Research Papers /
The Psychological, Physiological, and Neurological effects of Marijuana and Cocaine Use in Humans. [34]
Actually, no, you have defended, fairly strongly if somewhat verbosely, using the term "drug abuse." However, my whole point is that you are presupposing that "drug use" is synonymous with "drug abuse," which is not something you should presuppose at the beginning of your investigation. You could conclude that, at the end, though I believe that would be unlikely if you based your conclusion on an objective assessment of drug use, but you do need to carry out an objective assessment, which is impossible if you start out assuming the thing you hope to prove.
The distinction between dependence and addiction is pedantic. If you can't stop using, you're an addict. If you can, you're not. The word is neither loaded nor limited. You claim that "For a lot of people [the word 'addict']conjures up mental images of a raggedy unkempt person in the back of an alley shooting up their smack next to a homeless guy." This may be what the word conjures up for you, but it is not the meaning of the word. People can become psychologically addicted to just about anything. Sugar, as I mentioned, is more addictive to rats than cocaine. Gambling is addictive to many because both wins and near-wins result in increased dopamine levels in the gamblers brains. Video games can be addictive because they give a quick sense of accomplishment for little actual effort. If the word addiction carries a stigma with it, it is because it is bad. An addict by definition has lost control of his life to whatever he is addicted to. However, the fact that something can cause addiction (or even a dependence) doesn't mean no one should ever do it. If you never ate any form of sugar at all, you'd die. Gambling, in a limit form, can be entertaining and no more financially costly than a night out drinking. Video games, when played on a limited basis, can be quite educational.
In the case of drugs use (as opposed to abuse), there are many reasons why one might want to try them that are perfectly reasonable (though of course in the case of illegal drugs one should obey always obey the law). Curiosity, for example. For the drugs you are most concerned with in your essay, you might consider the following:
In the case of alcohol, most people who drink socially do so because it acts as a social lubricant. And by that, I don't just mean that it lowers inhibitions, though it does that too. It also provides a shared experience for the people who are drinking. Perhaps most importantly, it provides the people who are drinking with something to do, other than just sitting around talking. This last may sound odd if you've never thought about it, but psychologically, it's probably at least as important as the physical effects of drinking
In the case of marijuana, as I mentioned in a previous post, one of the effects listed on most sites about the drug is "bliss," and "euphoria." So, one of the main reasons people use it is because it makes them feel really good. It also alters your brain chemistry. Depending up on your original brain chemistry, this may or may not be desirable to the marijuana user. So, some people who smoke become paranoid, which is obviously bad. But some people who are really tense and introspective become more mellow and relaxed. Such effects don't necessarily wear off when the drug does, either. For these people, marijuana takes the place of various legal drugs they would probably be prescribed if they went to see a psychiatrist.
In the case of cocaine, most people who use it do so for the energy boost it gives them. It's a stimulant, and as such can keep you awake, which is why it's so popular with people who like to party all night long. It is also popular among people who drink fairly heavily, because the stimulative effects of the drug counteract the depressive effects of the alcohol.
Now, obviously using any of the three above-mentioned drugs can lead to addiction, or dependency, or drug abuse, or whatever you want to call it. However, this does not mean that drug use that does not lead to addiction is necessarily to be frowned upon. You mention that even one-time or occasional use of these drugs can be unhealthy, and that is true: it just isn't a good argument: everything you do poses some type of health risk (driving in a car is especially dangerous, compared to most other activities people engage in on a regular basis.), but the real question is whether the benefits outweigh the risks or not. You can argue that they don't, that's fine, but at the moment you just assert it, without offering much in the way of any defense.