Becoming a chronic drug user involves being stigmatised or labelled in unpleasant terms such as an outcast of society and is usually associated with crime and violence.

Throughout this assignment I will look at external pressures with their risks and resilience such as; society, family, the physical implications and the legal aspects that may influence the drug user.

Societies in general perceive drug abusers as undesirable and a burden. When relating risk and resilience factors towards drug abusers, society can be divided into two categories, peers and school environment. Such a social network includes the mass media, which contributed to create an air of mystery about drugtaking, thus increasing the appeal of drugs

The general notion is that consumption or use of illegal substances will generate crime and delinquency within societies. Most drug abusers tend to become addicts. The cost of an illegal substance is expensive to maintain, mainly due to its illegality. Drugtakers with a low income or jobless tend to turn to criminal acts such as stealing, violence and prostitution to sustain their craving needs. Dawnty in his analyses conclude that, ‘ as there is no legal method of obtaining the drug, the addict must resort to crime to finance his purchase which commands a very high black market price throughout’ (1968:49).

Some topics in this essay:
Familial Context, Legal Aspects, Physical Drug, School Environment, Peers Sub-Culture, , HIV Hepatitis, Context Societies, Conclusion Throughout, drug user, drug users, drug abusers, towards drug, legal aspects, school environment, drug taking, dawtry 196816, dangerous factor, throughout assignment,