In the case of drug addiction, there are legal issues that surround the substances and they utterly depend on the point of jurisdiction, while there is a time they are legal. For instance, in the case of a sponsored study by a government, addictive substances can be legal, while in general, they are illegal to sell or make use in any way or even being in possession. Many nations across the world have legislations that are able to control drugs and other substances that have the traits of addiction through licensing systems.

This kind of legislation covers such substances as opiates, cannabinoids, amphetamines, hallucinogenics, cocaine and barbiturates as well as other synthetic modern drugs. Something worth noting in drug addiction or substance abuse tendencies is that, any unlicensed production, possession or even supply is wholly criminal. Nonetheless, something worth remembering is drug classification under most legislation does not only relate to the state of addictiveness. Most of the substances covered do have some distinctive addictive properties.

Most of the drugs are intensely prone towards causing physical dependency while others rarely bring about forms of compulsive dependency or need. In addition, most legislations curtailing drug addiction hardly include such drugs as alcohol, nicotine or caffeine. Legislation might be justifiable on public health or moral grounds but it could turn dependency and addiction into a more serious issue for an individual. This is seen when reliable supplies and availability of the drug become quite hard to get as the individual ends up being vulnerable to legal punishment and criminal abuse.

Drug Addiction:

The World Health Organization committee (WHO) had collected numerous of definitions concerning drug abuse and addiction and had suggested a generic term “drug dependence”. This addiction is defined as a disorder wherein the drug user’s behavior is being strongly influenced and dominated by the drug. It is a condition of recurring intoxication that happens when there is constant consumption of drug. It has characteristics of intense need or desire of continuous use, tendency of increasing dosage, unfavorable effects on both individual and society, and dependence on effects.

Drug Abuse:

Drug abuse is defined as the misuse of the drug or substance according the culturally acceptable standard. It is simply an abuse usage of substance which may involve excessive and habitual use in order to attain a certain effect. These so-called substances may be illegal, can be taken from streets and syndicates against the law, or can be legal as well in a form of prescription that are used in a pleasurable manner rather than medical.

Causes of Drug Addiction and Drug Abuse:

As both terms have different definition, their causes are different as well. Drug abuse is more complicated than drug addiction, although drug addiction has more forceful motivational condition. With drug addiction, it comprises the drug’s effect on the brain wherein it can become a strong motivational factor to use the drug again. On the other hand, drug abuse as a misuse of a substance, may or may not go together with a strong motivational factor to continue the use of the drug. In many cases, therefore, drug abuse does not necessarily make drug addiction, but drug addiction can constitute drug abuse.

Patterns of Behavior:

Drug addiction and Drug abuse have basically the same effects. Both have unwanted or unfavorable consequences both to society and the individual. Some symptoms and patterns of behavior of drug addiction and abuse comprise an abnormally slow in speech, reaction or movement, cycles of restlessness, inability of sleep or intensified energy, sudden gain or loss of weight, series of excessive sleep, sudden constant wearing of long-sleeved tops even under high temperature just to hide scars of injection points, loss of physical control, sudden impulse and confidence in doing risky activities, and withdrawal symptoms when trying to stop drug use.

Knowing the fact that drug users are prone to deny their drug-related symptoms and behavior, the family, friends, and loved ones must be sensitive and be more aware of these signs.