Causes of drug abuse, its harms, and ways to prevent it

Abstract

The interest of researchers and scholars, whether specialists or researchers in general, in studying everything related to drugs, the reasons for their use, their harms, their types, and methods of prevention, due to the seriousness of their use and addiction and their negative effects on human health and social life, in addition to the fact that they are a major cause of the collapse of societies. This study is complementary to a number of academic studies that included the dangers of drugs. This research shed light on the definition of drugs, their natural and synthetic types, and their harms. In the same context, the research discussed the main reasons for drug use, including economic, psychological, social, and others. The research also pointed to the effects of drug use and its harms on individuals, families, and society as a whole, from a physical, psychological, and social perspective. We pointed out the role of the family in educating children about its dangers, staying away from bad company, following up with them, solving their problems and listening to them, in addition to the role of educational institutions in raising awareness and education about the dangers of drugs, especially schools and universities, and providing aid and advice to students and cooperating with health and media institutions, civil society organizations and security agencies to reduce drug abuse and addiction. Among the important topics discussed in the research are methods of preventing drug abuse and addiction.