The Substance Use Disorders

Abstract

First Responders and law enforcement personnel are more likely to encounter individuals suffering from substance intoxication, abuse and/or dependence than any other psychiatric impairment. Use of all psychoactive substances in this country, including caffeine and nicotine, has a staggering impact on our economy, on the health of our citizens, and on the incidence of crime, violence, and homelessness in our cities. Statistics from the Bureau of Justice as well as several research studies indicate that alcohol and illicit drug users report increased criminal involvement, criminal records, and crime related violence than nonusers. In an article entitled “Psychoactive Substances and Violence,” published in 1994 by The Institute of Justice in its journal, Research in Brief, Jeffrey Roth notes that in recent years alcohol use by the perpetrator and/or the victim of a crime immediately preceded at least 50% of all violent episodes studied. Additionally, research he cites indicates that chronic drinkers and drug users are more likely to have histories of violence, and more likely to commit assaults and robberies, than non-users as well as criminals who do not use drugs or alcohol. There is no doubt that there is a strong relationship among violence, criminality, and use of psychoactive substances, and for this reason alone, understanding the nature of addiction and the common effects of drugs and alcohol is critical for First Responders.