Information from http://www.abovetheinfluence.com/facts/science-behind-addiction.aspx
Different drugs work in different ways. Heroin and marijuana work by mimicking natural neurotransmitters, and trigger "artificial" release of dopamine. Others like cocaine and meth stop the recycling process or overwork the natural neurotransmitters to produce extra dopamine. Some drugs release over ten times the amount of dopamine normally produced. Abuse of drugs can lead to tolerance, which is when the brain tries to combat drugs by reducing amounts of dopamine. This means that addicts need drugs (and more of them) to get their dopamine levels regulated.
Information from http://teens.drugabuse.gov/facts/index.php (Nicotine) and http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/drugs-alcohol/alcohol5.htm (Alcohol)
Nicotine and alcohol can be even worse than the drugs listed above because they are legal, so there is no limit to how much can be consumed. There isn't with illegal drugs either, but people tend to take less of them so that if they are caught, their punishment is not as bad. Nicotine only takes eight seconds to act on the brain. Nicotine is the most widely used drug in the U.S. and kills over 500,000 people every year- more than all other addictive drugs combined. Alcohol on the other hand, doesn't kill unless it is consumed in vast quantities. There are six stages to drunkness, all depending on the BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) They are: Euphoria, Excitement, Confusion, Stupor, Coma, and Death.
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