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Essay on Drug Addiction | Drug Addiction Essay for Students and Children in English

February 12, 2024 by Veerendra

Essay on Drug Addiction: Addiction refers to the harmful need to consume substances that have damaging consequences on the user. Addiction affects not just the body but also on the person’s mental health and soundness of mind. Addiction is one of the most severe health problems faced around the world and is termed as a chronic disease. A widespread disorder ranges from drugs, alcohol addiction to gambling, and even phone addiction.

You can read more  Essay Writing  about articles, events, people, sports, technology many more.

One of the most unfortunate yet common addictions that affect millions today is drug addiction. Also referred to as substance – use disorder, it is the addiction to substances that harm neurological functioning and a person’s behavior. The essay provides relevant information on this topic.

Long and Short Essay on Drug Addiction in English for Students and Kids

There are two essays listed below. The long essay consists of 500 words and a short essay of 200 words.

Long Essay on Drug Addiction in English 500 words

Drug addiction, also known as substance–use disorder, refers to the dangerous and excessive intake of legal and illegal drugs. This leads to many behavioral changes in the person as well as affects brain functions. Drug addiction includes abusing alcohol, cocaine, heroin, opioid, painkillers, and nicotine, among others. Drugs like these help the person feel good about themselves and induce ‘dopamine’ or the happiness hormone. As they continue to use the drug, the brain starts to increase dopamine levels, and the person demands more.

Drug addiction has severe consequences. Some of the signs include anxiety, paranoia, increased heart rate, and red eyes. They are intoxicated and unable to display proper coordination and have difficulty in remembering things. A person who is addicted cannot resist using them and unable to function correctly without ingesting them. It causes damage to the brain, their personal and professional relationships. It affects mental cognition; they are unable to make proper decisions, cannot retain information, and make poor judgments. They tend to engage in reckless activities such as stealing or driving under the influence. They also make sure that there is a constant supply and are willing to pay a lot of money even if they are unable to afford it and tend to have erratic sleep patterns.

Drug addiction also causes a person to isolate themselves and have either intense or no food cravings. They stop taking care of their hygiene. Drug addiction affects a person’s speech and experience hallucinations. They are unable to converse and communicate properly; they speak fast and are hyperactive. Those addicted have extreme mood swings. They can go from feeling happy to feeling sad quickly and are incredibly secretive. They begin to lose interest in activities they once loved. Substance abusers also undergo withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms refer to the symptoms that occur when they stop taking the drug. Some withdrawal symptoms include nausea, fatigue, and tremors. They stop and starting using again, an endless cycle that could be life-threatening. Drug addiction can be fatal if not treated timely. It can cause brain damage and seizures as well as overdose, heart diseases, respiratory problems, damage to the liver and kidneys, vomiting, lung diseases, and much more.

Though chronic, treatment is available for drug addiction. Many techniques are used, such as behavioral counseling, medication to treat the addiction, and providing treatment not just for substance abuse but also for many factors that accompany addiction such as stress, anxiety, and depression. Many devices have developed to overcome addiction. There are rehabilitation centers to help people. After treatment, there are numerous follow-ups to ensure that the cycle does not come back. The most important is having family and friends to support the effect. It will help them build confidence and come over their addiction.

The United Nations celebrates International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on the 26th of June. Drug addiction impacts millions and needs to be treated carefully to prevent further harm to the individual and letting them live a better life.

Short Essay on Drug Addiction in English 250 words

Drug addiction refers to taking substances that are harmful to our bodies. They cause changes to a person’s behavior as well. Many people take these drugs to feel happier and better about themselves. These dangerous substances make the brain produce a chemical that makes us happy, called dopamine. Producing large amounts of these causes the person to take the drug consistently.

Some of the drugs include alcohol, nicotine, and other unhealthy substances. Taking these substances can lead to many symptoms. These include unable to think correctly, cannot remember things, and unable to speak clearly. They steal and keep secrets from their close ones. Those addicted cannot sleep; they become happy and sad quickly. They stop doing the activities that they liked doing. They are not aware of their surroundings. Taking these dangerous substances can cause many health problems such as vomiting, unable to breathe, brain, and lung damage. It also affects their family, friends, and work.

Drug addiction is life-threatening. However, people with this addiction can be treated and helped with therapy, counseling, and taking medicines along with rehab centers. They do follow-ups to ensure that they never retake these drugs. They must have their family and friends to support them as they recover.

10 lines About Drug Addiction Essay in English

• Drug addiction refers to taking harmful substances that affect a person’s brain functions and behavior. It involves taking legal and illegal drugs, and the person is unable to stop using them. It is also referred to as substance- use disorders
• Harmful drugs include alcohol, cocaine, heroin, opioids, painkillers, nicotine, etc.
• The harmful drugs cause an excessive release of dopamine or the happy hormone, which causes the person to take more.
• Drug addiction can affect mental cognition, including decision making, judgments, and memory. It also causes speech problems.
• It can cause anxiety paranoia and increased blood pressure. They have erratic sleep patterns and isolate themselves. It causes problems in their personal and professional relationships.
• Those addicted become moody, hyperactive, and hallucinate. They also engage in reckless activities.
• They experience withdrawal symptoms when they try to stop using substances. These include nausea, fatigue, and tremors.
• It can have many effects on the body, such as brain damage, seizures, liver and kidney damage, respiratory and lung issues.
• Treatment is available. It includes behavioral therapy, medication, rehabilitation, as well as a follow-up to prevent relapse.
• The United Nations celebrates International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on the 26th of June.

Frequently Asked Questions on Drug Addiction Essay

Question  1. What is drug addiction?

Answer: Drug addiction, also known as substance – use disorder, refers to the dangerous and excessive intake of legal and illegal drugs. This leads to many behavioral changes in the person as well as affects brain functions.

Question 2. Why does drug addiction occur?

Answer: People become addicted to these drugs because they want to feel happier. The drugs cause a chemical called dopamine, which induces happiness to be released. The brain starts to increase dopamine levels, and thus the person becomes addicted to the drug to match the increasing levels.

Question 3. What is the difference between dependence and addiction?

Answer: Dependence and addiction vary. While dependence is an intense craving for the drug by the body, addiction also refers to the changes in behavior and bodily functions due to repeated use of the drug, which has severe consequences.

Question 4. Can we treat drug addiction?

Answer: Yes, drug addiction can be treated. The various treatment methods are behavioral counseling, medication, and treatment of anxiety and depression. There are rehabilitation centers available. This is followed by a check-up to prevent relapse.

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The Effects of Drug Addiction on the Brain and Body

Signs of drug addiction, effects of drug addiction.

Drug addiction is a treatable, chronic medical disease that involves complex interactions between a person’s environment, brain circuits, genetics, and life experiences.

People with drug addictions continue to use drugs compulsively, despite the negative effects.

Substance abuse has many potential consequences, including overdose and death. Learn about the effects of drug addiction on the mind and body and treatment options that can help.

Verywell / Theresa Chiechi

Drug Abuse vs. Drug Addiction

While the terms “drug abuse” and “drug addiction” are often used interchangeably, they're different. Someone who abuses drugs uses a substance too much, too frequently, or in otherwise unhealthy ways. However, they ultimately have control over their substance use.

Someone with a drug addiction uses drugs in a way that affects many parts of their life and causes major disruptions. They can't stop using drugs, even if they want to.

The signs of drug abuse and addiction include changes in behavior, personality, and physical appearance. If you’re concerned about a loved one’s substance use, here are some of the red flags to watch out for:

• Changes in school or work performance
• Secretiveness 
• Relationship problems
• Risk-taking behavior
• Legal problems
• Aggression 
• Mood swings
• Changes in hobbies or friends
• Sudden weight loss or gain
• Unexplained odors on the body or clothing

Drug Addiction in Men and Women

Men and women are equally likely to develop drug addictions. However, men are more likely than women to use illicit drugs, die from a drug overdose, and visit an emergency room for addiction-related health reasons. Women are more susceptible to intense cravings and repeated relapses.

People can become addicted to any psychoactive ("mind-altering") substance. Common addictive substances include alcohol , tobacco ( nicotine ), stimulants, hallucinogens, and opioids .

Many of the effects of drug addiction are similar, no matter what substance someone uses. The following are some of the most common effects of drug addiction.

Effects of Drug Addiction on the Body

Drug addiction can lead to a variety of physical consequences ranging in seriousness from drowsiness to organ damage and death:

• Shallow breathing
• Elevated body temperature
• Rapid heart rate
• Increased blood pressure
• Impaired coordination and slurred speech
• Decreased or increased appetite
• Tooth decay
• Skin damage
• Sexual dysfunction
• Infertility
• Kidney damage
• Liver damage and cirrhosis
• Various forms of cancer
• Cardiovascular problems
• Lung problems
• Overdose and death

If left untreated drug addiction can lead to serious, life-altering effects on the body.

Dependence and withdrawal also affect the body:

• Physical dependence : Refers to the reliance on a substance to function day to day. People can become physically dependent on a substance fairly quickly. Dependence does not always mean someone is addicted, but the longer someone uses drugs, the more likely their dependency is to become an addiction.
• Withdrawal : When someone with a dependence stops using a drug, they can experience withdrawal symptoms like excessive sweating, tremors, panic, difficulty breathing, fatigue , irritability, and flu-like symptoms.

Overdose Deaths in the United States

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 100,000 people in the U.S. died from a drug overdose in 2021.

Effects of Drug Addiction on the Brain

All basic functions in the body are regulated by the brain. But, more than that, your brain is who you are. It controls how you interpret and respond to life experiences and the ways you behave as a result of undergoing those experiences.

Drugs alter important areas of the brain. When someone continues to use drugs, their health can deteriorate both psychologically and neurologically.

Some of the most common mental effects of drug addiction are:

• Cognitive decline
• Memory loss
• Mood changes and paranoia
• Poor self/impulse control
• Disruption to areas of the brain controlling basic functions (heart rate, breathing, sleep, etc.)

Effects of Drug Addiction on Behavior

Psychoactive substances affect the parts of the brain that involve reward, pleasure, and risk. They produce a sense of euphoria and well-being by flooding the brain with dopamine .

This leads people to compulsively use drugs in search of another euphoric “high.” The consequences of these neurological changes can be either temporary or permanent. 

• Difficulty concentrating
• Irritability 
• Angry outbursts
• Lack of inhibition 
• Decreased pleasure/enjoyment in daily life (e.g., eating, socializing, and sex)
• Hallucinations

Help Someone With Drug Addiction

If you suspect that a loved one is experiencing drug addiction, address your concerns honestly, non-confrontationally, and without judgment. Focus on building trust and maintaining an open line of communication while setting healthy boundaries to keep yourself and others safe. If you need help, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.

Effects of Drug Addiction on an Unborn Child

Drug addiction during pregnancy can cause serious negative outcomes for both mother and child, including:

• Preterm birth
• Maternal mortality

Drug addiction during pregnancy can lead to neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) . Essentially, the baby goes into withdrawal after birth. Symptoms of NAS differ depending on which drug has been used but can include:

• Excessive crying
• Sleeping and feeding issues

Children exposed to drugs before birth may go on to develop issues with behavior, attention, and thinking. It's unclear whether prenatal drug exposure continues to affect behavior and the brain beyond adolescence.  

While there is no single “cure” for drug addiction, there are ways to treat it. Treatment can help you control your addiction and stay drug-free. The primary methods of treating drug addiction include:

• Psychotherapy : Psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or family therapy , can help someone with a drug addiction develop healthier ways of thinking and behaving.
• Behavioral therapy : Common behavioral therapies for drug addiction include motivational enhancement therapy (MET) and contingency management (CM). These therapy approaches build coping skills and provide positive reinforcement.
• Medication : Certain prescribed medications help to ease withdrawal symptoms. Some examples are naltrexone (for alcohol), bupropion (for nicotine), and methadone (for opioids).
• Hospitalization : Some people with drug addiction might need to be hospitalized to detox from a substance before beginning long-term treatment.
• Support groups : Peer support and self-help groups, such as 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous, can help people with drug addictions find support, resources, and accountability.

A combination of medication and behavioral therapy has been found to have the highest success rates in preventing relapse and promoting recovery. Forming an individualized treatment plan with your healthcare provider's help is likely to be the most effective approach.

Drug addiction is a complex, chronic medical disease that causes someone to compulsively use psychoactive substances despite the negative consequences.

Some effects of drug abuse and addiction include changes in appetite, mood, and sleep patterns. More serious health issues such as cognitive decline, major organ damage, overdose, and death are also risks. Addiction to drugs while pregnant can lead to serious outcomes for both mother and child.

Treatment for drug addiction may involve psychotherapy , medication, hospitalization, support groups, or a combination.

If you or someone you know is experiencing substance abuse or addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.

American Society of Addiction Medicine. Definition of addiction .

HelpGuide.org. Drug Abuse and Addiction .

Tennessee Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services. Warning signs of drug abuse .

National Institute on Drug Abuse. Sex and gender differences in substance use .

Cleveland Clinic. Drug addiction .

National Institute on Drug Abuse. Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction Drugs and the Brain .

American Heart Association. Illegal Drugs and Heart Disease .

American Addiction Centers. Get the facts on substance abuse .

Szalavitz M, Rigg KK, Wakeman SE. Drug dependence is not addiction-and it matters . Ann Med . 2021;53(1):1989-1992. doi:10.1080/07853890.2021.1995623

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Drug overdose deaths in the U.S. top 100,000 annually .

American Psychological Association. Cognition is central to drug addiction .

National Institute on Drug Abuse. Understanding Drug Use and Addiction DrugFacts .

MedlinePlus. Neonatal abstinence syndrome .

National Institute on Drug Abuse. Treatment and recovery .

Grella CE, Stein JA.  Remission from substance dependence: differences between individuals in a general population longitudinal survey who do and do not seek help . Drug and Alcohol Dependence.  2013;133(1):146-153. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2013.05.019

By Laura Dorwart Dr. Dorwart has a Ph.D. from UC San Diego and is a health journalist interested in mental health, pregnancy, and disability rights.

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Understanding Drug Use and Addiction DrugFacts

Many people don't understand why or how other people become addicted to drugs. They may mistakenly think that those who use drugs lack moral principles or willpower and that they could stop their drug use simply by choosing to. In reality, drug addiction is a complex disease, and quitting usually takes more than good intentions or a strong will. Drugs change the brain in ways that make quitting hard, even for those who want to. Fortunately, researchers know more than ever about how drugs affect the brain and have found treatments that can help people recover from drug addiction and lead productive lives.

What Is drug addiction?

Addiction is a chronic disease characterized by drug seeking and use that is compulsive, or difficult to control, despite harmful consequences. The initial decision to take drugs is voluntary for most people, but repeated drug use can lead to brain changes that challenge an addicted person’s self-control and interfere with their ability to resist intense urges to take drugs. These brain changes can be persistent, which is why drug addiction is considered a "relapsing" disease—people in recovery from drug use disorders are at increased risk for returning to drug use even after years of not taking the drug.

It's common for a person to relapse, but relapse doesn't mean that treatment doesn’t work. As with other chronic health conditions, treatment should be ongoing and should be adjusted based on how the patient responds. Treatment plans need to be reviewed often and modified to fit the patient’s changing needs.

Video: Why are Drugs So Hard to Quit?

What happens to the brain when a person takes drugs?

Most drugs affect the brain's "reward circuit," causing euphoria as well as flooding it with the chemical messenger dopamine. A properly functioning reward system motivates a person to repeat behaviors needed to thrive, such as eating and spending time with loved ones. Surges of dopamine in the reward circuit cause the reinforcement of pleasurable but unhealthy behaviors like taking drugs, leading people to repeat the behavior again and again.

As a person continues to use drugs, the brain adapts by reducing the ability of cells in the reward circuit to respond to it. This reduces the high that the person feels compared to the high they felt when first taking the drug—an effect known as tolerance. They might take more of the drug to try and achieve the same high. These brain adaptations often lead to the person becoming less and less able to derive pleasure from other things they once enjoyed, like food, sex, or social activities.

Long-term use also causes changes in other brain chemical systems and circuits as well, affecting functions that include:

• decision-making

Despite being aware of these harmful outcomes, many people who use drugs continue to take them, which is the nature of addiction.

Why do some people become addicted to drugs while others don't?

No one factor can predict if a person will become addicted to drugs. A combination of factors influences risk for addiction. The more risk factors a person has, the greater the chance that taking drugs can lead to addiction. For example:

• Biology . The genes that people are born with account for about half of a person's risk for addiction. Gender, ethnicity, and the presence of other mental disorders may also influence risk for drug use and addiction.
• Environment . A person’s environment includes many different influences, from family and friends to economic status and general quality of life. Factors such as peer pressure, physical and sexual abuse, early exposure to drugs, stress, and parental guidance can greatly affect a person’s likelihood of drug use and addiction.
• Development . Genetic and environmental factors interact with critical developmental stages in a person’s life to affect addiction risk. Although taking drugs at any age can lead to addiction, the earlier that drug use begins, the more likely it will progress to addiction. This is particularly problematic for teens. Because areas in their brains that control decision-making, judgment, and self-control are still developing, teens may be especially prone to risky behaviors, including trying drugs.

Can drug addiction be cured or prevented?

As with most other chronic diseases, such as diabetes, asthma, or heart disease, treatment for drug addiction generally isn’t a cure. However, addiction is treatable and can be successfully managed. People who are recovering from an addiction will be at risk for relapse for years and possibly for their whole lives. Research shows that combining addiction treatment medicines with behavioral therapy ensures the best chance of success for most patients. Treatment approaches tailored to each patient’s drug use patterns and any co-occurring medical, mental, and social problems can lead to continued recovery.

More good news is that drug use and addiction are preventable. Results from NIDA-funded research have shown that prevention programs involving families, schools, communities, and the media are effective for preventing or reducing drug use and addiction. Although personal events and cultural factors affect drug use trends, when young people view drug use as harmful, they tend to decrease their drug taking. Therefore, education and outreach are key in helping people understand the possible risks of drug use. Teachers, parents, and health care providers have crucial roles in educating young people and preventing drug use and addiction.

Points to Remember

• Drug addiction is a chronic disease characterized by drug seeking and use that is compulsive, or difficult to control, despite harmful consequences.
• Brain changes that occur over time with drug use challenge an addicted person’s self-control and interfere with their ability to resist intense urges to take drugs. This is why drug addiction is also a relapsing disease.
• Relapse is the return to drug use after an attempt to stop. Relapse indicates the need for more or different treatment.
• Most drugs affect the brain's reward circuit by flooding it with the chemical messenger dopamine. Surges of dopamine in the reward circuit cause the reinforcement of pleasurable but unhealthy activities, leading people to repeat the behavior again and again.
• Over time, the brain adjusts to the excess dopamine, which reduces the high that the person feels compared to the high they felt when first taking the drug—an effect known as tolerance. They might take more of the drug, trying to achieve the same dopamine high.
• No single factor can predict whether a person will become addicted to drugs. A combination of genetic, environmental, and developmental factors influences risk for addiction. The more risk factors a person has, the greater the chance that taking drugs can lead to addiction.
• Drug addiction is treatable and can be successfully managed.
• More good news is that drug use and addiction are preventable. Teachers, parents, and health care providers have crucial roles in educating young people and preventing drug use and addiction.

For information about understanding drug use and addiction, visit:

• www.nida.nih.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/drug-abuse-addiction

For more information about the costs of drug abuse to the United States, visit:

• www.nida.nih.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics#costs

For more information about prevention, visit:

• www.nida.nih.gov/related-topics/prevention

For more information about treatment, visit:

• www.nida.nih.gov/related-topics/treatment

To find a publicly funded treatment center in your state, call 1-800-662-HELP or visit:

• https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/

This publication is available for your use and may be reproduced in its entirety without permission from NIDA. Citation of the source is appreciated, using the following language: Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse; National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Essay on Drug/ Substance Abuse

Essay generator.

Drug and substance abuse remains one of the most challenging and destructive problems facing societies worldwide. It refers to the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol and illicit drugs. This essay aims to delve into the complexities of drug and substance abuse, examining its causes, effects, and the crucial steps needed to address this epidemic.

Drug and Substance Abuse

Drug and Substance Abuse involves the recurrent use of drugs or substances leading to significant impairment, including health problems, disability, and failure to meet responsibilities at work, school, or home. This includes the misuse of legal substances like alcohol and prescription medications, as well as illegal substances like heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamines.

Causes of Drug and Substance Abuse

The reasons behind drug and substance abuse are multifaceted and can vary from individual to individual:

• Genetic Predisposition : Research indicates a genetic component to the susceptibility to substance abuse.
• Mental Health Disorders : Many individuals with mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, or PTSD turn to substances as a form of self-medication.
• Peer Pressure : Particularly among adolescents and young adults, peer pressure can significantly influence substance use.
• Stressful Life Events : Traumatic experiences, chronic stress, or life-changing events can lead to substance abuse as a coping mechanism.
• Curiosity and Experimentation : Often, particularly in young individuals, there’s a desire to experiment, which can lead to misuse and addiction.

Effects of Drug and Substance Abuse

Drug and substance abuse, a major public health challenge, affects individuals, families, and communities across the globe. This essay explores the multifaceted effects of drug and substance abuse, including physical health, mental well-being, social relationships, and broader societal impacts.

Physical Health Effects

Immediate physical effects.

• Altered State of Consciousness : Substances like alcohol, marijuana, and hallucinogens alter perception, mood, and consciousness.
• Overdose Risk : Excessive consumption of drugs can lead to overdose, potentially resulting in coma or death.
• Infectious Diseases : Intravenous drug use increases the risk of diseases like HIV and Hepatitis B and C due to needle sharing.

Long-Term Health Effects

• Organ Damage : Chronic substance abuse can lead to severe damage to vital organs like the liver (cirrhosis), heart, and brain.
• Neurological Impact : Long-term effects on the brain can include memory loss, cognitive decline, and mental health disorders.
• Physical Dependency : Prolonged use leads to dependency, where the body requires the substance to function normally.

Mental Health and Psychological Effects

• Mental Health Disorders : Substance abuse can trigger or exacerbate mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and psychosis.
• Behavioral Changes : Changes in behavior, such as increased aggression or impulsivity, are common.
• Cognitive Impairments : Drugs can impair decision-making abilities, judgment, and other cognitive functions.

Social and Relationship Impacts

• Family Dynamics : Drug abuse can strain family relationships, leading to conflict, mistrust, and breakdown of family structures.
• Workplace Issues : It affects job performance, leading to decreased productivity, absenteeism, and higher risk of accidents.
• Legal Problems : Substance abuse can result in legal issues, including arrests for possession, driving under the influence, or engaging in illegal activities to support the addiction.

Societal and Economic Impacts

• Healthcare Costs : Treating drug-related health complications burdens healthcare systems.
• Crime and Safety : There’s a correlation between substance abuse and increased crime rates, impacting community safety.
• Economic Burden : The economic impact includes loss of productivity, healthcare expenses, and law enforcement costs.

Prevention and Treatment

• Education and Awareness : Programs aimed at educating individuals about the risks of drug use are crucial.
• Rehabilitation Programs : Effective treatment programs, including therapy and medication-assisted treatment, help individuals recover.
• Support Systems : Family, community, and peer support are vital in the recovery process.

Addressing Drug and Substance Abuse

• Prevention Programs : Education and awareness programs, particularly targeting young people, are crucial in preventing substance abuse.
• Treatment and Rehabilitation : Access to effective treatment, including counseling, medication, and support groups, is vital for recovery.
• Policy and Regulation : Government policies to regulate the availability of substances, and laws to address drug trafficking and misuse, play a critical role.
• Community Support : Community-based efforts, including support from families, schools, and religious organizations, are essential in supporting those affected.

The Role of Society and Individuals

• Destigmatization : Removing the stigma around substance abuse and addiction encourages individuals to seek help.
• Educational Initiatives : Schools and universities should have programs to educate students about the dangers of substance abuse.
• Role Models : Influential figures and celebrities should promote healthy lifestyles and speak out against substance abuse.
• Supportive Environment : Creating an environment that fosters open discussion and support for those struggling with substance abuse.

In conclusion, Drug and substance abuse is a complex issue requiring a multifaceted approach. It is not just a personal problem but a societal challenge that calls for comprehensive prevention strategies, effective treatment programs, supportive policies, and community involvement. Understanding and addressing the root causes, along with providing support and care for those affected, is crucial in mitigating the impact of this global issue. For students participating in essay competitions, exploring this topic provides an opportunity to contribute to a critical dialogue, advocating for change and supporting those in need.

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Essay on Addiction for Students and Children

500 words essay on addiction.

As we all know that excess of anything can be very dangerous, the same way, addiction of any kind can hamper the life quality of an individual. The phrase states that addiction is a family disease as one person uses and the whole family suffers. The above statement stands true in all its essence as the addict does not merely suffer but the people around him suffer greatly too. However, that does not mean they can’t be helped. Addiction is curable and we must not give up on the person who is addicted, rather help them out for a better life.

Cost of Addiction

Addiction comes at a great cost and we need to be able to recognize its harmful consequences to not let ourselves or anyone become an addict. Firstly, addiction has major health hazards. Intake of anything is bad for our body , and it does not matter what type of addiction it is, it will always impact the mental and physical health of a person.

For instance, if you are addicted to drugs or food, you will get various diseases and illnesses. Similarly, if you are addicted to video games, your mental health will also suffer along with physical health.

Moreover, people who are addicts usually face monetary issues. As they use that thing in excess, they spend loads of money on it. People become obsessed with spending all their fortunes on that one thing to satisfy their addiction. Thus, all these addictions of drugs , alcohol , gambling, and more drain the finances of a person and they usually end up in debt or even worse.

Furthermore, the personal and professional relationships of addicts suffer the most. They end up doing things or making decisions that do not work in their favor. This constraint the relationships of people and they drift apart.

Moreover, it also hampers their studies or work life. When you are spending all your money and time on your addiction, naturally your concentration levels in other things will drop. However, all this is not impossible to beat. There are many ways through which one can beat their addiction.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Beat Your Addiction

It is best to work towards beating your addiction rather than getting beat by it. One can try many ways to do so. Firstly, recognize and identify that you have an addiction problem. That is the first step to getting cured. You need to take some time and understand the symptoms in order to treat them. Motivate yourself to do better.

After that, understand that the journey will be long but worthwhile. Identify the triggers in your life and try to stay away from them as far as possible. There is no shame in asking for professional help. Always remember that professionals can always help you get better. Enroll yourself in rehabilitation programs and try to make the most out of them.

Most importantly, do not be hesitant in talking to your loved ones. Approach them and talk it out as they care most about you. They will surely help you get on the right path and help you in beating addiction for better health and life.

Q.1 What are the consequences of addiction?

A.1 Addiction has very severe consequences. Some of them are health hazards, monetary issues, relationship problems, adverse problems on studies and work of a person. It seriously hampers the quality of life of a person.

Q.2 How can one get rid of addiction?

A.2 A little help can go a long way. One can get rid of addiction by enrolling in rehabilitation programs and opening up about their struggle. Try to take professional help and talk with your close ones to become better.

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Substance Use Disorders and Addiction: Mechanisms, Trends, and Treatment Implications

Information & authors, metrics & citations, view options, insights into mechanisms related to cocaine addiction using a novel imaging method for dopamine neurons, treatment implications of understanding brain function during early abstinence in patients with alcohol use disorder, relatively low amounts of alcohol intake during pregnancy are associated with subtle neurodevelopmental effects in preadolescent offspring, increased comorbidity between substance use and psychiatric disorders in sexual identity minorities, trends in nicotine use and dependence from 2001–2002 to 2012–2013, conclusions, information, published in.

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Impacts of Drugs on the Society

Drug usage has been a crucial issue worldwide for many decades. It impacts not only the particular individuals addicted to illegal substances but also the surrounding around them, and eventually, it leads to massive social issues. This essay aims to identify drug addiction’s influence on society on the local, national, and global scale. Therefore, it will observe the reasons and causes of the addiction and the ways of preventing it.

The problems with drug addiction, first of all, begin in the local community and family in particular. When some family member becomes addicted, it launches the chain of consequences that affect other spheres of an individual’s life. If the parents face that problem, they start to neglect the child and disregard their parental duties, consequently leading to the worsening of the child’s physical and mental well-being. Often, they lack the necessary care, clothes, shelter, and unsafe living conditions (Alexis). In the worst cases, children eventually can appear in the orphanage.

Otherwise, when the younger member is affected by the illegal substances’ usage, parents struggle to gain their children’s trust while trying to lead them to the path of problem recognition and recovery. In addition to all the problems, children usually develop a co-dependent pattern of relationships. As they become adults, the victims of drug abuse in the family are more likely to get into destructive relationships. Therefore, people addicted to drugs risk sacrificing close relationships with their family, experience the loss of a family member, lower their chances of a successful future, quality education, and profession.

Evaluating the consequences of drug use on the national scale, the most demonstrative example is the overuse of opium among the citizens of the United States. Opium is one of the most common medications that people get addicted to accidentally or purposely use along with other substances. Although the financial expenses of opium overuse have peaked at $78.5 billion in 2013, those are not the only costs to the nation that brought the addiction (Umhau). Eventually, it increases crimes and violations, different kinds of abuse, deaths, and the spread of infections such as HIV/AIDS (Umhau). It results in the workplace’s overall productivity and performance for persons who struggle with addiction failing to fulfill their duties. Those who have any addiction develop an indifference to the significant spheres of life and decrease job involvement resulting in an economic state.

Assessing the impact of drugs addiction on the global scale, the first thing to mention is the massive amount of deaths. In 2019 the drug use caused the death of about half a million people, along with the social, health financial losses that the population has experienced. (World Drug Report 3). Moreover, it contributes to the spread and progression of multiple dangerous illnesses and diseases, for example, Hepatitis C. It becomes evident that this issue affects the population worldwide mainly with the same consequences and outcomes. Drug addiction stops the economy from developing because people are neglecting their education and jobs. At the same time, the governments spend a decent amount of money to fight the drug supply and the population’s addiction. Despite all the danger that illegal substances cause to humans, public perception is changing along with the legislation of cannabis. For instance, the other drugs start to seem less threatening and more socially acceptable.

To address the issue of the economic consequences, the case of heroin will serve as an example. In the past decades, the number of young adults using heroin has doubled, and now there are one million users in the united states. As the supplements cocaine and methamphetamine often come as supplements and induce the further over usage of the substances (Umhau). However, trying to measure the costs of the particular opiate heroin has one of the leading positions.

The heroin users themselves cost the government around $44,950, considering all the expenses of dealing with crime, health, and social issues caused by the addiction (National Institute on Drug Abuse). Although the person addicted to heroin gets to jail, the costs increase and result in $74,428 per person when part of it is due to the productivity loss (National Institute on Drug Abuse). The overall costs of heroin addiction take a significant amount of the government budget when the citizen’s taxes could be spent on dealing with critical health or social problems

Since there are many illegal substances and drugs with multiple effects and ways of supply, it takes an individual approach to each case. Considering the misuse of opioids is one of the most widespread issues connected to drug addiction, there are some methods to manage the problem. Firstly, it can be great to start with improving the system of healthcare, specifically – access to treatment and the process of healing. The department might develop more effective alternative ways of accessing medical help and recovering after the treatment so people will not need to use opioids that often. Secondly, the promotion of reverse medication that helps with overdoses would save many people’s lives and prevent multiple deaths.

In addition to the prevention methods, governments should work on better practices for dealing with pain (Thometz). When people have an alternative to medications and painkillers, it will eventually decrease opioid overuse. It is crucial to provide the population with various safe choices to help themselves without being at risk of getting an addiction.

Examining the factors that lead people to use substances, the role of the power dynamics has a significant contribution to it. Considering genders, men usually are more prone to different kinds of addiction, whether it is alcohol, drugs, nicotine, or video games. However, recent research supposes that the gap between male and female addiction is disappearing, particularly among young adults. (Footprints to recovery). While men more often experience overdoses, women are tended to get addicted more quickly and at a younger age. When adolescents start using drugs, their habit has a higher chance of growing into addiction when they become older.

Among the racial groups, the marginal parts of the society suffer from drug use often as well, still, there is no connection between the addiction and race or ethnicity. It can result in systematic racism and oppression (Footprints to recovery). Socioeconomic status is another factor that impacts the predisposition of substance use, especially among teenagers, for they have few material limits and more opportunities for experimentations. Thus, some aspects can cause the reasons and circumstances for drug use, but it still mostly depends on the environment that the person grows and exists.

In conclusion, the problem of drug addiction is still relevant nowadays, and it influences all the spheres of an individual’s life. Moreover, it affects society locally, nationally, and globally because the issue of drug addiction is still widespread all over the world. To prevent the population from addiction, the government should develop measures to prevent people from seeking additional measures of relieving pain or escaping reality with its problems. Despite all the researchers and policies implemented, drug addiction is a massive and challenging global issue that still requires a decent amount of work to reach some progress.

Works Cited

Alexis, Isaac. “How Does Drug Abuse Affect Society and You?” Vertava Health . 2019. Web.

Umhau, John C. “ How Drug Use Affects Our Society. ” Very well mind . 2020. Web.

World Drug Report 2021. United Nations publication , 2021. Web.

National Institute on Drug Abuse. Opioids. Web.

Thometz, Kristen. “ Heroin Use Costs Society $51.2 Billion, Says UIC Study ”. WTTW, 2017.

Footprints to recovery. Addiction by Race, Gender, and More: Who Does It Affect? Web.

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The Impact of Substance Abuse

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Essay on Addiction

Students are often asked to write an essay on Addiction in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Addiction

Understanding addiction.

Addiction is a strong desire to do something repeatedly, even if it’s harmful. It’s like a brain disease. People can get addicted to different things like drugs, alcohol, or even activities like gambling.

Why People Get Addicted

People can get addicted for many reasons. Some may feel good when they do something, so they repeat it. Others may want to escape from problems or stress. Sometimes, it’s because of peer pressure or trying to fit in.

Effects of Addiction

Addiction can harm a person’s health. It can lead to diseases, mental problems, and even death. It can also ruin relationships and cause problems at work or school.

Overcoming Addiction

Overcoming addiction is hard, but possible. It needs strong willpower and often help from doctors or therapists. Support from family and friends is also important. Remember, it’s okay to ask for help.

Preventing Addiction

250 words essay on addiction, what is addiction.

Addiction is when a person can’t stop doing something, even if it’s harmful. It can be about drugs, alcohol, games, or even food. The person knows it’s bad but can’t stop. It’s like a strong pull that keeps them going back.

How Does it Start?

Addiction often starts with trying something new. This could be a friend offering a cigarette, or playing a new video game. At first, it seems fun and exciting. But over time, the person starts needing it more and more. It becomes a need, not just a want.

The Impact of Addiction

Addiction can hurt a person in many ways. It can make them sick, or cause problems at school or work. It can also hurt their relationships with family and friends. They may lie or steal to keep doing what they’re addicted to. This can lead to feelings of guilt and shame.

Fighting Addiction

Fighting addiction is hard, but not impossible. It starts with admitting there’s a problem. Then, the person needs help from professionals like doctors or counselors. They can give advice, medicine, or therapy to help the person quit. Support from family and friends is also important.

Remember, it’s okay to ask for help. Everyone struggles with something at some point. With the right help and support, anyone can overcome addiction.

500 Words Essay on Addiction

Addiction is a serious issue that affects many people around the world. It is a state where a person cannot stop using a substance or engaging in a behavior, even if it is harmful. The person becomes dependent on the substance or the activity to feel good or normal.

Types of Addiction

Addiction can be of two types: substance addiction and behavioral addiction. Substance addiction involves drugs, alcohol, nicotine, or other substances. Behavioral addiction involves activities like gambling, eating, or using the internet.

Causes of Addiction

Addiction has a negative impact on a person’s health, relationships, and daily life. It can lead to physical health problems like heart disease or mental health issues like depression. Addiction can also strain relationships with family and friends and make it hard for the person to perform well at school or work.

Overcoming addiction is not easy, but it is possible with the right help and support. This can include professional treatment like therapy or medication, as well as support from loved ones. It is important for the person to learn healthy ways to cope with stress and other triggers that may lead to addictive behavior.

In conclusion, addiction is a complex issue that requires understanding, support, and prevention efforts. It is important for everyone to be aware of the signs of addiction and to seek help if they or someone they know is struggling. Remember, overcoming addiction is possible with the right help and support.

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Essay on Drug Addiction in English for Children and Students

Table of Contents

Essay on Drug Addiction: Drug addiction is not a disease as it may seem to many people. It is a psychological disorder that leads a person to use drugs excessively. Even though the person may know that the drugs are harming his body, he cannot control his urge to consume more and more drugs. The addiction may start with a small quantity but gradually it increases with time. The person becomes a slave of drugs and cannot live without them. He may start stealing money to buy drugs. In some cases, he may even sell his body to buy drugs.

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A drug is any substance that changes how a person feels or acts, whether it’s physically, mentally, emotionally, or behaviorally. Drug addiction, also called substance use disorder, happens when someone loses control over using drugs or medications, whether legal or not. Drugs like alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine fall into this category. When someone is addicted, they might keep using the drug even if it harms them.

Long and Short Essay on Drug Addiction in English

Here are long and short essay on Drug Addiction of various lengths to help you with the topic in your exam.

These Drug Addiction essay have been written using very simple and easy language to convey the facts on Drug Addiction among people.

After going through these essays you would be able to know what Drug Addiction is, how Drug Addiction is harmful to health, what are ways to overcome Drug Addiction, impact of Drug Addiction on human behaviour, etc.

Essay on Drug Addiction in 200 words – Essay 1

Drug addiction is a common problem these days. Vast number of people around the world suffers from this problem. Drugs offer an instant pleasure and relief from stress. Many people begin taking drugs as an escape from their painful reality. Others take drugs just to experience how it feels.

Yet others take it just to give company to their friends so that they don’t get left out. Whatever be the reason, before a person knows, he gets addicted to drugs and it is hard to get rid of this addiction. Short-term pleasure caused by the use of drugs can lead to serious long term problems. It can cause severe health issues and behavioural changes.

Some of the symptoms of drug addiction include loss of appetite, impaired coordination, and restlessness, loss of interest in work, financial issues, and change of social circle, secretive behaviour, frequent mood swings and anxious behaviour.

Many people argue that overcoming addiction just requires will power and determination. However, this is not it. It requires much more. Drug addiction alters the brain and causes powerful cravings. Will power alone cannot help overcome this strong urge. It is essential to seek professional help and take proper medication in order to get rid of drug addiction. It can take years to overcome this addiction and the chances of a relapse cannot be ruled out completely.

Essay on Drug Addiction: Harmful for Health (300 words) – Essay 2

Drug addiction weakens a person’s immune system. It causes various mental and physical illnesses. The problems can be both short term and long term. The kind of drug a person consumes, how he consumes it, how much he consumes it and the period of time for which he takes it form the basis of different health problems.

Drug Addiction: Impact on Physical Health

Drug addiction can take a toll on a person’s physical health. It harms various parts of the body including brain, throat, lungs, stomach, pancreas, liver, heart and the nervous system. It can cause health problems such as nausea, heart problem, damaged liver, stroke, lung disease, weight loss and even cancer.

Drug addicts also stand a high risk of contracting AIDS. This is because they usually share needles to inject drugs. Driving or even walking on the road while you are under the influence of drugs can be risky. Such a person has a high chance of meeting with accident.

Drug Addiction: Impact on Mental Health

Drug addiction has severe impact on a person’s brain. Drugs interfere with decision making and impact a person’s psychomotor skills. They can cause mental health issues such as depression, Alzheimer, insomnia, bipolar disorder, anxiety, conduct problems and psychosocial dysfunctions. Drug addicts have suicidal thoughts and often attempt suicide.

Drug Addiction: Effect on Unborn Babies

Addiction can put the unborn babies in high risk. Pregnant women addicted to drugs can harm the fetus. Unborn babies are likely to develop birth defects and both mental and physical abnormalities. Drug addiction can also result in premature birth. Some babies even display behavioural issues later in life. It is highly recommended to get rid of drug addiction before planning a baby.

Essay on Drug Addiction – Ways to Overcome Drug Addiction (400 words) – Essay 3

People belonging to different age groups and varied walks of life fall prey to drug addiction. While some are able to overcome this addiction with some difficulty, others get thrown in the dark world of drugs forever. One needs to be truly willing to get rid of drug addiction and put as much effort to overcome this abuse.

Essay on Drug Addiction

While anyone can develop drug addiction some people have a greater chance of developing this. Here is a look at people who are at high risk of developing drug addiction:

• Those who have suffered some heart wrenching/ traumatic experiences in life.
• who have a family history of drug addiction.
• Those who have suffered mental or physical abuse or neglect.
• Those suffering from depression and anxiety.

Ways to Overcome Drug Addiction

Here are some of the ways to overcome drug addiction:

List the Reasons to Quit

As you decide to quit drug addiction, make a list of the problems you are facing due to your addiction. This can include problems at work front, problems with your spouse, kids and parents, physical and mental health issues and more. Read this list everyday as you embark on your journey to quit this hazardous habit. This will motivate you to leave it.

Enroll at a Rehabilitation Centre

This is one of the main steps to overcome drug addiction. Good rehabilitation centres have qualified and experienced professionals who know just how to deal with the addicts and help them get rid of their drug addiction. Meeting other drug addicts and seeing how hard they are trying to leave this addiction to get back to normal life can also be encouraging.

Seek Support from Friends and Family

Love and support from our near and dear ones can play an important part when it comes to getting rid of drug addiction. It can help the drug addict stay determined and motivated to leave this detestable habit. So, do not hesitate to discuss this problem with them. They will be more than willing to help you get rid of the addiction.

As you stop the consumption of drugs, you may suffer from withdrawal symptoms. Medication is required to deal with these symptoms. Medication also helps in preventing relapse. Health issues that may have been caused due to drug addiction also need to be cured. Medicines will help cure them.

Drug addiction can be extremely hard to leave. However, it is not impossible to do so. Strong determination and support from friends and family can help in getting rid of drug addiction.

Essay on Drug Addiction – Impact of Drug Addiction on Human Behavioral (500 words) – Essay 5

Drug Addiction impacts the physical health badly. It puts the addict at the risk of incurring health problems such as cardiac arrest, stroke and abdominal pain. It also causes mental health issues such as depression, insomnia and bipolar disorder to name a few. In addition to impacting a person’s health, drug addiction also impacts the human behavioral. All kinds of drugs including cocaine, marijuana and weed, impact the brain instinct and cause mood swings that result in behavioral issues.

Common Behavioral Issues Faced by Drug Addicts

Drug addiction messes with a person’s brain function. It interferes with the way a person behaves and the kind of choices he makes.

Aggressiveness

A person who is under the influence of drugs can get highly aggressive. Drug addicts often get enraged on the smallest of things. This behaviour is not just seen when they are experiencing a high. Continual use of drugs somehow embeds aggressiveness in their personality. It is difficult to get along with such people. You need to be highly cautious around them as they can throw frequent bouts of anger and aggression.

Impaired Judgement

Drug addiction bars a person’s ability to think rationally. Drug addicts are unable to take proper decisions. Their judgement is impaired. They can no longer distinguish between what is right and what is wrong.

Impulsiveness

Drug addicts also display impulsive behaviour. They act and react without thinking much. This behaviour is usually displayed when they are feeling a high. However, they may even display impulsive behaviour when they return to their normal state. Drug addicts mostly take decisions that they regret later.

Loss of Self Control

Drug addiction takes over the addict’s brain and they lose self control. They cannot control their actions even if they wish to. Grow strong craving for drugs and it is hard to resist even though they wish to. They also cannot control their reaction to things. Drugs overpower their decisions, actions, reactions and behaviour.

Low Performance at Work

A person who grows addicted to drugs experiences a drop in performance at work/ school. He is unable to concentrate on his work and continually thinks about taking drugs . He feels lethargic and low on energy when he doesn’t get his supply. All this is a big hindrance to work.

Hallucination

It has been noted that those under the influence of drugs often hallucinate. They see things and hear noises that do not really exist. The drugs that are particularly known for causing hallucinations include Salvia, Mescaline, LSD, Psilocybin Mushrooms and Ketamine.

In an attempt to hide their drug addiction from family and friends drug addicts often grow secretive. They usually avoid spending time with their parents/ kids/ spouse. They often socialize with other drug addicts and stop hanging out with other friends. This often makes them socially awkward.

Drug addiction can cause behavioural issues that can impact a person’s personal as well as professional life negatively. It is an addiction that one must get rid of as soon as possible. A person may struggle to make positive changes in his behaviour long after he has left drug addiction.

Long Essay on Drug Addiction: The Worst Addiction (600 words) – Essay 5

Introduction.

Drug intake releases large amount of dopamine that puts a person in an ecstatic state. People love experiencing this happy state and wish to get here time and again which is one of the main reasons of drug addiction. Initially most people take drugs voluntarily however it soon turns out to be an addiction. Drug addiction is the worst kind of addiction. It is hard to leave and the negative repercussions it has may last even after a person gets rid of this addiction.

Types of Drugs

Drugs have broadly been categorized into three types. These are depressant, stimulants and hallucinogens. Here is a look at the impact each one of them causes on a human mind and body:

• Depressants : Depressants include cannabis, opiates, benzodiazepines and alcohol. They are known to slow down the speed of the messages going to and from the brain and thus lower the ability to take charge of a situation. When taken in small amount, depressants can make a person feel relaxed. However, when taken in large quantity, these can cause nausea, vomiting and unconsciousness.
• Stimulants : Stimulants, on the other hand, speed up the messages going to and from the brain. They have the power to boost a person’s confidence level instantly. On the downside, they can cause high blood pressure, increase heart rate and cause restlessness, agitation and insomnia. Continual use of such drugs causes panic attacks, anxiety and paranoia. Stimulants include nicotine, caffeine, cocaine and amphetamines.
• Hallucinogens : Hallucinogens include LSF, PCP, cannabis, mescaline and psilocybin. These drugs cause hallucination and distort a person’s sense of reality. When taken continually, these drugs can cause high blood pressure, nausea, paranoia and numbness.

Signs and Symptoms of Drug Addiction

A person who grows addicted to drugs is likely to show the following signs and symptoms:

• Change in appetite
• Unexpected weight gain or weight loss
• Change in sleep pattern
• Slurred speech
• Change in friend circle
• Sudden bouts of anger
• Bloodshot eyes
• Loss of interest in work
• Low performance at work/school
• Secretive behaviour
• Being lethargic, distant and disinterested
• Frequent mood swings
• Lack of motivation
• Anxious behaviour

Drug Addiction Hampers Professional Life

Drug addiction has an adverse impact on a person’s brain. People lose their self control. They become so addicted to drugs that all they can think about is consuming them. This is the only thing that interests them. They are unable to concentrate on work and lose interest in it. Even if they try to work they feel lethargic and withdrawn.

Drugs have an impact on their cognitive skills, analytical skills and decision making power. This impacts their professional life adversely. Drug addicts also display irrational behaviour. They grow aggressive, develop impaired judgement and become impulsive. Such behaviour is unacceptable in an office setting. It puts them in a bad light and bars the chances of professional growth.

Drug Addiction Ruins Personal Relationships

A person addicted to drugs loves the company of those who take drugs and tries to spend most of his time with them. He is no longer interested in his family and friends. Often distances himself from them. He becomes irritable and aggressive. This leads to frequent arguments and quarrels which disturb his family life as well as his equation with his friends. A person addicted to drugs does not only spoil his own life but also of those around him.

Below are the list of related essay available at IL

Essay on Drug Addiction FAQs

How do you write a drug essay.

To write a drug essay, start with an introduction about the topic's importance, include information about various types of drugs, their effects, and the consequences of drug abuse. Discuss prevention, treatment, and societal impact. Conclude with your thoughts or recommendations.

What is drug addiction in one sentence?

Drug addiction is a chronic disease characterized by compulsive drug-seeking and use, despite harmful consequences.

What is drug addiction class 9?

In a class 9 context, drug addiction is typically introduced as the harmful and unhealthy dependence on substances like drugs or alcohol, which can lead to physical, mental, and social problems.

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Running for U.S. Senate in 2012, Wisconsin Republican Eric Hovde lamented the number of children “born out of wedlock,” saying it is “a direct path to a life of poverty. There’s been numerous studies that show that it leads to higher drug rates.”

Hovde is running against U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., in November 2024.

A Baldwin ad excerpted Hovde’s comments and claimed he “thinks if you have a single mom, you’re going to be poor or a drug addict.”

Hovde’s campaign said that’s not what Hovde thinks and that he was alluding to federal data showing single-parent households linked to poverty and drug abuse.

Studies show a correlation between single-parent families and poverty and adolescent drug abuse.

High­er-income people are much more like­ly to mar­ry, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

University of Texas researchers said discouraging single parenthood is not effective for ensuring better health in youths. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as  this one . Sources

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University of Texas  Connection Between Single Parenting and Adolescent Substance Use, Depression Strongest Among the Most Advantaged Children

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National Women’s Law Center  National Snapshot: Poverty Among Women & Families in 2022

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention  Poverty status of children by family structure

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Understanding the Generational Aspect of Addiction

It is possible to break the cycle..

Posted February 3, 2022 | Reviewed by Kaja Perina

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I have worked with individuals who have dealt with the horrors of addiction for the past 15 years. During that time, I have seen numerous families impacted due to the generational curse of addictive behaviors. I have worked with these individuals over the years and in some cases have worked with their children as well. I can remember one night working at a county jail in which a grandfather, father, and son were all brought in for dealing methamphetamines. It is sad to think that some are teaching and modeling this behavior to the next generation and the generation to follow.

The addict usually grows up around someone who has abused substances. The promising news is that it is possible to overcome challenges with the right tools. Children who live with chemically dependent parents are more vulnerable to the harm and the chaos which results from the instability. Yet, there are instances in which the observation of parental drug abuse can allow the next generation to become exceptionally resilient .

A vast majority of the individuals with whom I have worked have often indicated that a family member introduced them to drugs or alcohol. Their parents would either use the drug with them or give them the permission to use the drugs at home. Doing so with the adult gave the child the sense of safety and the sense that this behavior is OK.

As I was growing up, there was alcohol in my home. It was nothing unusual to see a case of beer in the refrigerator. However, I did not get involved with alcohol until I was 18 years old and had joined the military. I was under the assumption that only adults drank when I joined the Army. I was an adult. I could drink. A bartender told me since I was old enough to serve my country, I was old enough to drink. I got the green light to indulge. What I did not know was this was the beginning of 5 years of alcoholism , in which it took me nearly dying from an overdose to stop me from using.

I consider myself fortunate that none of my children ever witnessed my days in active addiction. I was sober for several years by the time we had adopted them. I have tried to talk about the dangers of alcoholism and addiction. I remember when I spoke to my oldest child about this. I told him that alcohol can not only harm you but is to be considered poison. I knew this stuck with him when we were grocery shopping one day when he picked up a small bottle of wine. He asked me what it was, and when I told him it was alcohol, he could not get rid of the bottle fast enough as he wanted nothing to do with it.

Parents can give family members valuable skills that can prevent substance abuse and addiction from beginning in the first place. Helping your children avoid addiction involves more than just saying, do not do drugs. Children learn more powerfully from what parents do than what they say, especially if words and actions do not match up.

Perhaps you are an individual who has struggled with addiction in the past. Talk to your children about what led you down that path. Show your commitment to recovery through your actions.

I would encourage you to strive to be that person in the family tree who changes the course for future generations, showing them how much more they can be, what it is to live a life free of substance abuse, and all the corresponding behaviors, pain, and trauma . To be that person who changes the course of life for those who will come after them. That is the power of breaking the cycle.

Michael J. Rounds is the author of 10,000 Days Sober and an addiction recovery specialist at a correctional facility in Indiana.

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Full circle: From drug addict to drug counselor

• January 26, 2024

Cocaine addiction, sexual abuse, a robbery conviction and prison time as far away as Kentucky is an incredibly difficult journey to survive. But the story of Kimberly Villegas is not just a story of survival. It is a story of redemption and determination.

After decades of struggling with alcohol and drug abuse and time in and out of prisons, with the help of the University of Hawaiʻi at Maui College and its partners, Villegas has become a working Certified Substance Abuse Counselor ( CSAC ) and is helping others to find sobriety.

“I come from a lineage of alcoholics and addicts. I wasn’t given the opportunity to learn the basics of life,” said Villegas, who was also sexually abused as a child. ”I started using—I started drinking and using drugs at a young age. I started drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana when I was 11. I had my first baby when I was 14.”

A turning point

It led to a hard life that included cocaine, a robbery conviction and being sent away to serve time in Kentucky. She said a turning point was 15 years ago, when her daughter introduced her to her infant grandson in the parking lot of the Tasty Crust restaurant where Villegas was on work furlough. That gave her the motivation to stop using and set an example.

After a fallout with her daughter’s family, and one slip back into alcoholism, Villegas quickly started attending Narcotics Anonymous meetings. The 52-year-old grandmother has now come full circle. She has been clean for seven years, is working as a substance abuse counselor at Maui Behavioral Health Resources’ Aloha House and is on track to graduate with her associate’s degree in May.

Villegas started taking classes at UH Maui College in 2019. She was also accepted into the first cohort of the Kealahoʻimai Substance Abuse Counseling program for a series of seven free courses to earn two certificates required to become a CSAC . The program is sponsored by Hui No Ke Ola Pono, Inc. , a non-profit community-based health enhancement, disease prevention and health care center. The second Kealahoʻimai cohort started classes this spring.

“Kimmie stands out because she’s come close to giving up several times, and never has. The road seemed endless to her, until she realized she was almost at the end,” said Selene LeGare, human services program coordinator at UH Maui College. “She’s really passionate about her work, and…she’s finally found a ‘happy medium’ between giving up and giving it 500%. She keeps setting her goals higher and higher.”

Villegas will be the first in her family to graduate from college. After a summer break, she would like to work toward a bachelor’s degree and, long-term, her goal is to work in the prison system.

“From a substance abuse user to a substance abuse counselor is so rewarding today, Villegas said. “I can show people it is possible to make a difference, and not continue the vicious cycle of substance abuse.”

— By Kelli Abe Trifonovitch

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How One Harlem Block Became a Symbol of Urban Despair and Hope

In a hub for drugs and disarray, some see New York at its worst. Others see a community doing its best to help.

Commuters mix with drug users on 125th Street in Harlem where several major transit lines converge. Credit...

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By Sharon Otterman

Photographs by David Dee Delgado

• Aug. 4, 2024

Thousands of people walk along 125th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues each day and most do not linger. Commuters race to catch trains to Westchester, climbing up to the elevated Metro-North tracks. Others hurry down to the subway, bound for Midtown Manhattan or the Bronx.

They pass through a scene that conjures up all the worst stereotypes of urban disorder: closed storefronts, litter, public drug use, people nodding out. But on a deeper look, the block also reveals an ecosystem filled not just with despair, but fortitude and empathy, too.

Drug dealers. Drug users. Teachers. Doctors. Counselors. Police officers.

Some come to the block for help; others to help them. Some prey on the vulnerable. Others are just trying to make a few bucks and survive. Some have come to accept people addicted to drugs as part of their community; others wish the block was cleaner, safer — and would make them disappear if they could.

Every borough in the city has a place like this one, where urban woes seem to cluster. In the Bronx, it’s the commercial hub around 149th and Third Avenue. In Queens, parts of Jackson Heights.

But the scene around 125th draws particular attention because it is on a major commuter corridor and in the center of rapidly gentrifying Harlem.

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The Benefits of Ozempic Are Multiplying

You’ve heard the dramatic weight loss stories. Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy , can help people lose 15 percent of their body weight. Tirzepatide, sold under the brand names Mounjaro and Zepbound , may be even more effective at shedding pounds.

Known as GLP-1 agonists, these drugs were originally developed to help control diabetes. But there’s increasing evidence that they have other health benefits, beyond controlling weight. They seem to boost heart health, protect the kidneys, improve sleep apnea , and lower the risk of certain obesity-related cancers . Recent studies have also hinted at their potential to treat addiction and even slow the cognitive decline that comes with dementia. As researchers test these drugs for various conditions, they’re trying to untangle the mysteries behind how exactly they’re working in the body—and they have a few theories.

“Many of us in the medical community are really beginning to think about these drugs as health promotion drugs, not just weight loss drugs or even anti-obesity drugs,” says Harlan Krumholz, a cardiologist and professor at Yale University School of Medicine.

In March, Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy became the first weight loss medication to also gain approval to help prevent serious heart problems in people with cardiovascular disease. In an international trial of more than 17,600 people with excess weight, weekly injections of Wegovy significantly reduced the risk of a major cardiac event . Researchers followed participants for an average of three years and found that those who took Wegovy were 20 percent less likely to die of a heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular cause.

Eli Lilly, which makes tirzepatide, is also looking to expand Zepbound’s uses. The company announced this month that its weight-loss drug improved symptoms in heart failure patients with obesity and led to a 38 percent reduction in hospitalizations.

One in every four deaths each year in the United States is due to heart disease, and obesity is increasingly a factor . Excess weight can cause high blood pressure and cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Weight gain can also affect how the heart muscle functions, increasing the risk of failure. It’s perhaps no wonder then that a drug that helps people lose weight would also improve heart health. But there are reasons to think there are other factors at play beyond weight loss.

“When we first saw the results, we wondered, is this simply about weight loss?” Krumholz says. “But what we’re seeing is that having more weight loss doesn't necessarily translate into more benefit.”

In the trial of people with heart disease, Wegovy lowered blood pressure, cholesterol levels, heart rate, and heart inflammation before participants reached their maximum weight loss. What’s more, the drug seemed to reduce major cardiac events regardless of how much weight they lost . The same was true for heart failure patients. This all suggests to Krumholz that the drug is, at least in part, working on the cardiovascular system in some other way. “This is the big question,” he says. “What is the exact mechanism of benefit?”

Semaglutide and tirzepatide work by mimicking the action of GLP-1, a hormone found naturally in the body. These drugs act on GLP-1 receptors in the pancreas to trigger the release of insulin after eating, which helps control blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. They also bind to GLP-1 receptors in the brain to make people feel full, leading them to eat less.

Scientists are still trying to understand the other knock-on effects of these drugs, including the cardiovascular benefits. One explanation is that GLP-1 receptors also exist on cells in the heart, blood vessels, liver, and kidney, so these drugs may act directly on these organs. “It turns out that these receptors are present in many parts of the body,” says Katherine Tuttle, a clinical professor of nephrology at the University of Washington School of Medicine.

A recent trial led by Tuttle was stopped early due to overwhelming evidence that semaglutide has protective effects on the kidney. The study included more than 3,500 people with both type 2 diabetes and kidney disease. About half of the participants took a weekly injection of semaglutide while the other half got a placebo shot. After an average of three and a half years, the semaglutide group had a 24 percent lower likelihood of having a major kidney disease event—such as needing dialysis or a kidney transplant.

Clinical trials aren’t usually designed to determine the mechanism of a drug—and in fact, the mechanisms of many drugs on the market aren’t entirely known. But Tuttle has her own theory for how semaglutide is protecting the kidney: by shutting down inflammation.

GLP-1 drugs may even calm inflammation in the brain, raising hope that they could be used to treat conditions like dementia and Parkinson’s disease. Inflammation is thought to play a role in the development of both conditions.

In a UK trial of 200 people with mild Alzheimer’s disease, an older GLP-1 drug called liraglutide appeared to slow shrinking of the parts of the brain that control memory, learning, language, and decisionmaking by as much as 50 percent. Those who received weekly injections of liraglutide over 52 weeks also had an 18 percent slower decline in cognitive function after a year compared to those who got the placebo. Obesity is a known risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s disease, but the study didn’t specifically include people with obesity, which suggests that the drug is helping through another means.

The authors, who presented the findings last month at the Alzheimer’s Association annual conference, think liraglutide could be working in a few different ways—including reducing inflammation in the brain and lowering insulin resistance.

Heather Snyder, vice president of medical and scientific relations at the Alzheimer’s Association, says the results are exciting, although larger trials will be needed to confirm this protective effect. “This is really the first study where we’ve seen a hint of this benefit for individuals,” she says.

And the neuroprotective effects may extend to Parkinson’s disease as well. An older diabetes drug in the GLP-1 family, lixisenatide, seemed to slow the progression of Parkinson’s symptoms in a small study of 156 patients in France. In results published in April , participants with early-stage Parkinson’s who took the drug for a year saw no worsening of motor symptoms such as tremors, balance problems, slowness, and stiffness. Those who received a placebo, meanwhile, experienced a decline over the same period.

Because GLP-1 drugs interact with the brain and seem to curb food cravings, scientists wonder if these medications could also curb cravings for addictive substances. Parts of the brain involved in eating behaviors are also involved in the use of alcohol and drugs. In mice, semaglutide has been shown to reduce alcohol consumption and binge-like drinking , and some people who have taken semaglutide and other GLP-1 drugs have self-reported less drinking and smoking.

In 2019, researchers at Penn State wanted to see if this class of drugs could help reduce cravings in people with opioid use disorder. In experiments with rats, they showed that GLP-1 drugs could reduce fentanyl-seeking behavior and relapse to heroin. The group launched a pilot study of 20 participants who were living at a residential treatment facility. Half were given the GLP-1 drug liraglutide, and the other half received a placebo. Measuring cravings can be tricky, so researchers used a smartphone app that pinged people four times a day to ask about their craving as well as their mood and stress levels.

When the three-week study ended, researchers found that those who received the GLP-1 drug reported a 40 percent reduction in opioid craving compared to those who got the placebo. The study didn’t follow participants after they left the residential facility, so it’s not known whether the drug actually curbed their opioid use. That, of course, is the important outcome, since many people who initially recover from addiction experience a relapse.

Patricia Grigson, a professor of neural and behavioral sciences at Penn State College of Medicine who led the study, says GLP-1 drugs seem to block the signal in the brain that gets released after eating or taking an addictive substance. “It would appear that they're just knocking down that reward signal,” she says. Grigson presented the findings at the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference earlier this year. Her group will test semaglutide next in 200 people getting treatment for opioid addiction, and they plan to start recruiting participants for that study this fall.

With so many people turning to GLP-1 drugs to lose weight, their other health benefits may soon become clearer—and so could the answers about how exactly they’re working. Grigson says newer drugs like tirzepatide, as well as ones still in development , may work even better than previous GLP-1 medications. “If they look safe, they need to be tested,” she says. “And the sooner, the better.”

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Matthew Perry’s Lifelong Addiction Cost Him Three Years of Memories on Friends

In the 1990s, the actor seemed to have it all. But underneath, he was dealing with the greatest battle of his life.

That desire came true when Perry landed the role of the witty and sarcastic Chandler Bing on Friends in 1994. “The part of Chandler leapt off the page, shook my hand, and said, ‘This is you, man!’” he told Entertainment Weekly in 1997.

The ensemble sitcom—starring Perry alongside Jennifer Aniston , Courteney Cox , Lisa Kudrow , Matt LeBlanc , and David Schwimmer —couldn’t have come at a better time for the Ottawa-raised actor who had previously starred on a string of failed comedies. “I desperately— desperately —needed the money,” he once said .

Once he landed Friends , his financial problems were solved. During the first season, the six cast members made $22,500 an episode , which grew to $75,000 by Season 3 and eventually $1 million per episode in Seasons 9 and 10. Along with that came the popularity he dreamed of. “I was on Friends from age 24 to 34. I was in the white-hot flame of fame,” he said . “The six of us were just everywhere all the time.”

Despite being the source of so much laughter for tens of millions of viewers, Perry’s private life was no laughing matter. Behind the scenes, he was harboring a dark secret. “From an outsider’s perspective, it would seem like I had it all,” he said . “It was actually a very lonely time for me, because I was suffering from alcoholism.”

His addiction to alcohol and drugs cost him millions of dollars, months spent in rehab, and even memories from his most famous role. Perry eventually began taking back control of his life and helping other addicts, too. But ultimately, he couldn’t survive the looming shadow of addiction.

After a jet ski accident, Perry became addicted to pills

The instant success of the show felt like all Perry had ever wanted. “When it happens, it’s kind of like Disneyland for a while,” Perry told The New York Times . “For me, it lasted about eight months, this feeling of ‘I’ve made it, I’m thrilled, there’s no problem in the world.’ And then you realize that it doesn’t accomplish anything, it’s certainly not filling any holes in your life.”

But a dependence on alcohol did become a part of his life. Then after a jet ski accident in 1997, when he was prescribed Vicodin, drugs also entered the picture. “It wasn’t my intention to have a problem with it,” he said in 2002. “But from the start, I liked how it made me feel, and I wanted to get more.”

By day, he was cracking jokes as his alter ego Chandler, but outside of work, things started spiraling. That eventually started showing physically when he lost about 20 pounds. “I was out of control and very unhealthy,” the actor told People .

He first went to rehab in 1997, spending 28 days at a Hazelden Betty Ford facility in Minnesota. But he didn’t stay sober for long. In May 2000, he was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles for pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas from alcohol abuse. The condition can be potentially deadly.

Perry was in so deep that even that scare didn’t serve as a wake-up call. “Unfortunately, that still wasn’t enough to get me to quit drinking,” he explained . As a sign of what a low point he reached, he crashed his Porsche into a house the day he was released from the hospital. Fortunately, the home was unoccupied. Though alcohol or drugs weren’t in his system that day, it was further proof of how out of control his life was.

His Friends co-stars tried to help

All the while, Friends ’ ratings were going up, and his paycheck was getting bigger as movie projects, like 1997’s Fools Rush In and 2000’s The Whole Nine Yards , came along. But nothing seemed to be enough.

“I tried to talk to him,” Friends costar LeBlanc, who played Joey Tribbiani, told People . “There wasn’t a response. It’s such a personal struggle; they need to bottom out on their own.” As difficult as it was, his co-stars simply stood aside, ready to support him. After all, it was all they could do.

“Hard doesn’t even begin to describe it,” Kudrow, who played Phoebe Buffay , told The New York Times of the 2000-2001 season. “When Matthew was sick, it was not fun. We were just hopelessly standing on the sidelines. We were hurting a lot. Matthew is one of the funniest people I’ve ever met in my life. He’s charming and hilarious. Most of our hard laughs came from Matthew.”

Aniston, who played Rachel Green , described him as “one of the most sensitive people I’ve ever met, more than most girls I know. His feelings get hurt. He cares what people think.” Friends co-creator and executive producer Marta Kauffman told People , “It was terrifying... watching someone you care about in so much pain.”

Although Perry knew they all cared, the efforts were lost on him. “I wasn’t ready to hear it,” he admitted . “You can’t tell anyone to get sober. It has to come from you.”

Perry eventually got sober because he was worried he “was going to die the next day”

He did have control of one thing: “I had this odd rule that I would never drink on a set,” Perry told The New York Times . But the effects of his addictions still showed. “I went to work in extreme cases of hangovers. It’s so horrible to feel that way and have to work and be funny on top of that.”

“I ​don’t remember three years of it,” Perry admitted about filming Friends during his uncontrolled addiction. “I was a little out of it at the time—somewhere between Seasons 3 and 6.”

Somehow, he managed to channel even more energy into work when he did double duty in February 2001, filming both Friends and the movie Serving Sara . He commuted between sets in Los Angeles and Dallas to play his parts. Around this time, he was drinking vodka by the quart.“I was sleepy and shaking at work,” he said .

But on February 23, 2001, something shifted. “I can’t describe it, because bigger things were taking place that I can’t put into words,” he said. That day, he was in his Dallas hotel room and decided to call his parents for help.

“I didn’t get sober because I felt like it,” he told The New York Times . “I got sober because I was worried I was going to die the next day.”

After entering rehab, he learned how to have a “happy life without alcohol or drugs”

Even though Friends was still in production and there were 13 days of shooting left on the movie, Perry took control. He flew back to California, and his parents took him to another rehab center. “It was scary. I didn’t want to die,” he said . “But I’m grateful for how bad it got. It only made me more adamant about trying to get better.”

After two and a half months, he re-emerged and refocused. The movie production had been halted, but he was now able to go back and finished it. He also returned to his second home on the set of Friends . “I learned that a happy life is possible without alcohol or drugs,” he said of his new outlook.

“I remember going up to him the first episode of the last season and saying, ‘I’m so happy you’re back,’” Kauffman said of his return . “I hadn’t realized how much he hadn’t been there.”

Perry used his experience to help others who were struggling

Being on Friends from 1994 to 2004 amplified the challenges of going through such a difficult addiction. “I’m a pretty private person, but I was on a TV show that 30 million people were watching, so people knew. It was so public what was happening to me,” he told The Hollywood Reporter . “You can’t have a drug problem for 30 years and expect to solve it in 28 days.”

In 2011, he went back into rehab as part of his continuing recovery. “I’m making plans to go away for a month to focus on my sobriety and to continue my life in recovery,” he said in a statement . But his trademark humor also came out: “Please enjoy making fun of me on the World Wide Web.”

Not long after that, he decided to pay it forward by opening up the 5,500-square-foot Perry House in Malibu as a sober-living facility for men in 2013. While he sold his old home in 2015, he continued helping other people who were struggling with addiction.

He even channeled his experiences into writing a stage play called The End of Longing , which debuted in London in 2016. “It’s personal, but it’s an exaggerated form of me. Jack, the character I play, is a much different drunk than I was,” he told Variety . “It flew out of me, this play. I finished it in about 10 days. I guess I had something to say.”

While health problems still affected him—in 2018, he was hospitalized for five months and nearly died from an exploded colon—and he still got targeted for disheveled appearances , overall, Perry came a long way since the darkest days during Friends . “You don’t recover from what I went through overnight,” he told People . “It’s a day-to-day process.”

“I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in my life. I learned a lot from my failures,” said Perry, who won the 2015 Phoenix Rising Award for helping others struggling with addiction. “But the best thing about me is that if an alcoholic comes up to me and says, ‘Will you help me stop drinking?’ I will say, ‘Yes, I know how to do that.’”

And that’s the legacy he hoped to leave. “When I die, I’d like Friends to be listed behind helping people,” he said in 2013.

In the end, he couldn’t outrun his addiction

Despite his great effort to get and stay sober, Perry couldn’t always help himself. In fall 2023, he slipped back into his addictive behavior. On October 28, he died from an accidental ketamine overdose at his Los Angeles home. He was 54.

The Friends star had been receiving ketamine infusion therapy to treatment depression and anxiety, but an autopsy revealed the amount in his system was abnormally high. Seeking to find the source of the drug that killed him, authorities launched an investigation in May 2024.

Three months later, law enforcement officials announced Perry was abusing ketamine in the weeks before his death. When he asked doctors for a higher dose of ketamine during therapy, they turned him down. Authorities allege the actor found a new source in two Southern California doctors then two drug dealers. All four people and Perry’s former assistant are now facing drug trafficking charges; three of them have pleaded guilty, though none have been convicted of the crimes.

“As Matthew Perry’s ketamine addiction grew, he wanted more, and he wanted it faster and cheaper,” Drug Enforcement Administrator leader Anne Millgram said Thursday at a press conference . “That is how he ended up buying from street dealers who sold the ketamine that ultimately led to his death. In doing so, he followed the arc that we have tragically seen with many others who substance use disorder begins in a doctor’s office and ends in the street.”

In the end, the only extraordinary thing about Matthew Perry’s addiction was his willingness to share his experiences in the hopes it would benefit others.

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Five Defendants, Including Two Doctors, Charged in Connection with Actor Matthew Perry’s Fatal Drug Overdose Last Year

LOS ANGELES – A licensed physician and an alleged San Fernando Valley drug dealer were arrested today in connection with the death of actor Matthew Perry, who suffered a fatal ketamine overdose in October 2023.

In total, five defendants, including two doctors, have been charged in this matter, according to court documents unsealed today.

The defendants arrested today are charged in an 18-count superseding indictment returned on Wednesday with distributing ketamine to Perry during the final weeks of the actor’s life:

• Jasveen Sangha, 41, a.k.a. “The Ketamine Queen,” of North Hollywood; and
• Dr. Salvador Plasencia, 42, a.k.a. “Dr. P,” of Santa Monica.

Sangha and Plasencia are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Sangha also is charged with one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine, and five counts of distribution of ketamine.

The superseding indictment alleges that Sangha’s distribution of ketamine on October 24, 2023, caused Perry’s death. Plasencia is charged with seven counts of distribution of ketamine and two counts of altering and falsifying documents or records related to the federal investigation.

Sangha and Plasencia are expected to be arraigned later today at United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.

“These defendants cared more about profiting off of Mr. Perry than caring for his well-being,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Drug dealers selling dangerous substances are gambling with other people’s lives over greed. This case, along with our many other prosecutions of drug-dealers who cause death, send a clear message that we will hold drug-dealers accountable for the deaths they cause.”

“Bringing these individuals to justice for their role in the untimely death of Mr. Perry required coordination and hard work by a number of people, and I want to thank LAPD detectives and our federal partners for their patience and dedication,” said LAPD Chief Dominic Choi. “As the boots on the ground in our communities, on a daily basis LAPD officers witness first-hand the harm that these narcotics can cause, so I’m pleased that our collective efforts have led to the arrest of these individuals.”

“Today we announce charges brought against the five individuals who, together, are responsible for the death of Matthew Perry,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “We allege each of the defendants played a key role in his death by falsely prescribing, selling, or injecting the ketamine that caused Matthew Perry’s tragic death. Matthew Perry’s journey began with unscrupulous doctors who abused their position of trust because they saw him as a payday, to street dealers who gave him ketamine in unmarked vials. Every day, the DEA works tirelessly with our federal, state, and local partners to protect the public and to hold accountable those that distribute deadly and dangerous drugs – whether they are local drug traffickers or doctors who violate their sworn oath to care for patients.”

The three other defendants – charged separately – are:

• Erik Fleming, 54, of Hawthorne, who pleaded guilty on August 8 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death. Fleming admitted in court documents that he distributed the ketamine that killed Perry. He further admitted to obtaining the ketamine from his source, Sangha, and to distributing 50 vials of ketamine to Perry’s live-in personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa – half of them four days before Perry’s death.
• Kenneth Iwamasa, 59, of Toluca Lake, who conspired with Sangha, Fleming, and Plasencia to illegally obtain ketamine and distribute it to Perry. Iwamasa, who pleaded guilty on August 7 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death, admitted to repeatedly injecting Perry with ketamine without medical training, including performing multiple injections on Perry on October 28, 2023 – the day Perry died.
• Dr. Mark Chavez, 54, of San Diego, a physician who has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Chavez admitted in his plea agreement to selling ketamine to Plasencia, including ketamine that he had diverted from his former ketamine clinic. Chavez also obtained additional ketamine to transfer to Plasencia by making false representations to a wholesale ketamine distributor and by submitting a fraudulent prescription in the name of a former patient without that patient’s knowledge or consent.

According to the superseding indictment unsealed today, in late September 2023, Plasencia learned that Perry, a successful actor whose history of drug addiction was well documented, was interested in obtaining ketamine. Ketamine is a general anesthetic whose medical risks require a health care professional to monitor a patient who had just been given the drug.

After learning about Perry’s interest in ketamine, Plasencia contacted Chavez – who previously operated a ketamine clinic – to obtain ketamine to sell to Perry. In text messages to Chavez, Plasencia discussed how much to charge Perry for the ketamine, stating, “I wonder how much this moron will pay” and “Lets [sic] find out.”

During September and October of 2023, Plasencia distributed ketamine to Perry and Iwamasa outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose on at least seven occasions. He did so by teaching Iwamasa how to inject Perry with ketamine, selling ketamine to Iwamasa to inject into Perry, leaving vials of ketamine with Iwamasa for self-administration, personally injecting ketamine into Perry without the proper safety equipment – including once inside a car parked in a Long Beach parking lot – and failing to properly monitor Perry after Plasencia injected Perry with the drug. Plasencia knew that Iwamasa had never received medical training and knew little, if anything, about administering or treating patients with controlled substances.

The superseding indictment also alleges that Plasencia conspired with Chavez about inventory, price, and availability of ketamine to sell to Perry and Iwamasa. Chavez, in turn, sold Plasencia orally administered ketamine lozenges that he obtained after writing a fraudulent prescription in a patient’s name without her knowledge or consent, and lied to wholesale ketamine distributors to buy additional vials of liquid ketamine that Chavez intended to sell to Plasencia for distribution to Perry.

Beginning in mid-October 2023, Iwamasa also began obtaining ketamine for Perry from Fleming and Sangha. After discussing prices with Iwamasa, Fleming coordinated the drug sales with Sangha, and brought cash from Iwamasa to Sangha’s stash house in North Hollywood to buy vials of ketamine. On October 24, 2023, while waiting for Sangha’s ketamine to arrive, Fleming advised Iwamasa that the ketamine was “on its way to our girl,” referring to Sangha. Sangha has distributed ketamine and other illegal drugs from her stash house in North Hollywood since at least 2019.

Sangha was aware of the danger of ketamine: In August 2019, Sangha sold ketamine to victim Cody McLaury in the hours before his overdose death. After a family member of McLaury’s sent Sangha a text message saying that her ketamine had killed McLaury, Sangha conducted a Google search for “can ketamine be listed as a cause of death[?]” The superseding indictment alleges that Sangha nonetheless continued to sell ketamine from her stash house.

Using the Plasencia-provided instructions and syringes, Iwamasa injected Perry with the ketamine that was sold to him by Fleming and Sangha, including on October 28, 2023, when Perry died at his Pacific Palisades home after receiving multiple ketamine injections. Plasencia sold the ketamine to Iwamasa despite being informed at least one week earlier that Perry’s ketamine addiction was spiraling out of control. After Perry’s death was reported in the news, Sangha texted Fleming, “Delete all our messages.”

After Perry’s death, federal agents and detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department executed search warrants at Sangha’s residence, where they found evidence of drug trafficking, including approximately 79 vials of ketamine, approximately 1.4 kilograms (3.1 pounds) of orange pills containing methamphetamine, psilocybin mushrooms, cocaine, and prescription drugs that appeared to be fraudulently obtained.

In February and March of 2024, in response to a legal request for production of documents in connection with the federal investigation, Plasencia provided altered and falsified medical records, purporting to show that he had a legitimate “treatment plan” in place for Perry, with the intent to influence the investigation into Perry’s death. 

“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s partnership with state and federal law enforcement agencies and the support of the U.S. Attorney’s Office demonstrates our continued dedication to protecting communities from the harm caused by the illicit distribution and misuse of dangerous drugs,” said Matthew Shields, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Los Angeles Division. “We will continue to work diligently to bring justice to families affected by these types of crimes.”

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

If convicted of all charges, Sangha would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Plasencia would face up to 10 years in federal prison for each ketamine-related count and up to 20 years in federal prison for each records falsification count.

Iwamasa and Fleming will face up to 15 years and 25 years, respectively, when they are sentenced in their federal cases.

Chavez has been charged in an information pursuant to a plea agreement and will be arraigned on August 30. At sentencing, Chavez will face up to 10 years in federal prison.

The Los Angeles Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating this matter.

Assistant United States Attorneys Ian V. Yanniello of the General Crimes Section and Haoxiaohan H. Cai of the Major Frauds Section are prosecuting this case.

Ciaran McEvoy Public Information Officer [email protected] (213) 894-4465

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Consequences of Drug Abuse

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Benefits of Using Drugs

Drawbacks of drug use.

Currently, people around the globe have access to a wider range of substances than ever was available to the mankind. While some substances are prescribed by healthcare practitioners to relieve pain or combat virus, others are purchased illegally for recreational purposes. The endless stream of drugs, obtainable to the individuals with little or no restrictions, poses a serious inquiry. The question is as follows – is drug use a curse or a blessing of the twenty-first century?

Attributable to environmental, social, and cultural factors, research behind drug use fails to explain why some people tend to abuse substances while others can control themselves when it comes to developing addictions. Essentially, addiction does not develop overnight rather being a consequence of using drugs with habit-forming characteristics. Therefore, there is no absolute answer to the everlasting dilemma of using drugs, and two sides need to be evaluated separately.

When assessing the advantages of using pharmaceutical drugs, it is essential to consider the severity of health conditions existing. Advanced pharmaceutical drugs allow to decrease or completely eliminate the suffering of people, minimizing their physical pain (Earp et al. 136). Apart from serving as painkillers, medical substances frequently prevent individuals from getting diseases. Vaccines, immune modulating drugs, and vitamin supplements constitute only a small portion of such substances. For example, cases of smallpox were almost annihilated with the introduction of Fleming’s vaccination in 1800. Similarly to polio, a life-threatening illness leading to permanent paralysis, which was eradicated with the help of vaccines.

Medical drugs also allow people with incurable diseases to live longer and more comfortably. With the use of daily treatments, patients with diabetes, HIV, and depression substantially improve their quality of life, reducing symptoms and pain associated with them (Earp et al. 146). Antibiotics are vital for the treatment of bacterial infections, while marijuana is effective for cancer patients. Consequently, the aforementioned advantages of using drugs advocate for the positive side of the discussion.

At its core, drug use is not harmful to people, bringing a variety of benefits to patients suffering from severe diseases. Yet, the problem arises when individuals start confusing drug use with abuse. A clear line should be drawn between consuming prescribed medical substances to treat a health condition and taking drugs without medical assistance (Earp et al. 136). The three major clusters of the issue should be addressed:

• recreational drugs;
• prescription drugs;
• unethical healthcare treatment.

First, abuse of recreational drugs is prevalent among common people due to the availability and accessibility of the so-called street substances. Reasons why individuals decide to take drugs vary depending on their ultimate goal. For instance, heroin and cocaine lead to euphorical feelings; LSD causes hallucinations; Marijuana relaxes and induces good mood. Abuse of recreational drugs is likely to result in loss of employment, crime, divorce, lower performance at school, and other consequences discussed later (Earp et al. 137). Second, Abuse of prescription drugs occurs when patients decide to present misleading information to the doctors in order to obtain necessary drugs.

One of the most commonly abused prescribed substance is marijuana. As people are seeking to use medical characteristics of cannabis to induce mood without the corresponding health condition, the addiction appears quick to develop (Earp et al. 147). Third, unethical healthcare practices constitute another cluster of drug abuse. When doctors refuse to seek causes for the real diagnosis of the person and prescribe a painkiller to ease the symptoms, patients are likely to grow the addiction to the substance consumed.

All the aforementioned constituents of drug abuse may have similar negative effects on the individual’s wellness. People facing drug abuse are more likely to engage in delinquency and commit crimes than those refusing to take substances (Earp et al. 141). While there is no proven causal relationship between drug addiction and felony, the established positive correlation suggests that individuals abusing drugs often fall under the influence of negative peer groups (Earp et al. 142).

Such adverse impact of the peers is the primary reason for higher crime rates among the addicts. With the loss of judgement and independence, addicts can find it difficult to combat stress, irritability, and anxiety, searching for alternative sources to restore the lost feeling of control over one’s life. In this case, violence and behavioral misconduct appear as accessible options.

Drug addiction oftentimes results in distorted social interaction with friends, colleagues, and family members. There is an observed tendency for drug users to distant themselves from their significant others which leads to psychological, financial, and emotional crisis of the social units (Earp et al. 138). Substance abuse impairs judgment and decreases decision-making ability, contributing to the feelings of hostility and aggression (Earp et al. 139).

Furthermore, drug abusers may alienate themselves from peers, disengaging from the usual community events. Other psychosocial dysfunctions prevalent among drug addicts include but are not limited to apathy, withdrawal, and depression, proving that people who abuse substances are more susceptible to mental problems (Earp et al. 140). In this case, mental impairments range from personality disorders to learning disabilities, as individuals struggle to maintain healthy psychomotor skills and memory capacity.

Apart from distorted social interaction, drug addiction is closely associated with the decline in the academic or professional performance. One explanation behind such finding is that drug abusers are subject to absenting from work-related activities. Another reason is cognitive and behavioral problems induced by alcohol and drug addiction that interfere with the academic performance (Earp et al. 142).

For example, drug abuse has harmful effects on the patient’s perception skills, concentration, and motor function that is one of the reasons why driving under the influence of substances is so dangerous. Behavioral problems associated with drug addiction are closely linked to the lack of judgment and controlled impulse among the substance abusers (Earp et al. 142). Adverse behavioral patterns vary from sharing used needless to engaging into non-consensual sexual activities with a high risk of getting STD.

It is evident that drugs are strongly beneficial for people suffering from severe illnesses. Minimizing pains, decreasing the risk of obtaining contagious disease, and treating existing conditions are few of the advantages of medical substances. Yet, the issue arises as drugs in harmful doses remain highly accessible for common people to purchase. Damaging to health, substances can also have negative consequences on the person’s social interactions, resulting in job losses, imprisonment, and toxic relationships. When making an informed decision to consume drugs, an individual should be able to find a balance between medical drugs that save lives and abused substances that substantially decrease life quality.

Earp, Brian D., et al. “Addiction, Identity, Morality.” AJOB Empirical Bioethics , vol. 10, no. 2, 2019, pp. 136–153. Web.

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‘Doctor arrested’ over Matthew Perry drug death

A doctor and suspected drug dealers have been arrested in connection with the death of Friends actor Matthew Perry, US media has reported.

The move follows a lengthy investigation into who supplied Perry with ketamine that caused him to lose consciousness and drown in his hot tub last October.

Police and other law enforcement agencies executed search warrants and seized computers, phones and other electronic equipment, according to the US celebrity news website TMZ.

Sources familiar with the investigation told TMZ that the ketamine Perry consumed was not legally prescribed.

The website claimed a doctor has been arrested, along with several suspected drug dealers.

According to TMZ, one search warrant revealed text messages discussing the ketamine Perry wanted, what they were doing to get it to him and what he would pay for the drug.

Struggle with alcohol and substance abuse

The months-long investigation involved the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), United States Postal Service and the US Attorney’s Office.

A spokesman for the LAPD referred an enquiry by The Telegraph to the DEA.

Perry was discovered face down in a hot tub at his home in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles last October.

The LA County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled that his death was caused by the acute effects of ketamine, a recreational drug that can also be prescribed to treat depression. A coroner ruled it was an accident.

Authorities said that contributing factors had included drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine, a drug used to treat opioid use disorder.

Perry, who was best known for his role as Chandler Bing in the American sitcom, had been open about his struggle with alcohol and substance abuse before his death, although he said he had stopped using drugs.

The medical examiner’s report after his death found high levels of ketamine in his body, equivalent to the amount that would be used for anaesthesia.

Perry had been undergoing ketamine infusion treatment due to his depression, but the quantity of the drug in his body at the time of death could not be attributed to the treatment alone, the examiner said.

‘He was happy, he was healthy’

In his memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, Perry wrote extensively about his struggles with addiction, including during his time filming the hit sitcom.

He said he had taken ketamine as part of treatment for his mental health conditions in a Swiss clinic.

“Ketamine was a very popular street drug in the 1980s. There is a synthetic form of it now, and it’s used for two reasons: to ease pain and help with depression,” he wrote.

He said that his addiction had begun in 1997, three years after Friends first aired, when he was prescribed the drug Vicodin to deal with the pain from a jet skiing accident.

During some of the series, he was taking 55 pills a day and said he thought his hangovers had affected his performance on the show.

“One time, in a scene in the coffeehouse when I’m dressed in a suit, I fell asleep right there on the couch, and disaster was averted only when Matt LeBlanc nudged me awake right before my line,” he wrote. “No one noticed, but I knew how close I’d come.”

His death prompted an outpouring of grief from his co-stars, including Jennifer Aniston, who played Rachel Green.

“He was happy. He was healthy. He had quit smoking,” she said in December. “I was literally texting with him that morning, funny Matty. He was not in pain. He wasn’t struggling. He was happy.”

Lisa Kudrow, who played Phoebe Buffay, said she had begun rewatching the show in tribute to her friend’s death.

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Alexandria man's death sheds light on impact overdose has across the community

Tyler Graham died of a drug overdose on July 18. He didn’t want to die. And his employer, Ann Lowrey, executive director for CLASS, Healthy Living for All , knows that he wanted to live.

He had a 6-year-old son who was the light of his life. And he dearly loved his own mother. Lowrey knew Graham was a recovering substance user. But what she didn’t know was, shortly before his death, he no longer considered himself in recovery. 

“Fentanyl. It was his favorite,” Lowrey said at a memorial service held for Graham last Thursday inside the non-profit where Graham worked as the front desk assistant manning the phones.  

CLASS promotes healthy living and equality for all and helps get access to community resources and services throughout the eight parishes it serves. 

To raise awareness of overdose and its impact on the community, an Overdose Awareness Day was held in the CLASS offices in Graham’s memory. Grief counselors were available to those who knew him.  

At the memorial service, there was a photo on a table of Graham with his favorite energy drink on one side and a box of Narcan on the other. There were overdose awareness ribbons for people to take and wear, and seed packets for people to plant flowers in remembrance. Mourners lit candles in his memory. 

His friends, colleagues and family still are coming to terms with the 36-year-old’s death. At the service, they shared stories of his compassion. Despite his own struggles, Lowrey said Graham helped others on their recovery journey by just being there for them. 

“The one thing that I really think about when I think about Tyler is how much he loved people,” Lowrey said. “All of them. He wanted to help them. He never met a stranger.” 

Graham was like a brother to one man

“He was there for me when family wasn’t,” one man cried as he talked about Graham during the service. 

He is going to miss their talks and will always cherish and remember the ones they had. He said Graham gave him good advice and always had encouraging words for him.  

“He never gave up on me when I had given up on myself,” he said, his voice filling with emotion as he spoke. “He was like the big brother I never had.” 

Graham's death moved him to get sober “because that’s what Tyler would want."

“Tyler’s compassion let people open up to him, and I think that’s what he wanted for himself,” Lowrey said. 

Another man said he was shocked to hear about Graham’s death because he didn’t know he was struggling. He shared the last words that Graham used as motivation to get clean and sober. “Keep fighting the fight. Don't ever give up. It’s not about the race but the journey. There is no finish line for recovery.” 

A co-worker shared that around the office Graham’s nickname was Paw-Paw. She said he could talk about everything forever and she’s going to miss catching up with him. 

“I hate there wasn’t more we could do for him,” she said. 

On his days off, Graham would go to the office just to make sure the stray cat Arrow that hangs around the CLASS offices had food and water. Even Arrow is grieving for him, said Lowrey. On the day of the service, Arrow was laying outside near the door with a black ribbon. 

His kindness, compassion and willingness to help made people feel comfortable to open up to him. They would tell him things that they weren't comfortable telling Lowrey.

Overdose can happen to anyone at anytime

“I think a lot of times with overdose people hear about celebrities overdosing,” said Alex Stallings, director of Health and Wellness at CLASS and Lowrey’s son. 

“They hear about friends of other people's families overdosing,” he continued. “But they forget that it can happen so close to home. It can happen within your circle. Or it can happen to your friends, to your coworkers. And you may not necessarily see it coming.” 

“I believe the time between Tyler's last first use and the time between his death by overdose was very short. Maybe four or five days – maybe,” Lowrey said during the service. 

“I think the biggest thing for people to know about overdose is that it really can happen to anybody at any time,” Stallings said. 

About the FRESH Works program

Stallings is in charge of the FRESH Works program. FRESH stands for Free Risk Reducing Evidence Based Syringe Health.  

The main goal of the program is harm reduction, Stallings said. The program provides sterile injection supplies to minimize health risks associated with drug use, like HIV and hepatitis C, and other medical issues that can be caused by sharing or reusing injection equipment. The program also facilitates the disposal of used supplies. 

Lowrey said they don’t provide things like diabetes supplies. People with diabetes can get a prescription and buy fresh, sterile syringes at the pharmacy. 

“But people who inject other substances cannot do that necessarily,” she said. “And so, they're forced to reuse or share or ration.” 

The program provides free Narcan, an opioid overdose reversal medication that has been approved for over-the-counter sale, Stallings said. But it’s quite expensive for people to buy. And they provide fentanyl test strips for those who want to test their drug supply if they are trying to avoid fentanyl exposure.  

What they know from anecdotal data

A lot of overdoses go unreported because people who use drugs are responding to those overdoses themselves with the Narcan they get at CLASS, Stallings said.  

The data they’ve captured is anecdotal, Lowrey said. It comes from people in the harm-reduction program telling them.

“And they're not necessarily always seeking medical treatment,” Stallings said. A lot of the overdoses that happen aren't reported and recorded. 

Since they started the program, Stallings said at least 700 overdoses have been reversed just using Narcan they distributed.

But here’s the thing, Lowrey said. In order to reverse an overdose, someone else must be around to administer the Narcan.  

“You can't Narcan yourself if you’re in that situation,” Stallings said. “And a lot of times when people use drugs, they isolate themselves, again due to that stigma. They’re likely not going to tell others that they’ve been struggling or using more than they used to.” 

Pointing substance users to education, available resources

By giving them access to free supplies at their offices, Lowrey and Stallings said it gives substance users an opportunity to speak with others at CLASS to get educated about overdose.  

"We have people with lived experience on staff who can connect people to treatment resources, if that's what they want to be connected to,” Stallings said. “If they want to talk about what recovery looks like or what treatment might look like, they can talk to people who've been there and who have now been in recovery themselves for quite some time. You name it, we do it for people."

CLASS also connects them with resources to get housing if they need it, mental health treatment and other services. They also distribute water, liquid I.V., and personal hygiene supplies, Lowrey said. But most of all, what they offer is compassion. 

“Regardless of the decisions that they continue to make, we want to continue to do our best to keep them connected to positive resources,” Stallings said. “Connected to people that care about them and connected to the tools necessary for them to stay as safe and healthy as possible.” 

Substance users face stigma

Graham started off as a volunteer, Lowrey said. He needed to complete hours for community service. Once he finished, he still kept coming to volunteer. Then she hired him as a full-time employee. 

One thing Lowrey always encouraged him to do when he was a volunteer and then an employee was to talk to her. She told him he could talk to her about anything. And Graham could talk. Others at the service fondly remembered just how much he loved to talk. 

“But there was one thing that Tyler didn't talk to me about,” Lowrey told those gathered. “And I kind of understand why. What Tyler didn't talk to me about was that he had relapsed.” 

He told others that he was no longer in recovery. But she thinks Graham didn’t feel comfortable telling her, possibly because she was his boss, and was worried about repercussions. 

"Did Tyler think he would lose his job? Because that's how it is for many people in the recovery community,” she said. 

There is stigma associated with substance use issues that many in the recovery community worry about, so Lowrey understands why Graham didn’t tell her. 

“I hope he knows how very deeply he touched my life,” she said. “I hope he knows I would have offered him support and not judgment.” 

It’s the stigma surrounding substance use and addiction that is the reason people usually don’t talk about it, Stallings said.

"You may not know that somebody is struggling. You may not know that somebody is using substances,” he explained. “And a lot of times we think that because someone is in recovery or someone has sought out treatment for their substance use, that they're no longer at risk of an overdose. But the reality is that it just takes one bad day to go back to what you were doing before.” 

Drug users include all walks of life

Contrary to what most people think, there is no stereotypical drug user, Lowrey said. Yes, they can be unhoused people. But drug users include grandparents, college students and professionals.  

Stallings said he’s seen people who drive up to their facility in vehicles nicer than his. And some of them might provide “vital services to the community and everything in between.” 

"Human beings,” Lowrey said about who the drug users are. “That's who's using drugs.” 

"And it's not always opioids that drive people to seek our services. Sometimes it's methamphetamine. Sometimes it's steroids,” she said. 

Graham’s death made his colleagues realize that even with all the resources CLASS offers, they don't have control over the choices others make. 

“Our program is a harm-reduction program. It's not guaranteed to prevent death — even in our own house,” Lowrey said. 

Addiction is a tricky disease

“The disease of addiction is one of the most trickiest diseases in the world,” said Jarvis Fountaine, resource coordinator at CLASS, who shares his experience of living with the disease with others. “The disease of addiction is the only disease where you have to diagnose yourself.” 

He said once people accept that they have the disease, they can take steps toward recovery, harm reduction, abstinence or medically assisted treatment. 

“Whatever it might look like for them,” said Fountaine, who was a substance abuse counselor at Red River Treatment Center prior to coming to CLASS. “But without that awareness, without that information or education on that disease of addiction, a lot of people can’t take steps in that direction.” 

He encourages people whether they are suffering from the disease or know of someone who is to educate themselves so they can see the signs and symptoms of an overdose. 

“Growing up I didn’t have the education or information that I have today,” Fountaine said. “A lot of times people weren’t aware of Narcan. People weren’t aware of fentanyl test strips or why using clean and sterile supplies was beneficial to your health.” 

With the information he has today, he makes it a point to educate the community so they can make informed decisions to stay healthy, and more importantly, stay alive. 

Fountaine is also a substance abuse counselor at the Rapides Parish Drug Court, where he makes sure substance users are aware of the harm-reduction program. 

He said many people think for substance users to be successful at quitting, they need to do things a certain way, like abstain or go into treatment. But what he has learned is that a successful recovery is determined by the individual.  

“I try to give them the information and make them a part of the treatment plan so that kind of empowers them,” he said. Doing this shows them what recovery, success and progress looks like for them. 

“And my job is just to assist them and support and advocate for them through the process,” Fountaine said. 

Drug use stems from a place of isolation

While drug addiction is a disease, the addiction doesn’t necessarily stem from the drugs but from a place of isolation, Stallings said.  

Using drugs is a coping mechanism for a lot of people. 

Whenever people find something that works, they tend to use it again and again, Stallings said. It could be food, sex, going to the gym or drinking alcohol. 

“It is a way that people have found to deal with negative thoughts, feelings and emotions. And it tends to work to temporarily get rid of those things,” he said. 

Some people may not be upfront about how much they drink alcohol or how often. 

“Or maybe they're not upfront about the fact that they struggle to stop drinking when it’s time to stop drinking,” Stallings said. 

The same thing applies with drugs but there is so much more stigma attached to drugs because alcohol is more socially acceptable and legal, he said.  

When people are using drugs, their families tend to ostracize them and push them away. That leaves them with no one and nowhere to turn. That in turn can accelerate their drug use. What may have been a small problem turns into a bigger one because loved ones have abandoned them because of the stigma. 

 “I really think the message is to love people through it,” he said. “It’s not a reason to push someone away.” 

For more information about CLASS, Healthy Living for All and their programs, visit class-cenla.org .

Entertainment

Bbnaija: i almost lost my life to drug addiction – handi.

Big Brother Naija Season 9 housemate, Handi has revealed she almost lost her life to drug addiction.

Handi made this known during Tuesday night Aquafina Padi of life task.

She was appreciating her twin sister, Wanni, for being her Padi of life and for not leaving her during her most difficult time.

“You always make sure I’m good throughout everything in this house.

“Even when I almost lost my life to drug addiction, you stayed with me all the step of the way.

“You never left my side, now look at me now, hale ans hearty. I’m my self again

“You never let anything or anyone come in between us, even when a guy thinks he can play us both.

“My trustworthy padi, you will tell me the guy is trying to run us street. You know everything about me both good and bad and you never judge me.

“Thank you for always being there for me even when I felt I was never enough.”

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