Are drugs as bad as it seems? Globally, drugs are becoming a larger problem. With rapid technological development, drugs are getting much more powerful than ever. Subsequently, the impact caused by drugs became much more severe. Traditionally, cocaine and LSD were prevalent in the use of drugs. Although they pose serious harm to the users’ health, they are much less severe compared to fentanyl – a drug that is prevalently used nowadays. The change in the form of drugs not only makes rehabilitation harder but also causes more people – the general public – to be exposed to them. 

Recently, there is a continuous increase in the usage of drugs in the last decade. Such a trend is not only visible in a certain nation but is a global phenomenon. The global phenomenon causes a great risk to society. Additionally, while traditionally drugs were used by adults, more and more teenagers and younger generations are being affected by drugs, which causes major societal harm. According to National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, more than 11.2% of overdose deaths are aged 15 to 24 and more than 50% of teenagers have used drugs at least once in their life. As such, the usage of drugs is rapidly increasing, affecting younger teenagers as time progresses.

With the rapid increase in drug usage, the conventional belief that drugs are always bad no matter the case is crumbling. A growing social voice argues that the use of drugs is acceptable to a certain degree, and may have some potential benefits. However, before redefining drugs the established belief that drug use shall never be rationalized needs to be thoroughly assessed.

First looking at the downside of drug use, crime and violence are correlated with higher use of drugs. As drugs are mostly illegal to deal in private hands, the drug trade causes conflict and inherent danger between the purchasers and the dealer. In addition, addicted individuals may resort to theft or other illegal activities to fund for their drug consumption. Moreover, higher drug usage may lead other non-addicts to be harmed as well. Families, for example, are severely affected by heavy drug users in their households. Drug abuse may lead to family breakdowns or worsened relationships as a majority of drug addicts are unable to maintain rational thinking abilities and communication capabilities. This may also affect the children since they depend heavily on their parents. If their parents are drug addicts, it becomes highly likely that the child will be severely neglected as parents are unable to fulfil their child’s needs such as providing food or maintaining good health. 

On the other hand, some drugs may be deemed beneficial to a certain degree. For instance, there are certain ‘weaker’ narcotics such as weed, which became legal in Thailand. Thailand presents how a nation can be fully functioning even with some drugs being legal to the public and for tourists. Also, Amsterdam is also a city renown for its tolerance for drugs. Yet, such an activity does not render the city nor Netherlands as a whole as a sinful nor dangerous place. As real world examples demonstrates, not all drugs should be seen with negative implications. In addition, some economists believe that drugs may be beneficial in some cases. For instance, drug money was indeed able to support the economy in 2008, which prevented the economy from collapsing. Antonio Maria Costa, head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime states that drug money was "the only liquid investment capital" that was available for banks to use. As such, drugs not only have a negative impact but also a positive impact on society as a whole and its economy. 

Furthermore, the use of drugs can be extremely helpful when dealing with ill patients suffering from insufferable pain. For patients going through severe pain, the use of drugs can help alleviate them, allowing the treatment to continue without much challenge for the patient. For instance, medical marijuana is used commonly for patients suffering from pain. Without them, patients’ quality of life would be seriously compromised. These medical drugs are not only used for pain but also for emotional distress such as PTSD. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and benzodiazepines are known to be helpful to patients going through emotional distress and discomfort. As a result, when looking at the impact of drugs on society, looking at both the benefits and disadvantages is important. 

Looking holistically, drugs should not be always deemed as a negative deed. Although there are some health challenges and other social factors that cause drugs to be harmful to society, drugs should not be tabooed for their outlook itself. In fact, Marijuana was not illegal until political interests of the 1970s rendered it illegal. Also, it is a human instinct to feel an urge of curiosity for those deeds that are banned. Rather than eschewing drugs itself without careful analysis and study, it would be a much wiser approach to assess the benefits and dangers of drug use to extract the maximum benefits.