Considering the consequences for individuals, families and society, drug abuse or drug addiction become both serious public health and socio-pathological problems all over the world. According to information from the World Health Organization, at least 15.3 million persons have serious behavioral and psychopathological problems with drug abuse or drug addiction; injecting drug use is reported in 136 countries, of which 93 report HIV infection among this population. The illicit drug trade threatens millions of lives in both developed and developing countries. The UN estimates that 3.1% of the global population or 4.3% of people aged 15 years and above were consuming drugs in the late 1990’s. Therefore the UN estimates that 147 million people were consuming cannabis, 33 million consuming stimulants (amphetamine type, including 7 million consumers of ecstasy), 13 million people taking cocaine and 13 million people abusing opiates, including 9 million heroin abusers. Last but not least, for every dollar invested in drug treatment, 7 dollars are saved in health and social care system.

drug addiction, prevention interventions, social learning theory, cognitive psychology