Throughout human history, almost all countries and cultures have had problems with the use and abuse. From the earliest times of which have records, the drugs have been used for different reasons - mainly religious, medicinal and pleasure. The alcohol and opium, for example, were both well known in ancient Egyptian culture. Cannabis was commonly used in rites, Hindu ceremonies, as well as in Indian and Chinese medicine.

The drug problems are not new. Today, the problems with drugs have become more varied, with a more complicated and comprehensive. Natural drugs - like marijuana, cocaine, khat (qat) and opium - which had previously only been used in some cultures and traditional communities have been increasingly explored and its use reaches an epidemic level. Similarly, drugs manufactured as benzidine and barbiturates and a wide variety of sedatives and tranquilizers can be found more easily, both on the legal and illegal.

Moreover, there is a growing habit among young people in some countries of sniffing solvents in paints and glues. The levels of drug abuse is increasing in most countries. The drugs are used more often and in larger quantities. There is also a tendency to use a mixture of different drugs or combining drugs with alcohol.

The use of cocaine requires special attention. It is the drug that produces more dependence. Currently its use is reaching epidemic proportions in some parts of the world and is rapidly spreading to other areas. The traditional habit of chewing leaves of cocaine in the Andes is being replaced by smoking cocaine paste in the cities of South America The habit of eating opium in rural communities in South Asia has developed in much more dangerous habit of smoking or inject heroin. The issue of drugs brings with it a wide range of social and economic problems, including crime, violence and neglect of family life. Concern about the levels of abuse is increasing in many countries.

In order to prevent drug abuse, it is important to identify the main reasons for their consumption. The following practical steps should be taken to overcome this motivation. The reasons for using drugs are very different in each culture. Even within the same country, prevention programs may need to vary according to local problems.
In northeastern Afghanistan and parts of Pakistan, India, Myanmar and Thailand, where rural health services are precarious, opium is used as a household remedy and to overcome pain and discomfort caused by cold weather and difficulties of life. Thus, emphasis must be given to these priority needs before dealing with the problem of drugs.

What should be prevented? Who should make prevention work? On the official level, there are international agreements to control the transport and export of drugs. At the national level, the control depends on the police, customs authorities and government measures. In general, the best preventive measures are those developed by people within their own cultures and social life. Religious groups can play an effective preventative against the use of alcohol and tobacco by teaching about moral values and self discipline.

The problems caused by drug use are among the most devastating threats of modern life. The prevention of these threats will require enormous efforts by government authorities, widespread education, public awareness campaigns, and active participation of the community.

The issue of drugs is part of our everyday lives.
It is important that young people have the knowledge to understand this very complex problem in order to facilitate the establishment of defense mechanisms in situations of risk for alcohol.

Curiosity, peer pressure and the taste for risk are the main causes that lead young people to experiment with drugs. The trail to certain emotional problems of personal or family is a common reason, both in young and adults. The route of drug use is closely linked to the dependence that gives the consumer. The consumer feels an intense desire to take drugs (psychological dependence). The body is dependent on the drug and the lack of this causes a great physical discomfort (physical dependence). To achieve the desired effect, consumers need to go to increasing the amount of drug. The drug causes changes in the central nervous system and can change the way of thinking, feeling and acting.

The drug's effects vary by the type of substances, the physical and psychological state of the consumer and the context in which it causes the consumer (see details in Drugs).
The drug will dominate and impoverish their lives. Daily, the addict can live situations of life-threatening, or by over-consumption (overdose), or by having certain behaviors (use of infected syringes and / or unprotected sex), which can cause incurable illnesses.

The relationship with the drug can lead to problems with the law due to assaults and other thefts. And this happens because the prices that the drug economy in the world down, because the cost of a dependency, enrich others.

Addiction

The addiction can be of two natures, the most common and least destructive psychological dependence is linked primarily to the mechanisms of positive reinforcement, and that is an attribute of abuse of all substances, consisting of the sensation experienced by the consumer that requires the substance to achieve a better level of activity or a sense of well being than using so almost automatically to its consumption. Their determination is very subjective, and is a concept after the physical dependence necessary to explain some almost compulsive behaviors, not only in the field of drugs.

The more visible socially and causing major damage, physical dependence, primarily related to the mechanisms of negative reinforcement that exists when the body has adapted physiologically to their normal intake of the substance, checking in with the interruption or severe reduction of consumption the characteristic symptoms of withdrawal syndrome specific substance.