Drug abuse is a societal problem in this country that has shifted to a criminal action with the passage of laws outlawing substances that are classified as unsafe. While this was done to reduce the impact that these drugs have on society, little consideration was given to how facing these charges would impact an addict. Unfortunately, the focus is more on punishment instead of rehabilitation.
Using drugs has many effects on the user. The most prominent of these is often the health impacts. With drug usage comes an increased chance of life-long medical conditions like AIDS, which is more common for people who use the drugs intravenously. Bacterial infections, mental health conditions, viral illnesses and tuberculosis are all possible.
Another risk is that the person will begin to participate in other illegal activities. This can leave them in the revolving door of the criminal justice system. Some of these criminal acts are violent, which can have long-term effects on the person’s life.
Not only does the addict suffer, their family members also have to deal with the effects of the addiction. This includes not having the person at family functions. In some cases, the loved ones are the targets of thefts to support the drug habit. When there are children in the picture, they must deal with an unstable and often unavailable parent.
When a person who is addicted to drugs enters into the criminal justice system, they may not understand the gravity of the way this can affect them. It is imperative that they take the charges seriously and begin working on a defense strategy immediately.