A male celebrity was interviewed on television if he had been a drug addict. He responded that he is not but he confessed to drug abuse a few times with other celebrity friends. His message gave wrong signals. It came across as that substance abuse from time to time is not a problem as long as dependence has not yet manifested itself.
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, is not limited to mood-altering or psycho-active drugs and may also include use of steroids for performance enhancement in sports. Abuse of drugs including alcohol, amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines (particularly temazepam, nimetazepam, and flunitrazepam), cocaine, methaqualone, and opioids, may lead to criminality, health problems, social problems, unprotected sex, violence, morbidity, injuries, deaths, motor vehicle accidents, homicides, suicides, physical dependence or psychological addiction.
When the drug user is already in a state of periodic or chronic intoxication due to the repeated drug intake (natural or synthetic), he is already a drug dependent or drug addict. The symptoms of drug addiction include an overpowering desire or need (compulsion) to continue taking the drug and to obtain it by any means; a tendency to increase the dosage; a psychological and/or physical dependence on the effects of the drug; and harmful effects on the individual and on society.
Drugs known to cause addiction include both legal and illegal drugs, prescription or over the counter drugs such as the following: stimulants; sedatives; opiate and opioid analgesics (morphine and codeine such as heroin, oxycodone, buprenorphine, and hydromorphone, fully synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, meperidine/pethidine, and methadone); and nicotine.
Be it drug abuse or drug addiction, the effects can be dangerous. Both can do much harm and no good. So, it’s best to stay away.