What comes first--drugs or poverty?

Question

Do people do drugs because they're poor as a form of escapism, or become poor from doing drugs? There's no single right answer, but generally, which is more true?

Answer 1

I would say that in most cases poverty comes first. Poverty places people in neighborhoods where drugs are prevelent. However, in extreme cases, where people overuse drugs, I would say that addiction can cause poverty. But even those comming from a wealthy or even middle-class background can rely on friends and family before they hit the bottom. So I think most of the time it's poverty first.

Answer 2

Well I feel the one that is more often true is that poverty stricken people use drugs as a form of escapism. Now there are lots of people out there that could probably their self/family OUT of poverty if they'd just stop using&spending $ on drugs. Which not only costs $, but likely impairs ability TO have a "better" job or to get one if unemployed. Not just because of the drugs effects, but also because of jobs requiring drug screens. As to people BECOMMING poor from doing drugs, yeah it happens. Though if a person is an adult and not close to poverty level when he or she uses drugs that person isn't likely to enter into poverty from using the drug(s). There are tons of rich people that use & abuse drugs all the time & they aren't becomming poor. Take Robert Downey Jr for example. That man uses drugs & is definately not in poverty, nor is he alone in the rich & uses drugs things. So while both are/can be true, the one that is closer to being correct more often would be the drugs as excapism. Though we all should know that not all poverty-level individuals use drugs as a form of eacapism.

Answer 3

A lot of wealthy people do drugs, so drugs don't come from poverty. Some people become poor when they spend everything they have on drugs. There really is no answer. The world has a lot of drugs and a lot of poverty.

Answer 4

That's tantamount to asking the age-old bromide about what came first, the chicken or the egg? However, street drugs, to my knowledge, are not cheap. So your statement about using them because someone is poor, as an escapism, doesn't quite make economic sense to me. Poor people can't afford street drugs, even though they may obtain them using criminal tactics such as theft or prostitution. But herein, the gravy train eventually must come to a screeching halt, as they will eventually end up in jail or become an overdose victim. Therefore, I would have to conclude that poverty is the direct result of excessive drug use -- even if one is a dealer. Even that train can get derailed in an incredibly short time.

Answer 5

Some people live in poverty because they can't find a way out even though they try. I would say generally speaking that drugs would lead to poverty. I have heard that sad story enough times. Wanted to get that high feeling then their whole life fell apart.

Answer 6

Well Lisa, In my opinion, I think that people start to do drugs, which in turn makes them not care about anything else and they become poor because all they can think about is getting high. It sounds cliche but they do drugs which causes their lives to spiral out of control until eventualy they have nothing left. But the need to get high is still present. A good way to help with this is to volenteer in the community. Coach kids sports. If kids have sports, it starts to build a work ethic for them, and keeps them occupied from drugs.

Answer 7

drugs addicts, alcoholics, problem gamblers, etc, all use their addiction as a way of dealing with life and their feelings, because they dont know a better way of dealing with it...

i think it really depends on the individual case...

will someone become poor from a $2000/day coke addiction? yup...

will they become poor from smoking 1 joint a day? probably not...

do all poor people use drugs/alcohol to cope with their lives? absolutely not...


i couldnt even make a generalization about which is "more true".. convincing arguments could be made for both sides..

Answer 8

I think in most cases drugs come first. The need to buy the drugs causes the poverty. And I'm not saying that all people that live in poverity use drugs... just that I think in most cases drugs come first.

Answer 9

I would suggest that drugs comes before poverty as you need money to buy them.

If you are poor, then your life may first lead you to crime to get money (robbery, etc), you may then turn to drugs, which will in-turn again lead you to poverty.

You have to have some sort of wealth to do drugs.

Answer 10

i think the first one
'drugs because they're poor as a form of escapism'