Drugs and Alcoholism

Drugs

A drug is any biological substance, synthetic or non-synthetic, that when taken into the organism's body, will in some way alter the biological functions of that organism. This broad definition can be taken to include such substances as food. However more strict applications of the word prevail in everyday life. In these cases the word "drug" is usually used to refer specifically to medicine, vitamins, entheogenic sacrements, consciousness expanding and recreational drugs. Many natural substances such as beers, wines, and some mushrooms, blur the line between food and drugs and when ingested affect the functioning of both mind and body.
Drugs are usually distinguished from endogenous biochemicals by being introduced from outside the organism. For example, insulin is a hormone that is synthesized in the body; it is called a hormone when it is synthesized by the pancreas inside the body, but if it is introduced into the body from outside, it is called a drug.

Alcoholism

Alcoholism is generally defined as the consistent and excessive consumption of and/or preoccupation with alcoholic beverages to the extent that this behavior interferes with an individual's normal personal, family, social, or work life. Alcoholism can potentially result in psychological and physiological conditions, as well as, ultimately, death. Alcoholism is one of the world's most costly drug use problems. With the exception of nicotine addiction, alcoholism is more costly to most countries than all other drug use problems combined..
While alcohol abuse is a prerequisite for what is defined as alcoholism, the biological mechanism of alcoholism is uncertain. For most people, alcohol consumption poses little or no danger of addiction. Other factors generally contribute for alcohol use to develop into alcoholism. These factors may include a person's social environment, emotional health and genetic predisposition.