SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS: A REFLECTIVE DISCUSSION Abstract

Problem that affects developing nations worldwide. Indirectly or directly, illicit drug use is to blame for 11.8 million fatalities worldwide each year. Various factors might lead a person to use or abuse drugs, which can subsequently develop into addiction. This article, however, concentrates on environmental aspects, which influence substance misuse. Environment in this study is defined as “the aggregate of the social and cultural conditions that influence the life of an individual or community.”To further investigate, this study has broken down environmental factors into subfactors like family environment, peer influences, etc., to better understand how these factors affect an individual’s decision to use drugs or alcohol and how family, society, and the community as a whole must be aware of these factors and take action to improve society and community. When a loved one in our culture develops an addiction or a substance use disorder, we frequently blame the appropriate external factors right away while completely ignoring our family environment, personal emotional problems, our society, cultural standards, etc. The article discusses how certain environmental circumstances can increase one’s chance of using drugs or alcohol. Keywords: Substance abuse, Drugs, Drug use, Environmental factors, Environment