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Are you worried about your own drug taking or alcohol intake? Do you know someone who is misusing alcohol or drugs or who you have a concern about? It's good to know the facts about how they can both themselves and others.

Drugs & Alcohol can act on the brain and nervous system, changing a person’s mood, emotion and or state of consciousness. Drug or Alcohol misuse is when a person regularly takes one or more drugs to change their mood, emotion or state of consciousness.

Not all substance use causes problems. Illicit substance use is widespread amongst the population. It is estimated that nearly 50% of young adults have used cannabis.  Only a small number of those who use substances become dependent. Both problem use and dependency may indicate the need for treatment, as may the particular risks or harms arising from the problem use or dependency.

Problems associated with substance misuse range from the biological (accidental overdose, viral infections, liver disease etc.) to the psychological (depression, psychosis) to the social (homelessness, deteriorating relationships, and loss of work, financial problems, and acquisitive crime).