Читать книгу An Introduction to Testing for Drugs of Abuse - William E. Schreiber - Страница 14

The World Health Organization defines drug misuse as “Use of a substance for a purpose not consistent with legal or medical guidelines, as in the non‐medical use of prescription medications.” Drug or substance abuse refers to consumption of illicit drugs or to chronic use of a drug that interferes with a person's normal activities. It can involve illegal drugs purchased on the street (e.g., heroin), prescription drugs taken in excessive doses (e.g., benzodiazepines), or legal intoxicants (e.g., ethanol).

There is a blurry line between use and abuse for many drugs. When taking a substance causes harm, either to the individual or others, it can be considered substance abuse. Some of the consequences of drug abuse are:

 mental/physical disabilities

 long‐term health problems

 risky behavior

 not meeting responsibilities

 altered social relationships.

A study published in The Lancet assessed the harm associated with 20 drugs that are commonly abused. The authors considered physical harm, dependence, and social harms to arrive at a mean score for each drug. Heroin and cocaine ranked first and second on the list of harmful drugs. In a subsequent article, the authors identified heroin, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine as the most harmful drugs to individuals and alcohol as the most harmful substance to others (Figure 1.1).