essay questions about drugs

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Drug Topics For School Projects And Academic Research

Research papers and essays on drug topics address sociology, pharmacology, medicine, psychology, statistics, history, and criminology issues. Drug abuse is a serious problem in modern society. It’s a serious issue that different countries are trying to combat. As such, educators ask learners to write academic papers and essays on drug abuse topics to understand this subject better.

Many countries have spent billions of dollars fighting addiction and treating drug addicts. Countless lives have been lost to drug addiction. The increasing crime rates in many countries have also been attributed to drug abuse and addiction. What’s more, people in different social groups gave initiated campaigns against drug use and trade. It’s, therefore, reasonable for educators to ask learners to write about drug and alcohol topics.

Choosing Drug Research Topics

• Interesting Drug Topics for Papers and Essays
• Effects of Drug Addiction Topics

Argumentative Research Topics about Drug Use

Drug and alcohol group topics, drug legislation research essay topics.

As students write academic papers on drug related research topics, they engage in research that helps them come to terms with the extent of this problem. They also learn how illicit drug use affects human life. War on drugs research topics helps learners to know the number of resources their governments are spending trying to deal with this problem. Such knowledge can help learners avoid addictive drugs.

But, choosing the drug research topics to write about is not easy. That’s because learners should choose interesting topics for which they can find adequate information to write about. If struggling to pick topics on drug abuse for your academic papers and essays, here are 100 great ideas from our assignment service .

Interesting Drug Topics for Papers and Essays

• The government should legalize marijuana use
• Drug users should go to rehabs, not jail
• The government should eliminate cash bail and legalize marijuana
• How illicit drugs benefit society
• Interesting medical uses of cannabis
• Effects of illicit drugs on society
• Why teens abuse drugs
• Possible solutions to the drug abuse problem among teenagers
• What are the effects of early drug abuse?
• Health benefits of marijuana
• Why athletes need marijuana
• Discuss the long-term effects of illicit drug use
• History of drug abuse
• What prompts a person to abuse drugs?
• Is the war against drug abuse necessary?
• Can the government win the war against illicit drugs?
• Can technology be used to fight drug abuse and addiction?
• How do movies promote drug abuse?
• Are modern celebrities promoting drug abuse?
• How can the government deal with prescription drug abuse?

These are interesting ideas for research papers and essays, especially for learners that want to write about controversial drug topics. Nevertheless, be ready to invest time and effort in research, analysis, and writing if you pick any of these research paper topics on drug abuse.

Effects of Drug Addiction Topics

Some people want to know how drug addiction affects a person’s life. As such, this category comprises some of the most interesting drug related topics for learners. Here are some of the best drug addiction research topics to consider if interested in the consequences of addictive substances.

• Does the amount of abused drugs affect its impact?
• Why are some people more addicted to drugs than others?
• How does drug addiction differ between men and women?
• Why are there differences in drug addiction levels between men and women?
• What influences the effects of illicit drugs?
• Why do different drugs affect humans differently?
• What are the major signs of alcoholism?
• What are the effects of abusing marijuana?
• What are the effects of psychoactive substances on the human brain?
• Explain the main social issues caused by alcohol abuse
• How does drug abuse affect the social life of a person?
• How do addicts try to hide the effects of addictive substances?
• Can family members help an addict deal with the effects of an illicit drug?
• Can a person deal with the effects of illicit drug abuse alone?
• Why is rehab necessary when dealing with the effects of illicit drugs?
• Is withdrawal syndrome an effect of illicit drug addiction
• Can abusing alcohol affect the judgment of a person?
• Why is it not advisable to drink alcohol and operate machinery or drive?
• Common myths about the effects of alcohol
• Common myths about the effects of marijuana

Choose any of these drug research paper topics if interested in learning how illicit substances affect the users. Nevertheless, be prepared to research extensively to come up with a solid paper about any of these essay topics on drug addiction.

Maybe you hold a certain perspective about drug use. Some people may not agree with you but you would like to persuade them. In that case, you might consider argumentative essay topics drug addiction ideas. That way, you can express your views on the topic professionally. Here are some of the best persuasive essay topics about drugs to consider.

• Addiction is a disease
• The genetic makeup of a person can prompt them to abuse drugs
• The environment of a person can influence them to abuse drugs
• Social and cultural factors play a role in drug addiction
• Drug abuse does not always lead to bad behaviors
• Mass media can encourage drug abuse and addiction
• Celebrities can influence drug abuse among teenagers
• Drug addiction treatments should focus on inner motivations
• Imprisonment does not help a drug addict
• Interactions with drug addicts can have a negative influence on kids
• The environment is not to blame for drug addiction
• Schools can help prevent drug abuse among the teens
• The perceived correlation between delinquency and drug abuse is wrong
• The effect of drugs on a person’s perception is not always negative
• Parents are partly to blame for drug abuse by teens
• A person who has never had an addiction can’t understand how it feels to battle drug addiction
• Drug addiction takes control over a person
• Behavioral and cognitive problems can also affect the academic performance of students that abuse drugs and alcohol
• Isolating drug addicts will only escalate their addiction
• Family members should play a role in the treatment of drug addicts

Pick a topic on drug addiction from this category if ready to research extensively and come up with strong points to support your argument. That’s because you must convince readers to support your position in your argument.

Perhaps, you’re looking for drug project ideas that touch on group mentality or perception. In that case, this category has some of the best academic papers and essay topics for drug abuse that you should consider.

• What are the major social aspects of drug addiction?
• Which are the most vulnerable social groups when it comes to drug addiction?
• Is drug abuse part of sacred rituals in some religions?
• Minors and drug abuse
• Irreversible effects of drug abuse among teens
• What is the psychological defense of drug abuse by human trafficking victims
• Cultural and ethnic traditions that compel some social groups to abuse drugs
• Can legalizing marijuana make some social groups abuse it more?
• Why do most women abuse painkiller drugs?
• How does the “club culture” enhance drug abuse?
• Who can benefit from the mandatory examination for drug abuse?
• How drug abuse affects social relations
• Can a family be affected negatively by substance abuse by one of its members?
• Drug abuse among the LGBTQ
• Why drug abuse is considered cool among teenagers
• How college culture enhances drug abuse
• How does attitude towards drugs differ among social groups?
• How does the legal drinking age differ based on cultural diversity?
• Should countries have similar laws on drug abuse?
• What are the main causes of drug abuse in various social groups?

These are also great drug debate topics for students in different study levels. However, they also require extensive research to come up with good papers and essays.

If you decide to write about topics for a paper on drug war, you may want to talk about policies, laws, and regulations that touch on different illicit substances. This category has research paper topics drugs ideas that may also focus on legislation.

• Common substance abuse laws in most countries
• Effects of drug abuse policies
• How some legislations compel people to abuse drugs
• How substance abuse laws can help in the war against the drug trade
• Top drug laws in the U.S
• Explain the confidentiality of drug and alcohol abuse patients’ records
• Explain the disparity in drug law among people of different races
• How governments can use legislation to fight drug abuse
• Should the government legalize marijuana?
• Scaling up the war against drug abuse through legislation
• Important legislations for enhancing the war against drugs
• Legislations for preventing underage alcohol consumption
• How can the government use legislation to fight drug abuse without infringing on human rights?
• Legislation to channel more resources to the war on drug abuse
• Causes of illegal drug use among women
• Vaping legislation to prevent drug abuse
• Important legislation to prevent prescription drug abuse
• Legislations to curb military populations’ drug abuse
• Enforcing law to curb college drug abuse
• Addressing the increasing cases of people drinking under the influence of alcohol

Drug abuse is a broad subject. Pick some of these drugs essay topics and then research them extensively to come up with papers that will earn you the top scores. Also, you can take a look at these health topics .

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• MJC Library & Learning Center
• Research Guides

Drug Abuse, Addiction, Substance Use Disorder

• Research Drug Abuse

Start Learning About Your Topic

Create research questions to focus your topic, find books in the library catalog, find articles in library databases, find web resources, cite your sources, key search words.

Use the words below to search for useful information in   books  and  articles .

• substance use disorder 
• substance abuse
• drug addiction
• substance addiction
• chemical dependency
• war on drugs
• names of specific drugs such as methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin
• opioid crisis

Background Reading:

It's important to begin your research learning something about your subject; in fact, you won't be able to create a focused, manageable thesis unless you already know something about your topic.

This step is important so that you will:

• Begin building your core knowledge about your topic
• Be able to put your topic in context
• Create research questions that drive your search for information
• Create a list of search terms that will help you find relevant information
• Know if the information you’re finding is relevant and useful

If you're working from off campus , you'll be prompted to log in just like you do for your MJC email or Canvas courses. 

All of these resources are free for MJC students, faculty, & staff. 

• Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window Use this database for preliminary reading as you start your research. Try searching these terms: addiction, substance abuse

Other eBooks from the MJC Library collection:

Use some of the questions below to help you narrow this broad topic. See "substance abuse" in our Developing Research Questions guide for an example of research questions on a focused study of drug abuse. 

• In what ways is drug abuse a serious problem? 
• What drugs are abused?
• Who abuses drugs?
• What causes people to abuse drugs?
• How do drug abusers' actions affect themselves, their families, and their communities?
• What resources and treatment are available to drug abusers?
• What are the laws pertaining to drug use?
• What are the arguments for legalizing drugs?
• What are the arguments against legalizing drugs?
• Is drug abuse best handled on a personal, local, state or federal level?
• Based on what I have learned from my research what do I think about the issue of drug abuse?

Why Use Books:

Use books to read broad overviews and detailed discussions of your topic. You can also use books to find  primary sources , which are often published together in collections.  

Where Do I Find Books?

You'll use the library catalog to search for books, ebooks, articles, and more.  

What if MJC Doesn't Have What I Need?

If you need materials (books, articles, recordings, videos, etc.) that you cannot find in the library catalog , use our  interlibrary loan service .

All of these resources are free for MJC students, faculty, & staff.

• EBSCOhost Databases This link opens in a new window Search 22 databases simultaneously that cover almost any topic you need to research at MJC. EBSCO databases include articles previously published in journals, magazines, newspapers, books, and other media outlets.
• Gale Databases This link opens in a new window Search over 35 databases simultaneously that cover almost any topic you need to research at MJC. Gale databases include articles previously published in journals, magazines, newspapers, books, and other media outlets.
• Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection This link opens in a new window Contains articles from nearly 560 scholarly journals, some dating as far back as 1965
• Access World News This link opens in a new window Search the full-text of editions of record for local, regional, and national U.S. newspapers as well as full-text content of key international sources. This is your source for The Modesto Bee from January 1989 to the present. Also includes in-depth special reports and hot topics from around the country. To access The Modesto Bee , limit your search to that publication. more... less... Watch this short video to learn how to find The Modesto Bee .

Use Google Scholar to find scholarly literature on the Web:

Browse Featured Web Sites:

• National Institute on Drug Abuse NIDA's mission is to lead the nation in bringing the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction. This charge has two critical components. The first is the strategic support and conduct of research across a broad range of disciplines. The second is ensuring the rapid and effective dissemination and use of the results of that research to significantly improve prevention and treatment and to inform policy as it relates to drug abuse and addiction.
• Drug Free America Foundation Drug Free America Foundation, Inc. is a drug prevention and policy organization committed to developing, promoting and sustaining national and international policies and laws that will reduce illegal drug use and drug addiction.
• Office of National Drug Control Policy A component of the Executive Office of the President, ONDCP was created by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. ONDCP advises the President on drug-control issues, coordinates drug-control activities and related funding across the Federal government, and produces the annual National Drug Control Strategy, which outlines Administration efforts to reduce illicit drug use, manufacturing and trafficking, drug-related crime and violence, and drug-related health consequences.
• Drug Policy Alliance The Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) is the nation's leading organization promoting alternatives to current drug policy that are grounded in science, compassion, health and human rights.

Your instructor should tell you which citation style they want you to use. Click on the appropriate link below to learn how to format your paper and cite your sources according to a particular style.

• Chicago Style
• ASA & Other Citation Styles
• Last Updated: Feb 14, 2024 12:41 PM
• URL: https://libguides.mjc.edu/drugabuse

Except where otherwise noted, this work is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 and CC BY-NC 4.0 Licenses .

THE PREEMINENT MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TREATMENT PROGRAMS FOR ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS

A Parent’s Answers to 9 Common Questions About Drugs

Did you know that nearly 1 in 4 high school seniors has used an illicit drug in the past year? Although teen drug use has declined in recent years, many adolescents and young adults are still experimenting, still binging, and still acting out. And as a result, much of our youth are developing chronic addictions.

Of course, not every teenager today uses drugs. And with the proper education, prevention, and communication in place, your child will be much less likely to do so.

Talking to your teen – openly and honestly – about drugs will undoubtedly have great influence on his or her choices down the road. In fact, numerous studies show that parental involvement is a major factor in preventing early drug abuse. According to DrugFree.org , teens are far less likely to use substances if their parents teach them about the risks of substance abuse early on. Unfortunately, however, more than 1 in 5 teens report they have not yet learned about drugs from their parents.

As a parent, you are also an educator – especially when it comes to your child’s questions about drugs and alcohol. So as a parent, you too should be educated on the risks of teen substance abuse . By being informed, you will also be prepared to answer your teen’s questions about drugs, correctly and compassionately.

Read 9 questions about drugs that are frequently asked by teens, as well as 9 informative answers every parent should keep on hand.

Q: Why do only some people get addicted to drugs?

A: This is a great question, and unfortunately, it is not an easy one to answer. Some people are more vulnerable to addiction than others, but it’s important for you to remember that anyone, at any age, can become addicted to drugs. Because your brain is still developing as a teen, however, you are especially prone to addiction. Drugs and alcohol change the chemicals in your brain. They disrupt how you think, how you act, and how your brain works. It only takes a few hits or few pills to start this cycle. I know you may think it won’t happen to you, but sometimes you just can’t predict it.

Context: There are several risk factors that can stir an addiction, one major one being early exposure to drugs. In fact, 9 out of 10 people who have a substance addiction started using in their adolescence, before their 18th birthday. Other addiction risk factors can include genetics, the availability of drugs, economic status and community, traumatic life events, poor academic performance, and lack of adult supervision growing up.

Q: Are all drugs addictive? What makes them addictive?

A: Each drug of abuse is unique and will act on the brain in a different way. However, all drugs share a something in common – a chemical called dopamine. When a person uses a drug, their brain releases dopamine to produce the feeling of being “high.” But when a person uses drugs repeatedly, their brain adjusts to the surges of dopamine that occur. In time, their bodies get used to this chemical and demand more of it. This is where an addiction starts. The user starts to crave more drugs and less of the once pleasurable things in life, such as good food or friendships. The user also begins to lose the ability to resist these bad cravings, making it harder for him or her to quit.

Context: Different drugs have different effects on the brain and body, but in nearly all cases, repeated drug use will lead to addictive behaviors. Again, drug addiction is very likely to occur in teenagers who regularly use and abuse drugs. Learn about the different effects of substance abuse .

Q: Can I get addicted if I do it just once and a while?

A: Yes, you can. Most people your age only have the intention of using a drug once or “once in a while.” They do not intend to develop an addiction, but many do. This is because addictive drugs chemically change a person’s brain with each time of use. Progressively, your occasional use may turn into frequent use which may turn into regular use over time. This is the cycle of addiction .

Q: You drink alcohol. It can’t be that dangerous, right?

A: As a legal adult, I drink in a way that is responsible and safe for me and for those close to me. As much as I believe you are responsible, I do not feel that alcohol is safe nor healthy for you or any one your age.  Drinking can lead to serious problems, problems that will not only affect you but also the people around you – especially at this time in your life.

The younger you start drinking, the more inexperienced you are in handling alcohol-related problems. Almost 2,000 teenagers under the legal drinking age die from alcohol-induced car accidents each year. On college campuses, up to 95 percent of all violent crimes and sexual assault involve alcohol. The problem is, unanticipated situations can easily get out of hand when you are under the influence and you could end up hurt. If you stay sober, you will be better able to take care of yourself and maybe even others, as well.

Q: Are prescription drugs safe? They are legal and some of my friends at school use them.

A: If your doctor prescribes you a medication, you may take it safely and legally as it is directed. However, it is important to remember that prescription drugs are still drugs, they are addictive, and they are both dangerous and illegal if used nonmedically. You can die from using a prescription drug that was not prescribed to you.

Context:  51 percent of teenagers believe that because prescription drugs are legal, they must be safe. 21 percent also assume that their parents won’t care as much if caught. In truth, the risks of prescription drug abuse are very high.  Every day, nearly 7,000 people in the U.S. are treated in emergency departments for misusing prescription drugs. 

Q: What about marijuana? It’s a plant, it’s natural.

A: Marijuana may be a plant but there are real and concerning health risks associated with the drug. Just because it is a plant does not mean it is harmless. In fact, more adolescents are in drug treatment for marijuana addiction than any other illegal drugs combined. Approximately 1 in every 11 young adults become addicted to smoking marijuana.

Q: Is medical marijuana safer than the pot that’s on the street?

A: According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse , the marijuana plant has not been approved by the FDA for the treatment of any medical condition. While a pill form of THC (the primary chemical in marijuana) is used to alleviate certain conditions or treatments such as cancer chemotherapy, the medical benefits are still being deliberated by professional scientists. Nonetheless, smoked marijuana is not an ideal treatment because of its addictiveness and propensity to harm the lungs.

Q: How do I know if someone is addicted to drugs?

A: There are many different signs of addiction, and every drug has its own, unique symptoms and side effects. If you think that someone you know has an addiction, pay attention to how he or she acts and looks. If you notice any of these behavioral or physical signs of drug addiction , it is important to talk to your friend as well as tell a trusted adult who can help.

Q: What can I do to help my friend who is addicted to drugs?

A: If you think your friend has a serious drug problem, the most immediate thing you can do is offer him or her support. Talk to your friend and let them that you are concerned, that you are there for them. Encourage them to seek help from a trusted adult, such as a school counselor, a doctor, or an addiction professional. You can also talk to me, and together we can figure out how to find professionals who can get your friend healthy again. If you feel that your friend is in danger, this is especially important. You can help save your friends’ life if you recognize there is a problem. You can be a positive influence.

For more tips on how to talk to your teen or answer your teen’s questions about drugs, please don’t hesitate to call Turnbridge at 877-581-1793. For more answers to questions about drugs, you may also visit the NIDA for Teens website.

Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Drug Addiction — Drug Addiction: Choice or Disease?

Drug Addiction: Choice Or Disease?

• Categories: Drug Addiction Drugs

About this sample

Words: 677 |

Published: Sep 16, 2023

Words: 677 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

Table of contents

The choice argument, the disease model, psychological and sociological factors, a holistic perspective.

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