeing other people using. Such dependence is one cause of continued drug use.
The mechanisms by which drugs create physical dependence vary among drug classes.
The most common drug addictions are, in fact, to legal substances such as
Many prescription or over the counter drugs can become addictive if abused. In addition, a large number of other substances are currently considered to have no medical value and are not available over the counter or by prescription. Depending on the jurisdiction, these drugs may be legal only as part of a government sponsored study, illegal to use for any purpose, illegal to sell, or even illegal to merely possess. In 1972 United States President Richard Nixon declared a war on illegal drugs in an attempt to control the growing problem of drug addiction.
It is unclear whether laws against drugs do anything to stem drug addiction. In jurisdictions where addictive drugs are illegal, they are generally supplied by drug dealers, who are often involved with organized crime. Even though the cost of producing most illegal addictive substances is very low, their illegality combined with the addict's need permits the seller to command a premium price, often hundreds of times the production cost. As a result, the addict must often turn to crime to support his habit.
Classes of drugs regulated by the U.S. Controlled Substances Act:
Drugs in particular and groups of drugs including Licit Drugs and Chemicals of Concern, as listed on the DEA website:
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