Informative Essay On Drug Abuse

In 1906, the Pure Food and Drug Act, that was years in the making was finally passed under President Roosevelt. This law reflected a sea change in medicine-- an unprecedented wave of regulations. No longer could drug companies have a secret formula and hide potentially toxic substances such as heroin under their patent. The law required drug companies to specify the ingredients of medications on the label. It also regulated the purity and dosage of substances. Not by mere coincidence was the law passed only about five years after Bayer, a German based drug company began selling the morphine derivative, heroin. Thought to be a safe, non-habit forming alternative to morphine, heroin quickly became the “cure-all drug” that was used to treat

Substance abuse disorders are common in our society. It is a disorder that each one of us will most likely experience through a family member, friend, or our self. I felt very drawn to this topic due to the fact that I have a family that has background of substance abuse and I myself have battle the demon. Not until I struggled with my own addiction did I become more tolerable and understanding to those that have a substance abuse disorder. Substance abuse is not something anyone wants to have; it is a disorder that takes control of a person’s life. It is a beast that tears a person apart; from their being to the lives of their loved ones. This disorder is not biased in anyway; rich or poor, male or female, employed or unemployed, young or

Since the 19th century, the illicit drug, heroin, has been a part of American society. When heroin was first discovered it was thought to be a wonder drug because of the euphoric feeling a person is said to feel after using it. However, once the debilitating effects of this highly addictive drug was realized the anti-drug law, the Harrison Narcotics Act, was enacted that restricted its use to medicinal purposes only. In 1920, heroin was banned altogether through the Dangerous Drug Act (Habal, 2011). Heroin for the most part was thought to have gone underground until the Vietnam War.

Heroin, morphine and other opiate derivatives were unregulated and sold legally in the United States until 1920 when Congress recognized the danger of these drugs and enacted the Dangerous Drug Act. This new law made over-the-counter purchase of these drugs illegal and deemed that their distribution be federally regulated. By the time this law was passed, however, it was already too late. A market for heroin in the U.S. had been created. By 1925 there were an estimated 200,000 heroin addicts in the country. It was a

Injured veterans in the mid-1800s would become hooked because they were treated with morphine to help dull the pain of early medical procedures. The Bayer Co., manufacturers of the household brand Bayer aspirin, started producing heroin in 1898, and the effects were so immediate that it was considered a cure-all medicine. It was rushed to shelves. Heroin use spread greatly in popularity during the following decades. Back in the days of early pharmaceuticals, there wasn’t much of an option regarding effective pain management. The drug’s effects seemed too good to be true. It was used to treat everything from headaches to muscle spasms to heavy

The re were no legal constraints on the importation or use of opium in the United States until the early 1900s. So prolific was the availability these elixirs and so-called “snake oil” cures that in 1900 it was estimated that 3.3 million doses of opium a month were being sold in the state of Vermont (Inciardi, 1990).  At the turn of the twentieth century, a number of factors were contributing to a growing drug abuse problem in America. Primarily there was the unrestricted availability of opium and the recent invention of the hypodermic needle. However, two additional drugs would prove to be an unsettling concern that were about to explode in American culture.

Firstly, it is important to emphasize that in Britain, in the nineteenth century, drugs such as opium and opiates were freely available for sale in shops and stalls etc.13 In fact, opium, opiates and other drugs such as cocaine were used to treat a wide range of everyday diseases, for instance, colds, coughs and toothache etc. Clearly, society for the most part had no particular fears about the use of these drugs.14

Prescription drug abuse is a problem in America for various different reasons. There are many people in America whom end up overdosing on prescription drugs. There are numerous amounts of people who grow an addiction of taking their medication longer than prescribed too, and there are very many people who abuse their prescription of medical marijuana or medical prescriptions and start selling it to whom don't need it or overdosing.

The history of substance abuse is full of irony. The poppy, a beautiful flower, is the source of opium, a raw pain-killing substance regularly cultivated and harvested in the East, where it was widely used. Tragically, Europe and America imported the drug and adopted its unregulated use. Though legal, the opium dens of the early 19th century certainly oppressed the lives of the poor, taking what little money they had and offering a dangerous environment in which to dream drug induced dreams.

Opium, Morphine, and Heroin have been around for centuries. Currently they are all seen as nuisances to society, and are highly addictive, dirty drugs. But, in the late 19th century these pests were viewed in quiet a different light. They were praised for their healing powers, and even referred to as “GOM” or “Gods own medicine”. In the 19th century, the idea of a drug was fresh, and peoples’ appetites were ravenous. Deemed to be socially acceptable, they hit America fast, and would unknowingly cause an everlasting effect on our nation.

In 1970, the 91st Congress passed an anti-drug law called The Controlled Substances Act of 1970. The law was signed by President Richard Nixon the Narcotics Control Act, however it replace it with the most comprehensive drug control policy in the U.S. at the time.

Wow Tiffany, I never thought of looking at cocaine in that way, you bring up some really solid points though! The fact that cocaine is placed in Schedule II by the U.S. government does suggest that it is proven to have some medical value. After reading your comment here I did a little research and your completely right, it's said to be affective for minor surgeries! It's not only an anesthetic but also helps produce much less bleeding during a procedure, I found this information fascinating. I also learned a valuable lesson from your comment tonight, one can't always look to the negative effects of a drug. It's really important to explore both sides of the spectrum to fully grasp a solid viewpoint.

Drug addiction is a complex problem in society today. Addiction is a condition that extremely affects the person’s mind and body. Addiction also has wide sweeping effects on that person’s social connection and functioning. Unfortunately, many addicts don’t realize the social influence of their addiction until much of their functioning has greatly deteriorated.

In a home without parents, you’re drug addicted and dropped out of high school freshman year. How could God possibly use you for anything good? For 16 years you give others what they need to stay addicted. But it supports your unhealthy habits. You don’t want to be a drug dealer and all you want is to be clean and a good father but you just can’t do it. You ask yourself how can I stop? The situation I just described sounds like something from a movie or something you see on the news but this was the reality for Mr. Heath Duncan.

A person’s body, in almost every aspect of its being, is addicted when one is a mild to chronic user and abuser. The nervous system, brain, and muscle tissue are all living in anticipation of the next high. So, for the addict, it is crucial that the cycle of behavior, is broken. The addict needs to pull up the anchor that keeps them from moving forward. This means changing environments, patterns and even sometimes friends and social associates.