Drug Use in AMERICA on the RISE

Perhaps the simplest explanation for the increase in substance abuse in
America is our collective mental state. Several employee surveys have shown that American workers are struggling with high levels of stress and anxiety related to job security, income and the threat of discrimination.

A 2015 study conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA), measuring stress on a scale from one-10 found that the average stress level for Americans stood at 5.1, a slight increase from the year before. Of those surveyed, nearly one-quarter reported “extreme stress.” Since introducing the survey in 2007, the APA has consistently found that money and work were the top two sources of stress reported among Americans. The survey also found that 61 percent of adults reported experiencing unfair treatment on a day-to-day basis and that it resulted in higher levels of stress.

Another survey, which included 500 American workers, revealed that 90 percent of workers were stressed out about finances. More than 50 percent of those surveyed reported “moderate” or “significant stress.” There are many reasons why people choose to abuse drugs or alcohol, but few have the same impact of stress.

Common Risk Factors for Addiction:

• Poor education
• Mental illness
• Poverty
• Parental substance abuse
• Environment

In most cases, prevention of drug use begins at home and school. Parents need to lead by example, and educators need to be diligent in talking about the dangers of substance abuse.

However...  there is an alarming trend of drug use increases among with wealthy which, if they are also parents is going to be difficult to get them to set a good example.

Additionally...  poverty is a relative terms in most cases...  if we try to improve poverty by boosting income, we also increase the cost of living and everything shifts upwards, leaving the poor people on the bottom still living in poverty.

It is possible to get a handful out of poverty without disrupting the economic balance but just a few each year is not really going to help the problem...  at least, it does not seem it will help it all that much for me...

ALSO...  with the amount of money that drug dealers make each day, each week, each month, each year, it is going to be difficult to stop them from doing that with more education...  knowing that education will not come close to providing the income that selling drugs provided...

It's nothing personal DUDE...   just business...