Drug Use Vs. Recreational Use

This essay is going to look at Howard Parker et al’s (1998) theory of ‘normalisation’ and critically evaluate whether or not it still relevant in contemporary society. The essay will begin by explaining the theory in relation to how and where it developed from. The essay will move on to focus on specific aspects such as globalisation and how certain issues have affected the ‘normalisation’ of recreational drug use. The focus will then move onto describing the seven dimensions of ‘normalisation’ that Howard et al (1998) developed; drug availability, drug

Greek members and Athlete students are involved with drugs and alcohol more than college students that are not part of Greek life or athletes. As of the peer pressure and the exposure exhibited in their surroundings does have an impact on their use of drugs and alcohol.

Injecting drug users (IDUs) are frequently interviewed regarding drug use, risk behaviors and criminality. Users are far less frequently asked about their attitudes towards drug related issues and this generally relates to treatment provision and health issues, such as blood borne viral treatment, naloxone distribution, and needle and syringe programs. Little research exists on the attitudes of IDUs towards the legal status of illicit substances, yet clearly the legal status of a substance is of relevance to users, given that IDUs have high rates of arrest and imprisonment for possession, dealing and acquisitive crime. Study Method. They recruited people in September of 2011- August of 2012. They paid each participant $30. Recruited by word of mouth, advertisements, and through needle and syringe programs. Eligibility criteria were: 18 years old, satisfactory understanding of English and weekly injecting drug use over the preceding 12 months. 313 people were screened and participants were assured of both confidentiality and anonymity, and the study had ethical approval from the University of New South Wales and all relevant area health services. Study Findings. The sample consisted of 300 regular IDUs. The mean age was 37.1 years and 69.7% were male. The sample had completed a mean of 9.8 years of schooling. 34% had completed a trade/technical course and 2% a university degree. The majority were unemployed (83.0%), with 5.0% in fulltime employment and 12.0% in

The topic is talked about but quietly and behind closed doors. No one wants to admit that it is their problem. The stigma attached to drug use needs to be eradicated and instead be discussed openly and often. Recognizing it as an illness, identifying risk factors, educating and communicating are strategies needed to combat this health problem. The Health People 2020 objective SA-2.4 works to “Increase the proportion of high school seniors never using substances—Illicit drugs.” Educating adolescents, families and the community about the risks and consequences associated with illegal drug use makes objective SA-2.4

To gain a well rounded analysis, we look to other studies which emphasise the enduring strength of barriers – peer pressure, parental attachment, personal value systems – that keep most young people from associating with a culture in which familiarity with drugs is ‘normal '. The idea behind this argument is that drug use is in fact far from the norm, young drug users hold the same values as that of wider society and they only take drugs because they are trying to neutralise the guilt that has resulted from engaging in a behaviour they know is ultimately wrong. With this argument in mind, one could argue that it is up to the criminal justice system to help regulate illegal drug use because young people are aware that what they are doing is wrong and carry on doing so because they already feel guilty about breaking societal values. As plausible as this argument may seem, such an interpretation is simplistic in that it makes assumptions that those who take drugs perceive it to be wrong, instead they may just feel guilt because of the existing societal sanctions that are in place and not because they are breaking so called 'societal values '. Having said this, there are also other studies which support the findings of the NWELS. South argues that "the ‘normalisation of drug use’ reflects society’s undeniable awareness of drugs issues; for example, drugs education and prevention efforts indicate that these substances are no longer perceived as exceptional and remote but as

This new dynamic was seen initially in 1971 by the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) spearheaded by the Office of National Drug Control Policy. The survey indicated that many illegal drug users were employed full or part time. The initial survey was used to try and understand the scope of the problem,

Among adolescents aged 12 to 17 years, 9.8 % are estimated to be current users of illicit drugs, with 4.9 % using drugs other than marijuana. Nearly three quarters of students have started to drink alcohol and nearly half (47%) have tried using an illicit drug (not including alcohol or tobacco) by the senior year of high school.” (Hassan, Harris, Sherritt, Van Hook, & Brooks, 2009)

The purpose of this work is to gain a better understanding of the territory’s that make up modern drug culture as a whole and to give a personal view into an area of society that many perhaps even a majority of people seldom see. I set out to challenge the way society views this subculture, by first researching the context of its history and its cultural influence on civilization and by looking at recent trends in how it is portrayed. I decided to focus my work on specific ideas, such as the desolate and empty feelings that can arise between individuals and their drug of choice. My interest in this subject matter arose while exploring the forests near my hometown photographically and thinking upon my previous drug fueled exploits, I began to

The question regarding drug use has prevailed in ethics for centuries: is recreational drug use morally permissible? Many argue that it is immoral due to the resulting harms, while others argue that humans have the moral right to engage in such an activity (Richards 2-3)(Huemer 7). Perhaps the answer lies in the circumstances. Under conditions that ensure safety, minimize abuse, and do not risk others, it is morally permissible for adults to use drugs for recreational purposes.

It has been discovered that most people who struggle with drug addiction began experimenting with drugs in their teens. Teenage drug abuse is one of the largest problems in society today and the problem grows and larger every year. Drugs are a pervasive force in our culture today. To expect kids not to be influenced by the culture of their time is as unrealistic as believing in the tooth fairy (Bauman 140). Teens may feel pressured by their friends to try drugs, they may have easy access to drugs, they may use drugs to rebel against their family or society, or they may take an illegal drug because they are curious about it or the pleasure that it gives them.

The usage of drugs is a very common practice in our society nowadays. The usage of drugs can vary from medical purposes to recreational purposes. What is drugs? ‘A drug is any chemical you take that affects the way your body works.’ (Science Museum, What is a drug?, n.d.) So this does not mean that drugs can only be in the form of pill, tablet, oral solution, and injection drugs can also in the form of tobacco that contains nicotine, or drinkable substance such as coffee and tea that contains caffeine and beer that contains alcohol. (Crocq, 2003) For some people nowadays recreational drugs already become a way of life.

Recreational drugs are substances used for nonmedical reasons usually for leisure or pleasure but can cause addiction, health issues and even criminal activity. These types of drugs typically include cocaine, marijuana, amphetamines, alcohol, tobacco, opiates and other psychedelic drugs. The significance of this behavior to public health is that drug usage can have effects on prescription medication effectiveness and the damage a disease can inflict on one’s self. Not only can this behavior have effects on physical dimensions of health but mental and emotional health can be greatly affected. These effects could be events like making mistakes at work, relationship conflict over drug use and being more likely to participate in other risky health behaviors such as unprotected sex. A study at Boston Medical Center shows how even “weekend-only” drug use can quickly and easily transform into a more frequent habit. The study had a sample size of 483 primary-care patients who made two visits the medical center six months apart. Among those who claimed to be “weekend-only” users for the first visit, only 19.2% maintained that label while more than half the sample reported using drugs more than just on the weekend (Saitz, et al, June 2016). The behavior of using recreational drugs is relevant because this course attempts to apply different models and theories to possibly change health behavior; drug use is a behavior that many people would like to personally change in order to improve

Alcohol is the number one drug problem among America’s youth. More senior high school students use alcohol than any other psychoactive drug. Family doctors, pediatricians, schoolteachers, and parents know that alcohol is overwhelmingly the drug of choice among today’s youth, although trendier substances such as cocaine are often given more attention in the headlines (Carla Felsted, p. vii). Furthermore, it is widely acknowledged that drinking alcohol is a part of the youth culture in America; it may also be understood as a culturally conditioned and socially controlled behavior.

In order to achieve this purpose, a general background of drug use in the UK and types of illicit drugs will be provided. Then, the link between drug use and crime will be explained. Furthermore, the punitive measures and its negative impact on drug users and

I have written this essay in response to the essay prompt Recreational use of soft drugs such as marijuana or ecstasy is less harmful than alcohol consumption and therefore should be decriminalised. In this essay I will talk about the effects that soft drugs have on society, and on adolescent youth. I will also talk about my position on this matter, and what I believe is the right course of action to take in regards to the essay prompt.