Is drug addiction related to genetics or environment?

Question

Why do some people become so easily addicted to drugs than others? Is it in their genes? Is it an environmental factor, or both? Do you think people are born with a predisposition to addiction? This question has baffled me for a long time...what do you think?

Answer 1

It's both genetics and enviornment... And it's all a matter of circumstances that would lead a person down that road. Sometimes when your in a bad place emotionally, the genetics will take over, and lead you to addiction.

Answer 2

I think it's a little of both for some. For some ppl their parents ect have had addictions, not necessarily to drugs but some sort of addiction. And the addictive behavior is passed down through the genes. Doesn't have to be a drug addiction of the parents for the off spring to become addicted to drugs.
For others they have had a bad environment and just do it because everyone else is so they try it and the addiction starts.
Then there is the other category that they are in the bad environment of the addiction and are weak because it was also passed on in there genes

Answer 3

I think it's environment more than anything. In my entire family there is one drug addict and most of the others don't even have a drink, let alone do drugs. The druggie is hard core, to boot, shoots up, the entire bit. She started hanging with the wrong crowd, moved out young and has been doing drugs since then. Our mom raised her and my mom wasn't exactly the parent type, if you know what I mean. On the other hand, I was raised by my grandparents, my grandpa being a deacon in the Baptist church. I was raised knowing right from wrong and most of the time chose what was right. My sister, however, in her late 30s, cares about no one, including her own children. All she cares about are her drugs and her druggie friends. She has been in prison and rehab and still does the drugs and has no intention on stopping. It's easy to see, in this case, that it was environment, not genetics.

Answer 4

I think it's a combination of both. Most people are born with addiction of some kind in their genes. The environment they live in might help choose what kind of addiction they have. Most use their addictive personality traits and turn them into good, healthy hobbies of sorts. Others turn to drugs, thinking they will fill what void they feel is missing in their lives.

Answer 5

I have heard of some babies being born addicted to crack, because their mothers smoked it while they were pregnant. Other than that, I dont think being on drugs has anything to do w/ genetics. Doing drugs is a choice, that's why I think genetics has nothing to do w/it. Something that is genetic is something a person usually cannot change about themselves, like diabetes or heart disease. I think doing drugs has everything to do w/environment. If you are constantly around people who smoke, there's a good chance you may start. If you are in a depressing situation, you might do drugs for a short excape.

Answer 6

It is a combination. I think you are born with a predisposition to addiction of any form and if your environment has a lot of bad things in it, you will be more prone to addiction than someone in a good environment with no addictive tendancies.

Answer 7

i thinks its a combination of both. depending on what kind of environment you come from you are more prone to addiction or not.

Answer 8

yes
some are more easily addicted , just like to cigarettes, it is best to never experiment with any of it then your body won't have to struggle to resist.

Answer 9

it is both . you are more likely to be addicted if one or both of your parents were or are