When people think of drug abuse and addiction, they usually think of how it affects the individual user or addict and the user or addict's family and friends, but it is important to consider that drug abuse also affects society. describe how drug abuse affects society and the consequences of drug abuse in america.

First of all..I'd like to say that drug abuse isn't a joke. It's a real problem. As someone with a family perspective I can speak. Not only does it affect the user and or family/friends,but yeah society. It's like a ripple of affects. More than one person is affected and those people are the people. We the people. We make up society and every single person has an influence on it. If someone gets on drugs well then the people in their life are affected by this we are all the people of society. Society can either stop drug abuse or accept it. Now a days there are songs about drug usage and #YOLO on social media. That isn't just pop-culture but our culture. Makes it sound like its all going to be okay and it wont be. Things will change with usage.
Think about the consequences. Drugs are illegal. When someone tries to get their hands on some and especially succeeds it is a crime. Another crime. Crime rate increases. Dealers sell. Users buy. From teens to adults to teachers to parents to siblings to preachers to corrupt state employees of the law. Person to Person.
I'll give an example of drug usage for you.

Maruhana consequences:
depression
anxiety
increase of sypmtoms for anyone with mental problems..ex,Schizophrenia ,depression,anxiety disorder,ocd,to name a few.
and yes smoking pot CAN BECOME AN ADDICTION.
Meth consequences: the shrinking of your head and enlargement of your neck
faster aging process
loss of teeth
loss of brain cells
loss of nerves
you may become "slow"
damaged nerves
death

Those are only examples.

The consequences are almost endless.

How does this exactly affect society? ...from a personal perspective I can answer that. Society becomes damaged. How? Because we all affect one another. How? in all sorts of ways.

hope this answered your question. if you need maybe some details on society and what not ill answer.