Alcohol, marijuana, and prescription drugs are the most abused drugs in this country. Almost 18 million people are dependent on alcohol. Alcoholism is a disease that generally requires treatment once the addiction becomes unlivable. Marijuana is more of an "acceptable" recreational drug, and most people who have been exposed to drugs start by smoking marijuana. It is legal, like alcohol; however, it can also be addictive. Prescription drugs such as opioids, anxiety medications, and amphetamines are also widely abused in America.
Opioids or "painkillers" are often prescribed when a person has some injury, but people often continue taking these medications after recovering from the sickness the drug was prescribed to treat. Amphetamines are also known as "study drugs," and may college kids abuse them or take them even if they are not prescribed. Anti-anxiety medications, also known as "benzos," are also abused by many people without having a prescription. They allow the person to relax or "chill out" in any situation.