Did You Know That the Overall Costs of Substance Abuse in the United States Exceeds Half a Million Dollars Annually?

Jagger Turano-Riley

Ms.Cummings-Albin

English 10

14 January 2017

Did you know that the overall costs of substance abuse in the United States exceeds half a million dollars annually? (Joyce Brennfleck Shannon). There are millions of people every day who abuse or get addicted to drugs. So why do so many people abuse drugs? There are multiple reasons why, but three of the most significant are, they make people feel better, to forget about their problems and maybe because of the users biology, environment, or even their development. In the memoir The Other Wes Moore, The Other Wes Moore became involved in the drug trade and Wes Moore started to experience with drugs because of where they both lived. One Wes dabbles with drugs for a little bit, and the other Wes gets hooked on and off for life and eventually gets arrested. The causes and effects of drug abuse are explored in several articles examining the issue.

One major contributor to the problem of drug abuse is that it is readily available; therefore people get addicted and start abusing it. This is indicated in an article by (“Science”) entitled “The Science of Addiction” which states, “Drug addiction often results from drug abuse, which is the use of illegal drugs to produce pleasure, to alleviate stress, or to alter or avoid reality (or all three) (“Science”). This reveals how drug addiction starts first, and ends up as drug abuse. This cause is also apparent in the Other Wes Moore. In one scene from the book, the author writes about many more, “She reached again for the first Nike box and opened it. Inside were pills, marijuana, half an ounce of powdered cocaine, and half a dozen “Ready rock” or crack cocaine” (Moore 73). This aspect of The Other Wes Moore’s life indicates that drugs were apart of him and his family. Clearly, getting addicted is a possible cause of drug abuse.

Another possible cause for this issue is to make them feel better and to forget about their problems. This is indicated in an article written by the National Institute on Drug Abuse entitled “ Drug Abuse and Addiction” which states, “ People begin taking drugs for a variety of reasons: To feel good, To feel better, and To do better.”(NIDB). This reveals the reason people abuse drugs and do the. This cause is also apparent in The Other Wes Moore. In one scene from the book, the author writes about Joy’s problems with her first husband. In one scene,  “she discovered that what she had foolishly thought of as his typical low-level recreational drug use was really something much worse. As the years passed, Joy kept hoping that Bills alcohol and drug use would fade… But his addiction just got worse, and the physical, mental, and emotional abuse he unleashed became more intense” (Moore 9). This aspect of Moore’s life indicates that his first father started using recreational drugs and eventually got addicted. Clearly making yourself feel good or better is a possible cause of drug abuse.

The last possible cause for this issue on drug abuse may be influenced by someone’s biology, social environment and/or stage of development (Joyce Brennfleck Shannon). This is indicated in an article by Joyce B Shannon entitled “How do addictions Develop” which states, “The more risk factors an individual has, the greater the chance that taking drugs can lead to addiction (Shannon). This reveals a person’s biology, environment or development can cause a major impact on how a person can be addicted. This cause is also apparent in The Other Wes Moore. In one scene from the book, the author writes, “I didn’t know that drug fiends were still making use of those abandoned buildings for activities that would’ve blown my mind, or that the swollen hands on the man leaning against the telephone pole by himself-eyes flickering, head nodding-Were telltale signs of needle injections” (Moore 43). This aspect of Moore’s life indicates that no matter where you are born and where you live there are always drugs around. Clearly, a person’s biology, environment, or development are a possible cause for drug abuse.