Drug Addiction

Drug Addiction

Part 1

Drug addiction refers to the self-destructive acts of using substances that cause significant distress and other problems. The most common problems associated with this behavior are withdrawal and tolerance to the substance. Drug addiction is a severe disease that affects an individual's behaviors and brain functions. A person addicted to drugs finds it difficult to resist their use regardless of the magnitude of the harm they get from the behavior. If a person is diagnosed and treated early enough, they are more likely to avoid some of the dire consequences of the disorder. Most people mistake drug addiction for the use of cocaine, heroin, and other illegal drugs. Nonetheless, some people get addicted to alcohol and other substances such as nicotine, anti-anxiety, or sleep medication. Others get addicted to narcotic pain medicines and opioids. The problem affects different countries differently with the rate skewed in favor of developed countries. The study looks at drug addiction in the different US, UK, and Nigeria, in order to uncover the dynamics of the problem.

The drug addiction problem in the US has reached epidemic proportions, with opioids accounting for two-thirds of all drug overdose-related deaths in 2018. (Perdue et al., 2018). The statistics in the US are concerning. For instance, 50% of people aged 12 years and above have used illicit drugs at least once, while the drug overdose-related death in the country is close to 700,000. In 2020, the federal budget for controlling drug abuse was $35 billion. Marijuana leads the pack of the most abused drugs, with 18.7% of adults and 10.1% of people aged between 12 and 17 have used the substance. Gender disparities are also witnessed, with 22% of males and 17% of females having used an illegal substance within the past year. Drug abuse cases are common among people aged between 18 and 25 at 39%. Most importantly, the average drug abuse rate in the United States currently stands at 11.7%.

In 2018, 4,359 people died in the United Kingdom as a result of drug poisoning. The misuse of drugs was responsible for 2,917 of these deaths, a 17 percent increase over the previous year. A survey conducted between 2018 and 2019 suggested that 9.4% of adults between 16 and 59 had used an illicit substance during their lifetime. Similarly, 20.4% of young adults aged 16 to 24 also utilized drugs. Additionally, there were 7,376 hospital admissions attributed to drug addiction-related mental disorders and behaviors. The increase in visits to nightclubs and pubs was cited as the leading cause of drug prevalence in the UK. 9.8 percent of city dwellers abused drugs more than 7.7 percent of rural dwellers. Individuals with low happiness levels use drugs more than those who are happy. Cannabis or marijuana is the most commonly abused drug in the UK. The overall drug abuse rate at present is 9.4%.

In Nigeria, the burden caused by drug abuse has become a public health concern. According to recent statistics, the country's drug abuse rate has surpassed the global average, standing at 14.4 percent, or 14.3 million people. The global rate of drug abuse among adults is estimated to be 5.6 percent (Muanya, 2021). In Nigeria, statistics show that men abuse drugs more than women. The statistics exclude alcohol and indicate that the rate of drug abuse was highest among people aged 25 to 39. Again, just like in the United States and the United Kingdom, cannabis was the most abused drug in Nigeria, followed closely by opioids. People who inject themselves with drugs make up a considerable portion of drug users in the country. Pharmaceutical opioids were the most commonly injected drug, followed by cocaine and heroin.

Researchers worldwide have established a strong relationship between the problem of drug addiction and increasing inequality, deprivation, and the rising rate of poverty. However, they often state that the relationship is quite complex. For instance, it relates to psychological discomfort, fragile family bonds, fewer community resources, and low job opportunities. Nonetheless, relative poverty, widening inequality rates, especially income, and deprivation are important factors that need to be stressed regarding the debates on drug policies. The idea is warranted, especially due to the increasing trends in crime rates, damages to health, and weakening social fabrics. However, it is worth noting that not all marginalized people develop drug addiction habits. Nonetheless, those at the end of the margin, such as the homeless, are at the highest risk of venturing into the drug abuse habit. The statistics from Nigeria suggest that the poorest states to the northwest part of the country and areas of Kano report the highest level of drug abuse. Reports suggest that 37% of the population in those areas abuse drugs (Muanya, 2021). The same trend is replicated in developing countries and rich countries.

Although evidence suggests that low-income countries struggle with drug addiction problems more than high-income countries, this does not necessarily entail that addiction is a function of poverty. In certain cases, financial problems are caused by substance use disorder. Nevertheless, the general trend between poor and rich countries is caused by poverty, enhancing the risk factors of drug addiction. For instance, poverty is responsible for enhancing stress, one of the most prominent risk factors for drug addiction (Jones & Sumnall, 2016). Poverty is also associated with hopelessness as people cannot meet their daily expenses and attend college to secure a well-paying job. With poverty, the self-esteem of an individual is significantly lowered. The feeling can be aggravated if an individual comes from a culture that values possession and wealth. Furthermore, the level of social support that a person gets is also lowered by poverty. In other words, the type of emotional support that they would otherwise find from talking to family and friends would be lacking, making them turn to drug abuse. Finally, poverty also causes challenges with access to healthcare. However, it is also worth noting that addiction causes people to get into poverty. Therefore, it is evident that the disparities in drug addiction problems between the three countries under study are a function of poverty.

Research has constantly shown a close association between unemployment rates and drug addiction. For example, an increase in unemployment rates within a state in the United States was linked to a 9% increase in the rates of admission and treatment due to abuse of opiates. In Nigeria, studies have shown that alcohol and drug use on one side and unemployment on the other are highly related among young people. In general, US and UK have lower unemployment rates than Nigeria and have fewer drug addiction problems. Education is another factor related to the remarkable differences in the rates of drug addiction between the three nations. In comparison to Nigeria, the UK and the US have more educated populations. As a result, the African nation experiences a major risk from substance abuse than the two developed countries.

Part 2

Figure 1: The Drug Addiction Rate in 2022

Figure 2:Population in millions

Figure 1 shows the rate of drug addiction in the three countries. As evident, Nigeria has the highest rate of drug abuse at 14.4%, followed by the United States at 11.7%, and the United Kingdom, the drug abuse rate was at 9.4%. Therefore, the trends support the notion that the poorest countries are faced with the problem of drug addiction more than the wealthy nations. Figure 2 compares the three countries in terms of population, which the US leads, followed by Nigeria and the UK.

Finally, the study sought to examine the issue of drug addiction by comparing rates in three countries: US, UK and Nigeria. The three were chosen due to their varying levels of development. Drug addiction is a severe problem that causes changes in behaviors among individuals. The behavior is caused by several factors, such as anxiety and depression. Among the three countries chosen for this analysis, Nigeria has the highest rate of drug abuse, followed by the US and UK, respectively. Therefore, it is clear that poverty plays a role in drug addiction rates worldwide.

References

Jones, L., & Sumnall, H. (2016). Understanding the relationship between poverty and alcohol misuse. Liverpool: Liverpool John Moores University, 9-17.

Muanya, C. (2021). Taming menace of drug abuse. The Guardian.

Perdue, R. T., Hawdon, J., & Thames, K. M. (2018). Can big data predict the rise of novel drug abuse?. Journal of Drug Issues, 48(4), 508-518.