Drug Abuse
A Growing Problem
Prescription Drugs
Approx. 2,500 teenagers abuse prescription drugs for their first time each day.
Cocaine
An estimated 2 million are addicted to cocaine in the United States alone.
Marijuana
The most commonly abused drug, it is commonly referred to as a gateway drug as many will start with marijuana and move on to more intense drugs like heroin.
Side Effects and Health Risks
- Respiratory Failure
- Hepatitis
- Coma
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Increased Heart Rate
- Hiv
For more, visit http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts.html.
- Drug abuse accounts for $11 billion in healthcare costs each year.
- Marijuana contains 50-70% more cancer-causing substances than tobacco.
- About 23.5 million people over the age of 12 are addicted to drugs and need help. Only 2.6 million, or 11%, are receiving it.
- In 2009, 2.1 million ER visits were directly drug-related incidences.
- The number of drug addicts is rising each year. 2012 was a record high not only the United States, but the entire world.
Visit http://www.caron.org/knowledge-library/statistics-outcomes & http://drugabuse.com/usa/ for more statistics.