This dissertation is an attempt to draw attention to the growing problem of drug abuse in the world and in our country, especially among children and youth. The author of this research through years of work in many secondary educational institutions, with children aged 14 - 18 age (turbulent period of mentally and physically personality development) noticed the changes and growing differences in the negative sense of psychosocial relationships between parents and children, children and school, teachers and children, and the relationship among children which causes bullying, and the collapse of healthy and positive values of the individual. These negative tendencies in society add to the development of many anti-social, often socio-pathological phenomena, that threaten the safety of youth, and therefore the safety of society and a country as a whole. Precisely these factors form the starting point for the research outlined in this paper. First, the paper provides a brief historical overview of the first human experience with the drugs of natural origin and their use, as well as the development of synthetic substances that derive from natural but pharmacologically stronger drugs. It seems that from the very beginning a man was familiar with the harmful effects of drugs, which is best illustrated by the fact that even in those early days children, women and pregnant women weren't allowed to use drugs. Unfortunately, today's modern society is faced with a growing problem of substance and drug abuse. The subject of this dissertation is focused on the social aspects of drug abuse - drug addiction among youth as a cause of contemporary safety issues in the Republic of Serbia. Drug abuse is characterized by two causal phenomena which are at the base of the social pathologies of modern society and young people. The first phenomenon is substance abuse among young people and therefore we analyzed the factors that cause the development of the abuse as well as the ways, means, and subjects that are supposed to take part in fighting this modern plague. Another phenomenon is the drug mafia whose illegal activities (production, transport and trade) has significant negative impact on youth. Therefore, this study covers several areas related to drug abuse starting from the causes, conditions and consequences of this negative phenomenon among the young people, and taking into a consideration all the activities of illegal drug manufacturers. Further on, the subject of this paper includes issues related to the solution of this problem in terms of security, as well as methods and ways of opposing and eradicating this evil. The underlying idea of this research is a sublimation of theoretical and empirical knowledge for thorough understanding of this contemporary problem. The complexity of the research required the use of multiple research methods such as a method of content analysis, a method of secondary data analysis of content (comparative) method, statistical method and in-depth interview. The scientific objective of the research in this PhD thesis is reflected in systematizing scientific and theoretical knowledge of the socio-medical problem which threatens the overall safety of young people and the country in general. The practical aim of the research is to expand knowledge about the characteristics and dimensions of the initial conditions and causes of drug and substance abuse as well as to create awareness about the necessity of improving the socio-educational and safety culture and practice control, prevention and eradication of negative events. Taking into consideration the scientific and social justification, a research conceived like this aims to strengthen and expand the knowledge of drug abuse problems, and protects young population and safety in society. The first chapter of this paper presents general observations and baseline factors that contribute to anti-social phenomenon among young people, from vagrancy, smoking, occasional alcohol consumption. This leads to neglecting family and school obligations and school, which can be considered an beginning of anti-social behavior, which can incline toward social pathology if it isn't stopped. This chapter also discusses the types and characteristics of drugs and other psychoactive substances and their effects on the body of a young person, and the consequences of drug abuse. The second chapter highlights several effects of substance abuse, such as endangerment of the mental and physical condition of a drug addict, as well as the socio-economic status of his family. An addict first uses the substance carelessly, and then forced by the demands of the body for the substance (drugs) he enters into a vicious circle that causes behavior which endangers himself, his family and surroundings in socio-medical, economic and security terms. The third chapter of this study shows the burden of drug addiction on the individual, the family and the country as a whole. All indicators of socio-medical, economic and security aspects point to the large impact of drug abuse (drug addiction) on overall situation in the country, because an addict is unable to take care of himself so his family is burdened, preoccupied with the problem (concerning social, economic, medical and legal status). Also, an addict is subject to self-destructive behaviour and suicide. The addict is unable to be engaged in the country defense. Significant financial resources are needed in order to hire professionals who can cure addiction and work on re-socialization of an addict. In addition to this, the study examines and explains the origin, development and fighting against drug related crime that with its diverse actions (corruption, money laundering, organized crime) cause serious harm and even threatens the overall security, and normal functioning of the state. The final chapter of of this paper is an attempt to analyze and investigate fully the hypothesis that drug and substance abuse affects youth, which creates socio-medical, economic, legal and safety issues, while at the same time it suggests ways to fight and eradicate this plague. Ova doktorska disertacija je još jedan pokušaj da se ukaže na rastući problem zloupotrebe droga - narkomanije kako u svetu tako i kod nas, naročito usmeren ka deci i omladini. Dugogodišnji rad samog autora ovog istraživanja u mnogim srednjoškolskim vaspitno-obrazovnim ustanovama, odnosno neposrednim učešćem u toj oblasti sa decom uzrasta od 14. do 18. godine starosti (najburniji psihofizički razvoj ličnosti) gde su uočavane promene i rastuće razlike u negativnom smislu psiho-socijalnih odnosa između roditelja i dece, dece i škole, nastavnika i dece i međusobni odnos dece, što uzrokuje vršnjačko nasilje potom i urušavanje zdravih i pozitivnih vrednosti pojedinca. To sveukupno pospešuje razvoj mnogobrojnih asocijalnih pojava do sociopatoloških, koje ugrožavaju sveukupnu bezbednost mladih, a samim tim i bezbednost društva i države u celini. Ti činioci su polazni inicijator ka sublimaciji sveukupnog iskustva sažetog u ovom radu. Najpre je dat kratak istorijski pregled događaja i svedočanstava o postojanju droge prirodnog porekla i čovekovog susreta-upotrebe psihoaktivnih biljaka, zatim pronalaženjem novih suspstanci-sintetizovanjem analogno prirodnim samo farmakološki jačim. Važno je napomenuti da u tom početnom periodu upotreba droga prirodnog porekla, odnos čoveka i droge je bio takav da se zabranjivala upotreba deci, ženama i trudnicama. Što govorio dobrom poznavanju njihovog delovanja, odnosno teških posledica po razvoj dece. Nakon mnogo vekova upotrebe i zloupotrebe droga do danas kada su droge i PAS zabranjene za upotrebu, osim kontrolisano za medicinske potrebe, srećemo se sa rastućim problemom zloupotrebe. Predmet istraživanja ove doktorske disertacije usmeren je na socijalne aspekte zloupotrebe droga-narkomanije mladih kao uzroka savremenih bezbednosnih problema u Republici Srbiji. Zloupotrebu droga karakterišu dve uzročno - posledične snažno povezane pojave koje čine bazu socijalne patologije savremenog društva, naročito mladih. Prva pojava je zloupotreba droga i PAS od strane mladih te su shodno tome analizirani činioci koji pogoduju razvoju narkomanije kod mladih kao načini, sredstva, i subjekti koji bi trebali i morali da učetsvuju u suprotstavljanju ovoj savremenoj pošasti. Druga pojava je zloupotreba droga od strane narko-mafije koja svojim ilegalnim radom (proizvodnja, transport i trgovina) ima višestruki negativan uticaj na mlade. Stoga, predmet ovog istraživanja obuhvata nekoliko oblasti vezanih za zloupotrebu droga počev od uzroka, uslova i posledica ove negativne pojave kako kod mladih, tako i od strane ilegalnih proizvođača. Dalje predmet ovog rada obuhvata i pitanja vezana za rešavanje ovog problema sa aspekta bezbednosti, to jest metode i oblike suprotstavljanja i iskorenjivanja ovog zla. Osnova cilja ovog istraživanja je sublimacija teorijskih i empirijskih saznanja radi temeljnije spoznaje fenomenoloških obeležja ovog savremenog problema. Složenost ovog problema istraživanja zahtevala je komplementarno korišćenje više metoda istraživanja (metod analize sadržaja, metod sekundarne analize sadržaja (komparativni) metod, statistički metod i dubinski intervju). Naučni cilj istraživanja u ovoj doktorskoj disertaciji ogleda se u sistematizovanju i upotpunjavanju naučno-teorijskih saznanja o socio-medicinskom problemu a potom i sveukupnoj bezbednosti mladih i na kraju države u celini. Praktičan cilj istraživanja je proširivanje saznanja o polaznim karakteristikama i dimenzijama uslova i uzroka zloupotreba opojnih droga i PAS kao i unapređivanje metoda ka stvaranju svesti o nužnosti unapređenja socio- pedagoške i bezbednosne kulture potom i prakse u suzbijanju, sprečavanju i iskorenjivanju negativnih pojava. Posmatrajući sa aspekta naučne i društvene opravdanosti, ovako koncipirano istraživanje je usmereno na produbljivanju i proširivanju saznanja o problemu narkomanij