Substance Abuse and Violence

One of the many social consequences of drug and alcohol abuse is that it leads to increased rates of violence among people who use these substances. This is one of the arguments people use for why drugs should be illegal and why the minimum age for drinking alcohol in the United States should remain at 21. Individuals with a substance addiction are more likely to get into fights and engage in violent crimes. Drug and alcohol abuse can lead to drunk driving accidents and sexual assaults. Although most people who consume alcohol and use illegal drugs do not become violent, it does make it more likely.

These problems are present in teenagers as well as adults. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that approximately half of teens between the ages of 12 and 17 who had used an illegal drug in the past year had engaged in violent behavior. In comparison, only about a quarter of those who hadn’t used illegal drugs had become violent. They also say that alcohol abuse is much more likely than drug abuse to lead to violence among teens.

In addition, other studies show that over half of reported child abuse cases are related to parental substance abuse. Alcohol is related to 68 percent of manslaughters, 62 percent of assaults, and 54 percent of murders and attempted murders.

The main reason for this is because people suffering from drug and alcohol addiction have impaired judgment. They don’t consider the negative consequences of their behavior ahead of time. People who already have tendencies toward aggression are usually able to control them when sober, but drug and alcohol abuse take away their inhibitions. Some drugs, such as PCP, are more likely to cause violence. Addiction treatment centers are available to help people with drug and alcohol abuse problems.