Drugs in America
Today in America a lot of young people experiment with illegal drugs. Some people try drugs for recreational purposes, others are addicted to drugs and can't survive without them. Usually it all starts from recreational purposes, and people who can not control their recreation become a drug addicts. There are many different types of drugs, but all drugs are similar in that they change one's understanding of the environment, feelings, senses and mood. Some drugs cause physical addiction, which means that after several tries of the particular drug, the body requires that chemical in order to function. Some drugs destroy lives; people use drugs so much that it changes their personality and acceptance of environment,
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Smoking marijuana everyday can cause serious health complications like, lost of memory, drop in sex hormones, changes in mood, and lost of energy and appetite. These changes are temporary in adults, but researchers suspect that young people can develop long-range development problems. Personally I would not recommend this drug to anyone.
I'll never forget my first week of freshman year at Stony Brook. I went to a party, where I tried ecstasy. This was an experience of a lifetime. I'd never felt so happy and excited in my whole life. I was very friendly to the people around me, even though I didn't know anyone there. By the end of the party I was everybody's friend. Ecstasy is most commonly used in rave clubs, because one of the effects of ecstasy is increase of energy. It allows you to rave and dance without stopping for a long time without feeling any tiredness. You can get psychologically addicted to ecstasy very quickly since it brings so many new feelings of happiness, but it is very hard to get physically addicted. The problem with ecstasy is that it can cause liver damage and researchers suspect that it also may decrease amount of serotonin from the spine. Constant and often consumption of ecstasy may also result in a nerve and brain cell damage researchers say. I've really enjoyed this drug in the past but I do not do it anymore because it can cause serious health complications.
A lot of my floor mates in Stony Brook
For many years, drugs have been the center of crime and the criminal justice system in the United States. Due to this widespread epidemic, President Richard Nixon declared the “War on Drugs” in 1971 with a campaign that promoted the prohibition of illicit substances and implemented policies to discourage the overall production, distribution, and consumption. The War on Drugs and the U.S. drug policy has experienced the most significant and complex challenges between criminal law and the values of today’s society. With implemented drug polices becoming much harsher over the years in order to reduce the overall misuse and abuse of drugs and a expanded federal budget, it has sparked a nation wide debate whether or not they have created more harm than good. When looking at the negative consequences of these policies not only has billions of dollars gone to waste, but the United States has also seen public health issues, mass incarceration, and violent drug related crime within the black market in which feeds our global demands and economy. With this failed approach for drug prohibition, there continues to be an increase in the overall production of illicit substances, high rate of violence, and an unfavorable impact to our nation.
In the essay “America’s Unjust Drug War” by Michael Huemer, Huemer discusses the facts and opinions around the subject on whether or not the recreational use of drugs should be banned by law. Huemer believes that the American government should not prohibit the use of drugs. He brings up the point on drugs and how they harm the users and the people in the user’s life; he proves that the prohibition on drugs in unjust. Huemer believes that drug prohibition is an injustice to Americans’ natural rights and questions why people can persucute those who do drugs.
Dangerous illegal drugs have plagued American citizens and their youth for as long as the country has been in existence. These harmful drugs are not only responsible for countless amounts of deaths, but the corruption of the American society in general. All too many times have these drugs been blamed for insanity, racism, rebellion, and straight up violence. Today the government is spending approximately $19.179 billion in one year to combat these evils (Gifford). Unfortunately, even with all of this effort going in to stop illegal drug use, the “War on Drugs” is yet to produce almost any positive results. Because of this, politicians are urging the government to spend even more money to combat the seemingly
The United States has the world's highest incarceration rate. With five percent of the world's population, our country houses nearly twenty-five percent of the world's reported prisoners. Currently there are approximately two million people in American prisons or jails. Since 1984 the prison population for drug offenders has risen from ten percent to now over thirty percent of the total prison population. Federal prisons were estimated to hold 179,204 sentenced inmates in 2007; 95,446 for drug offenses. State prisons held a total of 1,296,700 inmates in 2005; 253,300 for drug offenses. Sixty percent of the drug offenders in prisons are nonviolent and were purely in prison because of drug offenses (Drug War Facts). The question then arises,
According to the text, what factorshave been major contributors to the demise of the two-parent household?
Drug abuse is one of the most discouraged behaviors in our country. In the United States of America, we, the people value several things, some of which are freedom, expanding and taking care of our families and our financial security. We, the people, take such things for granted. We also discourage some behavior, such as crime, laziness and use of illegal drugs.
The argument over drug reform and the current prohibition has been going on for years. It seems to be an argument between a wise parent and a young teenager, but as generations change more and more of the parents seem to switch sides. While prohibitionists say the mainstream drugs like cocaine, heroin, LSD, and marijuana are harmful and immoral, legalizers argue the opposite (Rachels 223). While they are both valid and interesting arguments the drugs named above still remain illegal. Many organizations and respected citizens have come to America’s attention in their support for drug reform or complete legalization of certain drugs. These people range from normal citizens who support the recreational use of marijuana to judges and ex- law
In the United States of America, we, the people value several things, some of which
States are under a burden that seems to be growing out of control. Since “the war on drugs” the prison population has increased exponentially, and the states are trying to keep up with the burden of housing, feeding, and giving medical treatment to prisoners. The state’s financial burden in becoming great and the government is starting to look at treatment measures that could save money. Substance abuse is an overwhelming factor in crime, for example 50% of homicides involve drugs and alcohol. (Parks, G., Marlatt, A. 1999) Treating offenders for substance problems could make the difference in recidivism rates. There are several models of programs the state should consider when deciding treatment options for offenders.
The War on Drugs, like the war on Terrorism, is a war that America may not be able to afford to win. For over forty years the United States has been fighting the War on Drugs and there is no end in sight. It has turned into a war that is about politics and economics rather than about drugs and criminals. The victims of this war are numerous; but perhaps they are not as numerous as those who benefit from the war itself.
Starting in 1914 the U.S introduced the first probation acts that prohibited the consumption of Opiates and Cocaine with the Harrison Narcotics act of 1914 Later this act was amended to include marijuana. This Act was the first use of federal criminal law in the United Sates to attempt to deal with the nonmedical use of drugs (wisegeek). The war of drugs started primarily in the 1971 when Nixon declared the war on drugs. He dramatically increased the size and presence of federal drug control agencies (Drug Policy). With the first major organized drug imports from Columbia from the Black Tuna Gang based in Miami, Florida Columbia was quickly growing into a drug superpower able to feed America’s growing addictions.
Since the early 1960’s there have been an alarming increase in drug use in the United States in 1962, four million Americans had tried an illegal drug. By 1999, that number had risen to a staggering 88.7 million, according to the 1999 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse.
The book that I read “This is Your Country on Drugs: The Secret of Getting High in America by Ryan Grim” tells us the stories and relationship among Americans, their drugs and the government, which is a drug literature. The book and author will give us a tour in an illicit world of drugs use in the United States. The Americans dilemma of love-hate relationship with psychotomimetic substances extended from the nations commencing until the present time.
In the world today there is always someone pressuring one to do something they know they shouldn't, but after one time it slowly becomes two then, three, or four times, and then on and on. Drugs are a big part in this world and many teens and adults are addicted and abusing them. Many lifestyles change after doing drugs and it is usually bad changes. Drugs are a problem that has been increasing immensely among the society today. Drug addictions can only hinder or restrain us from achieving the goals or dreams in life that have been set. People sometimes feel they are too positive, too powerful, or too in control to become addicted. Addiction can happen anyone any day anywhere. It can lead to harming one's body and causing problems in family structure and with friends. Staying away and helping others to stop is the safest way to live the longer and healthier life. Drug abuse can impact many lives either in a positive or negative way depending on what path one follows. There is influences and pressures in a person's decision in using drugs. Pressure might be when a person is offered to try drugs. A person who is already abusing or addicted to drugs might see that there is nothing wrong with using drugs. Once becoming addicted it is a long trial to overcome the way some people use drugs. Drugs affect the moods for everything, emotions from sad to happy, feelings and thinking processes, or they can mess with workings in the mind. The brain is something that no one ever wants
When you type drugs into Google, you get first, a website that tells about all the different types of drugs someone could want. Second, you get articles about how drugs are messing with everyday life. Today’s culture, people like to joke about the topic of drugs like it’s no big deal, but in reality, drugs continuously keep being a problem for Americans and keep growing into a bigger one. It is disgusting to see how many drugs are ruining so many people’s lives and making America gross while doing it. It makes one wonder, what would America be like with fewer drugs? If there were fewer drugs in America, the crime rate would decrease, there would be fewer deaths and people would live happier healthier lives. With better education on drugs, the crime rate would decrease making America better.