Drug Free Society
Introduction
The topic of a drug free society and whether such can ever exist causes many reactions. Some may even ask why this is an important conversation? To begin this discussion it is worthwhile to look historically at why it has become such an issue in the United States. In 1971, President Nixon called for a War on Drugs recruiting the assistance of the Federal Government and in particular the Drug Enforcement Agency [DEA] (Vulliamy, 2011). As part of this measure, Nixon requested financial assistance approximating an initial $84 million for these emergency measures in an era of significant concern about drugs (2011). According to the President, drug abuse was ‘public enemy number one’ (2011). The War on Drugs
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According to Schanlaub (2003), people may be more inclined to abuse prescription medications at they may see little harm in ingesting a product created in a laboratory following government regulations and in full compliance of the law, in comparison to an illegal product created in a converted mobile home by criminals. However, despite the potential for abuse, a simple outlawing of drugs that may be abused could do more harm than good, particularly for patients who medially need these products. There are legitimate uses for prescriptions that are abused ranging from pain control for post-operative or hospice patients, or control of mental health symptoms among those are suffering from mental illness. For some of these individuals, the use of these medications allows them to continue to lead productive lives. Even in the realm of substance abuse treatment, there are changing views as more substance abusers are presenting with co-existing mental illnesses (Perfas & Spross, 2007).
Conclusion
In conclusion, the author of this brief paper believes that a drug free society in purest terms will never exist. Further, there are many good uses of drugs that reduce harm rather than cause harm. Some even argue whether we should focus on free drugs rather than drug free. The challenge remains as to how to focus the conversation on meaningful policy reform recognizing that for many the issue is addiction
With access to prescription drugs, people are able to treat a multitude of diseases and illnesses. These drugs help deal with pain, inability to sleep, depression, and much more. Every day we are increasingly living in a world where there is better living through chemicals. However, what most do not seem to see is the rising tide of pain, illness, and ultimately death being caused by the pills people take every day. Most keep drugs in a special place in their minds, where they see them as harmless. Sadly, this is not the case, and in some cases our prescription drugs can be just as harmful as illegal drugs (King 68).
Western countries struggle with the control of drug abuse. America, for example, has been failing with eliminating or reducing the chronic issues of drug abuse and crimes associated with drugs. America’s goal around these problems consistently has been complete
Almost one hundred years ago, prescription drugs like morphine were available at almost any general store. Women carried bottles of very addictive potent opiate based pain killers in their purse. Many individuals like Edgar Allen Poe died from such addictions. Since that time through various federal, state and local laws, drugs like morphine are now prescription drugs; however, this has not stopped the addiction to opiate based pain killers. Today’s society combats an ever increasing number of very deadly addictive drugs from designer drugs to narcotics to the less potent but equally destructive alcohol and marijuana. With all of these new and old drugs going in and out of vogue with addicts, it appears that the increase of misuse and
Following the guidelines by policymakers and the CDC to limit prescription of opioid medications, there have been numerous instances that highlight the pharmaceutical industry’s role in propagating initiatives that are contrary to these guidelines hence thwarting the fight against opioid abuse (Bement et al., 2014). The opioid pharmaceutical market is worth about $ 10 billion in sales annually which explains why the pharmaceutical industry would be reluctant in joining the fight against opioid abuse. The pharmaceutical industry perceives the fight against opioid use as a setback. As a result, the industry is constantly looking for measures to earn more profits by aggressively expanding the market for more drugs that are related to opioid use such that the answer to opioid addiction is to use more pills. The pharmaceutical industry is aggressively manufacturing alternative drugs to treat the side-effects of opioid use like constipation. Historically, the pharmaceutical industry has been accused of providing misleading information concerning the addictive features of some opioid medications which further frustrates the initiatives to stop opioid abuse since the addiction levels will be high for
There are many differing viewpoints in the United States when dealing with drug policy. Within the political arena, drug policy is a platform that many politicians base their entire campaigns upon, thus showing its importance to our society in general. Some of these modes within which drug policy is studied are in terms of harm reduction, and supply reduction. When studying the harmful effects of drugs, we must first to attempt to determine if drug abuse harms on an individual level of if it is a major cause of many societal problems that we face today. In drawing a preliminary conclusion to this question we are then able to outline the avenues of approach in dealing
A new escalating drug abuse epidemic has come about in the recent years; people are now choosing prescription pills as their new drug of choice. The use, abuse and death caused by prescription drugs has increased significantly within the past couple years. All types of prescription pills are more easily accessible from their doctors, family members or off the street. Doctors are handing out prescriptions for pills, such as pain management pills, muscle relaxers, and anti-anxiety, like they are candy and not potentially dangerous to the consumers. In today’s society doctors are over prescribing pills to Americans and the prescription pill distribution should be more closely monitored and controlled. Although there are people who benefit
This distinction, between the legitimate use of psychoactive medicines and the sub rosa use of drugs, is more vexed than ever. We have seen nearly 45 years of the War of Drugs… outcries about the safety of our children and accompanying uproars about nicotine in e-cigarettes, caffeine in energy drinks, “synthetic marijuana”, and heroin… club drugs, designer drugs, experimental drugs, homemade methamphetamine… We have pharmaceutical commercials on TV…to the point that any thinking person would be forgiven for questioning the
In the hectic pill-popping world we live in today, around 6.5 million people in the U.S. currently abuse prescription medication and out of those 6.5 million, 4.5 of those people abuse pain relievers according to Nova Science Publishers (Greer). Codeine, oxycodone, Adderall, and Xanax just to name a few of the favorites among abusers (Fahey and Miller). These medications can end up on the streets and in the hands of party-goers looking for a “good time”. Dangerous pills such as those listed above can be quite useful by people with authentic medical conditions such as anxiety and ADHD, but also have the power to be abused by teenage party goers that crave a
The war on drugs has proven to be a long standing complex issue in today's society. Decades after Regan declared America's stand on the drug epidemic, this subject is still a topic of conversation amongst the government, local and federal, along with concerned citizens. America has made little to no progress in decreasing drug addiction and distribution in communities and has yet to find a solution on how to stop drug pollution. Many years later, with still or solution, one may ask, is this indeed a judicial issue? Or it is a legislative problem? Why has the government been ineffective 30 years later? Has there been any progress since the beginning stages? What is it going to take to conquer this
In the United States of America, there is prescription drug abuse epidemic that continues to be a growing concern. Prescription drugs cause a large amount of overdoses and result in an abundant amount of deaths each year. A government study conducted shows this epidemic is scarily on the rise, “A recent government study found a 400% increase in prescription drug abuse between 1998 and 2008” (Schreiner 531). The excessive use of prescription drug abuse is leading to nonmedical use of the drugs, and creating addiction. Furthermore society is paying an extreme amount of money in this battle. With this drug abuse on the rise, legislators must create a law preventing doctors and pharmacists from over prescribing prescription medications as well a law to require they both participate in drug monitoring programs to prevent drug abuse. Now is the time that doctors and the pharmaceutical industry must be held accountable for their role in causing one of America’s worst addictions. The over medication of prescription drugs in the United States must be brought to an end by legislators creating laws to stop
There was a great push for a non-judgmental approach that would ‘reduce physical, social and psychological risks to individuals who use drugs and to society as a whole’ (McCann & Temenos, 2015, p. 217). Never the less, this was a highly contested set of policy formulation across all levels of governance.
The purpose of this report is to show the major problems we face in America if we do not address the misuse of prescription drugs. America’s pain pill and heroin addiction exceeds that of all other countries in the world, statistics from the UN office on Drugs and Crimes show. This report will show emphasis on the misuse of prescription drugs and some of the causes.
A multibillion dollar industry, with a consumer population of about 125 to 203 million people; the drug industry affects lives of all racial, ethnic, economic , social background, including participants in the drug industry, addicts, teenagers, parents, families, and officers of the law. Many people have encountered an experience with drugs and or drug education; the shared experience regarding the discussion of this topic or illegal experience brings importance to this current issue and validates the proposal for change. How much change, what change and how long will the change take place. Although this issue has many perspectives and opinions on how the war on drugs could be “won”, I will focus on two perspectives: drug criminalization and drug legalization. In a Human Rights lens, I will discuss the limitations and strengths of both methods. In the opinion of some and with hindsight the status quo regarding drugs requires reform in order to reverse the unintended consequences of drug prohibition. In the opinion of others criminalizing participants in the drug trade should be penalized under the law.
The negative outcomes of medication misuse influence people who ill-use medicates as well as their families and companions, different organizations, and government assets (Akindipe, Abiodun, Adebajo, Lawal, & Rataemane, 2014). Albeit huge numbers of these impacts can 't be evaluated, “Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) as of late in 2002 reported that, the monetary expense of drug abuse within the United States was $180.9 billion” (Akindipe et al., 2014, Pg 250 Para 10). The
Drug abuse is a major public health issue that impacts society both directly and indirectly; every person, every community is somehow affected by drug abuse and addiction and this economic burden is not exclusive to those who use substance, it inevitably impacts those who don 't. Drugs impact our society in various ways including but not limited to lost earnings, health care expenditures, costs associated with crime, accidents, and deaths. The use of licit or illicit drugs long term, causes millions of deaths and costs billions for medical care and substance abuse rehabilitation and the effects of drug abuse extend beyond users, spilling over into the society at large, imposing increasing