What is a drug? Drugs are a substance that alters one's mental or physical state when introduced to the body. Now there are medicinal drugs and illegal drugs. Although some drugs are medicinal, users abuse them as if they were illegal. These could range from percocet and adderall, to cocaine and heroin. According to a 2010 national survey on drug use and health, "In 2010 there was an estimated 22.6 million Americans over the age of 12 that were current or former illicit drug users within the last month of when the survey was given; this equates to about 8.9 percent of the population aged 12 or older." While these numbers are disturbing they are the facts.Drugs have medical uses but when they are abused, it becomes a problem, and when it spreads to the youth, as most drugs do, it can be fatal. The cause of drug addiction is mistaken by many people. Some believe who abuse drugs have a social problem, and appear to be morally weak. A common belief is that users can just stop if they are willing to change their behavior and get back on track. What people do not understand is that drugs have a significant impact on the brain, and for this reason, bringing a halt to drug abuse is not simply a matter of willpower. The user may have many reasons for wanting to administer the drug but most of the time the user is trying to get "high." "High" can be interpreted in many different ways. The user may want a physical high, a spiritual high, or a mental high. Some users may take drugs because of their emotional state. While it may hold some truth that people's initial decision to take a drug is voluntary, over time the drug has an impact on the brain that alters the addict's self-control and ability to make rational decisions, and at the same time causes the user to have great impulses to take drugs. Eventually, the user needs the drug to function properly and feel normal. That does not mean drug addiction cannot be treated.
