Druggies And Their Crimes: Which Drug Is Likely To Cause What Criminal Activity?

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Its just a little "toke" here and there, right? With drugs being touted as precipitants in criminal activity, its no wonder that the passive greenery and energizing pills are considered against the law. Drug users are six-times more likely to commit crimes than their sober counterparts.

But how likely is the use of a certain drug to cause crime?

An article on Vistabay gives us an inside look:

First Place Winner goes to Alcohol - responsible for 50 % of the driving fatalities in the U.S. as well as it being most closely linked to violent crimes. Three million crimes a year occur with the perpetrator under the influence of the legal drug, Alcohol.

Second Place goes to Marijuana - the most used illegal drug in the United States of America. Over 75 percent of all crimes committed under the influence of "MaryJane" are considered non-violent.

Third Place goes to Crack Cocaine - two-thirds of the nation's federal prisoners who are jailed on drug charges are nailed for trafficking this drug. Also associated with a high number of violent crimes, crack cocaine users are typically busted for robberies to support their highly addictive habits.

Next up, Methamphetamine - directly linked to violent crimes associated with domestic violence, child abuse, aggravated assault, property damage and murder. The number of violent crimes committed by meth addicts doubled between 2002 and 2004.

Fifth in line is Heroin - where users are particularly known for their begging and borrowing, also known as stealing, cash to support the habit. Murders are not uncommon for this group due to botched robbery attempts to support their drug habit.

Ecstasy - most crimes associated with this drug are possession and distribution, although it has been linked to drive-by shootings and aggravated assaults.

Date Rape Drugs - placed unknowingly in the drinks of individuals and are most associated with violent crimes against women.

Oxycontin - associated with non-violent crimes related to funding the usage habit.

Although social use of alcohol is typically accepted by society, its direct link to violent crimes and fatalaties in auto accidents seems to be enough evidence to put the beverage industry to a standstill.

As for those who become addicts, the road to abuse typically begins as a pain-reliever, whether medically or self-prescribed. They take the edge off of the emotional or physical pains associated with a myriad of issues, including the simple stresses that daily life has to dish out. Sadly, alcohol and drugs are only a temporary escape from the pain and actually facilitate the user in making excuses or providing false claims that they have learned to deal with the problem.

This creates a cycle of use, also known as addiction. The user continues to use drugs or alcohol to "calm" or "ease" the pain, some even calling it their way to wind down or just relax. Over time, the user NEEDS the substance, both mentally and physically, in order to relax or feel pain free. Before one knows it, the addiction will consume their life, creating irrational though processes which lead to crime, to justify their decisions. All of which destroys the bonds around the user and those who care about him or her but feel overwhelmed as they watch their loved one destroy their life.

By the help of the Bureau of Justice and other statistical reports, it is clear that one of the biggest contributors to violent crimes associated with drug use is not from anything wacky, but rather something commonly sold in nearly every convenience store in the country.

Bottoms up!