During my second year on Speech Team, I was put into an event that was totally new to me. Informative Speaking, also known as the most boring event amongst speech kids, is an event where the speaker writes and performs an 8 minute speech about a specific topic. The speech has to be in a past, present and future format while informing others on the topic of their choice. While I was looking for topics, the science behind how a person’s genetics can possibly lead to addiction sounded really interesting to me. Delving into this subject promised not only personal intrigue but also the opportunity to educate others on a fascinating yet complex aspect of human behavior.

Hi, my name is Risandi and I am an addict. Let’s face it, we’re all addicts in this room. Addiction can be different for everyone. For example, I am VERY addicted to a strawberry Acai lemonade with light ice and a splash of peach juice. Meanwhile others might prefer something just a little stronger. Okay, a lot stronger. We all suffer from addiction not only to substances like energy drinks, coffee and sugar but also certain activities like watching TV or doom scrolling on TikTok for 3 hours. Often, addiction is perceived as a journey that a person starts going on voluntarily. While in some cases that may be true, research from the University of Utah has shown that 40 to 60% of a persons genetics can increase their risk of addiction. Recognizing this major factor could change the way we understand addiction. So today, we’ll look into the past of how genetics and drug addiction are related, what current research is revealing about their connection, and finally, how better understanding this generational relationship could affect many people in the future.  

When I personally think of Paleolithic addiction, I imagine a neanderthal Walter White cooking up meth over a campfire in a leopard pelt. But human drug use didn’t actually start with cavemen. According to the National Library of Medicine, drug use actually started almost a thousand years ago when priests and other religious leaders used drugs to partake in their religious rituals and practices. In addition to being used in religious and cultural circumstances, drugs became introduced into medical treatment. However the research only began in the 1900’s as reported by the same article. When researchers and doctors came together to crack down on medical uses, they discovered an increase in cure rates. The new research being produced caused people to be more hopeful for future medical treatments and attracted society to be more “pro-drugs” so to say. I mean we loved morphine! We loved opium! We loved cocaine so much that we put it in our soda! But that still didn’t stop a lot of people from enjoying a large coke from McDonalds. Since the 1940’s, The Journal of Studies on Alcohol has published an abundance of articles about research on alcoholism and drug abuse during that time. Later in 2014, Dr. Schukit published an article analyzing the studies claiming that: “A scan of articles published in the journal have identified more than 335 manuscripts that touch directly or indirectly on issues related to genetics of substance-related problems.” As you can see, genetics have played an important role in drug research for years. There have been several studies published recognizing that genetics can truly affect a person’s life. Even if it was back in the day, the research and the facts revealed that there isn’t a blank space between genetics and addiction. 

So let’s take a look at what current studies are revealing about the relationship between genetics and addiction. Two present areas of study have included looking at genetic vulnerability to addiction, as well as the relationship between addiction and stress. Rutgers University has just done a study where they “…measured current polygenic scores, combined them with environmental risk factors and  predicted substance use disorders in 15,000 patients.” There are so many factors that can lead to addiction however genes may play a bigger role in human lives than we think. And I’m not talking about the kind from Levis. A second area of research has uncovered a connection between stress and addiction. Stress can play a variety of roles in our lives. It can be exciting, like the unforgettable, epic experience of your 3 month long talking stage, or it can be insanely agonizing, like when that same guy ghosts you. But according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, environmental factors such as stress can induce epigenetic changes that can trigger the development of psychiatric disorders and drug addiction. Kurt Cobain is an example of how genetics can change a person’s life. The famous lead singer of Nirvana, struggled with drug abuse early in his career. An article published by Overeasy details the rich and famous environment he was in that changed the trajectory of his life. But his substance abuse problems may have been largely due to his genetic background. Coming from a family that struggled with bipolar disorders and addiction affected his life due to genetics. Unfortunately, the genetic lottery is something that’s truly a hit or miss game. You either get it or you don’t. But with something as life-altering as addiction, it is important to research the genetics that may determine such drastic outcomes. 

The journey the future holds for drug addiction is still being researched. However there  are still many studies being published and more researchers realizing that genetics can play a huge role in human substance abuse. One breakthrough that may help with this phenomenon is a device that can scan a person’s genetics to see if they have addictive genes. The American Psychological Association states that “Experts believe…they may be able to use a D2 dopamine receptor to tell if someone will become addicted to substances like heroin, cocaine, or alcohol.” The device will scan the patients genes and if they happen to have more D2 receptors then they are more likely to become addicted to those drugs. In addition to that, the Greenhouse Treatment Center believes that preventative methods in the future may include gene therapy as it may play a vital role in helping solve the addiction puzzle. The Cleveland clinic explained Gene therapy as a medical approach were a person’s genetic makeup is altered. This technique allows doctors to treat certain conditions instead of using traditional treatments which include surgery or medications. Ohio State University’s medical school recognized that gene therapy might offer a one time treatment for people suffering alcohol addiction. Due to gene therapy being an outlook for the future, many believe that there will be an increase in substance abuse recovery. While there are many studies done on human addiction, recognizing that genetics are a key point in discovering new treatment methods is how the medical field and society as a whole is moving forward leaving the stigma around addiction and addicts behind. 

We are only just beginning to understand the important connection between genetics and addiction. This important discovery can lead to a greater understanding of substance abuse and can help remove the negative stigma around people struggling with addiction. Today, we’ve looked at the past of drug addiction and genetics, what current research is emerging on the topic, and how future researchers are discovering new ways to reduce addiction by recognizing genetics’ key role. Addiction can affect everybody. So the next time you find yourself ordering too many strawberry Acai lemonades, blame your great grandmother. After all, it is up to the genetic lottery.