To many people, the idea that “drugs are addictive” is simply a given. They assume that all drugs pose a risk of addiction that can later lead to substance abuse and other problems. They may be surprised by what they find.
For instance, marijuana is generally thought of as a non-addictive drug. It can lead to use disorders and experts cite very rare cases that appear close to addiction, but it rarely leads to problems like overuse. It also generally doesn’t lead to issues like overdose deaths. This is one of the many reasons that cannabis has gradually become legalized in many areas.
Legal addictive drugs abound
On the other hand, many legal drugs are highly addictive. Alcohol is the most common example. Anyone who is over 21 can buy as much of it as they want, but addiction is frequent and both use disorders and overdoses are common. Alcohol also leads to a fair amount of fatal mistakes, especially if you take car accidents into account.
Similarly, caffeine is highly addictive. Many people have multiple cups of coffee every day. You may be drinking one right now and thinking nothing of it — yet it is clearly physically addictive.
Addictive prescription medications
Some of the most addictive drugs are legal prescription drugs. Painkillers, known as opioids, were once thought not to be addictive, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth. Addiction can also lead to the use of heroin and other drugs as it progresses. Clearly, things like heroin, cocaine, meth, and other illegal drugs are also addictive.
Addiction plays a major role in many drug cases. People often end up facing drug charges because they suffer from an addiction they were trying to feed. If you’re facing drug charges, it’s important to understand what options you have for a defense. Understanding the role that addiction played in your offense can often help open doors for treatment instead of punishment, so make sure you discuss everything with your defense attorney from the very start.
