Past and Current Drug Trends in America

In the beginning of last year my twelve year old sister was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, which is the same concept as Crohn's. Every six weeks she has to go into the hospital to get an IV drip of the chemo drug Remicade or as all the nurses call it “Liquid gold.” They call it that because every dose that the patient gets is roughly $10,000. Each and every person all have a different view on the topic, from what the problem actually is, what is causing the high rise is pharmaceutical drugs and what the right solution would be. What we do know is this is becoming a colossal issue in today's world. It mostly is seen in the United States, where there are no laws against a free market for drug pricing; or in other words there are no rules about how to price prescription drugs. The prices of prescription drugs are rising at an very alarming rate, due to the fact that there are a lot of drug shortages and the money the companies spend on making the drug are so high. There are many different solutions to help fix the issue it all depends on what your stance is on

Since the mid to late 20th century, marijuana has been a big part of society. Marijuana has been used by humans since ancient times, but it didn’t become globally popular until the late 1960s to the 1970s. “Since its use was first reported more than 40 years ago in the United States, cannabis use has spread globally” (Hall, pg. 19). Soon after the Vietnam War across the United States and many other countries people found many drugs to consume. One of the most popular drugs is Marijuana. Around this time that the majority of people used and abused drugs, there were no laws against them. Doctors did not know much with reference to marijuana and the health effects it has on people. So people would use them freely without any second thought. They just knew about what it does mentally and the state of mind that is commonly known as being “high”. Today, Marijuana is an illegal drug by the Federal government. Recently, some state governments have made marijuana legal for anyone who is 18 years of age or older. On the other hand in some states doctors are prescribing medicinal marijuana to patients with cancer. People use and abuse drugs every day and people of many ages are using them, but the majority of the drug using population is teens and young adults. Marijuana is typically not abused due to the face that it does not create an addiction. Our federal government believes that the effects of marijuana is dangerous for anyone. “Those opposing liberalization of current laws

Most people most likely do not know the origins of drugs that are known for countless deaths, epidemics, and use. People ask the questions about why a child of twenty died from drugs and what was the drug, but usually go no further unless it is a familial loss to them or concern. History concerning the origins of drugs deciphers some of the causes of drug abuse (Berridge). Below are three of the most popular drugs’ history. Marijuana or Cannabis is active mostly because of its THC properties and became popular in the West because of its analgesic and sedative effects. It was discussed during the 1925 Geneva Convention for possibly leading Egyptians to insanity. This claim was disputed. Cocaine was derived from Erythroxylon coca a shrub native to Peru and parts of South America. Cocaine gained notoriety for its physical and psychoactive effects. Early on it was used for medical purposes and was being put even in beverages like Coca-Cola. Opium is the product of a white poppy originally and majorly grown in Asia Minor, China, Iran as well as a few Balkan countries. Opium is the basis for quite a few drugs such as Laudanum, Methadone, and Heroin. The government controlled the trade of drugs such as those from foreign countries like China and India produced wars and international laws pertaining to

Marijuana is a common drug that most people are familiar with. In some states, this drug has been used to ease one’s pain through medicinal forms or recreational use. This drug might be familiar to many people, but in the legal system this drug is considered illicit for recreational use in most of the United States. Jonathan Caulkins and Michael Lee make the claim that more states have legalized the use of

Drugs, we all have come across some type of drug in our lives whether it’s legal or not. There is a massive amount of drugs being used daily for medical reasons, some being used to treat multiple conditions at once. Though drugs play an important role in the medical field today and are being prescribed more and more by doctors, there are those consumers that abuse the use of these drugs. That brings into question if the legalization of certain drugs should be considered or if it is best to keep them illegal. One of the main drugs in debate now and the topic I conducted my research on is Marijuana. The United States is now in debate on the legalization of cannabis, and much of America is now for legalizing the drug. My top concern is how

For example, LSD had the potential to be used as a great espionage stopping tool until it’s use got completely out of hand. Also, marijuana has many medicinal purposes, such as seizures, mood and sleep problems, and pain, among other things. Moreover, while people look down on the use of drugs such as methamphetamine, or meth, and opium, doctors proscribe methylphenidate, better known as Ritalin, to those with attention disorders and morphine to those with severe or chronic pain. Meth also can treat attention disorders as can opium for pain. However, the use of either of these illegal drugs would cause a panic to the general public.

Drugs are now everywhere, so the use of drugs has become a worldwide issue in the modern time.[copy] Throughout the history of united state, there are numerous cases against drugs, especially Marijuana dealers, buyers, and users.

Over the long period of human history, drugs that alter mental functioning have been consumed internationally around the world including marijuana. Canada is not an exception. Cannabis or also known as marijuana is the most popularly used illegal substance in Canada over the decades(Substance Abuse in Canada, 2015, pg.3). Many of illegal substances are broadly termed as psychoactive drugs and these substances including cannabis are consumed for many different purposes. Marijuana is sometimes consumed by many people for meditational purpose as part of the treatment of illness or diseases. On the other hand, there are people use marijuana as their personal enjoyment or curiosity. Thus, drug policy is a necessary social tool in our society to

Most proponents of the legalization of marijuana will refute that Marijuana is becoming a basis in the medical field. They claim that marijuana is the only drug that eases the pain and suffering of patients. Marijuana is the only drug that treats their symptoms without devastating side effects. It alleviates the symptoms of cancer, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, AIDS, and glaucoma. Over seventy percent of today’s voters, which include majorities of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, support marijuana use with a doctor’s recommendation. In 1972, the United States Congress placed marijuana under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act because they considered it to have “no accepted medical use.”

The tobacco industry used to promote cigarettes as medicine, just as the drug industry is promoting marijuana now. When it comes to the political topic of legalizing marijuana, there have been many debates on the medicinal qualities of Marijuana and a majority of them have pointed out that Marijuana has no known benefits. The effects of Marijuana are far more detrimental than beneficial because, according to the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Marijuana is the most often cited illicit drug for people seeking treatment (Szumski and Karson 39). The statistics on the use of marijuana, along with the popularity and availability it has among teens, is a good basis to prevent even more from being shipped to the US

Nevertheless, whether there’s a medical need still is debatable. On the other hand, officials at the U.S. Drugs Enforcement Administration insist there are few, if any therapeutic uses of marijuana. In fact, they point out smoking harms the lungs (Donnelly 3).4 The American Medical Association does not condone the use of marijuana, although it does support further stating that under the direction of a doctor may be appropriate for certain conditions (Donnelly 3).4 The media address the subject in a language that precludes rational debate: Crime related to drugs prohibition is systematically described as “drug related”. Furthermore, most people seem to be deeply religiously committed to a medicalized view of life. Many take seriously the proposition that just into his head, it is also not its business what substance he puts into this body.

Our adolescent years are thought to be the most experimental period in our lives. The actions teenagers and young adults take in these years can often impact the years later to come, and, while experimenting with drugs like alcohol and tobacco seems to be the social ‘norm’ it can have lasting consequences later both mentally and physically.

In some countries, marijuana is legal and even considered as a safe drug. Americans have debated over the legalization of marijuana in many states and the outcome was scattered. It resulted in some states legalizing it, some not, and some only making it legal for medical reasons. Marijuana has become a nationwide issue because it causes controversy over it being helpful or harmful. Marijuana is viewed by some as a banned drug that leads to worse drugs making marijuana seem harmful. Due to modern studies, and actual usage of medical marijuana, the opposing views on marijuana has been shaken. Marijuana can also be viewed as a healthy drug used to relieve the pain of ill patients. The issue is no longer a simple argument of marijuana not being healthy because it is a gateway drug. Not everyone who is involved with marijuana goes on to take other drugs. Modern studies show that the longer a person uses marijuana, the more prone they are to withdrawals. Medicine such as pain killers is also known to cause withdrawals, however, hospitals continue to provide it for their patients. Making medicinal marijuana legal can prove beneficial to not only cancer patients, but the economy as a whole if enforced properly.

A controversial issue in health care today is if marijuana should be legally prescribed as a medication for health-related problems. Currently, marijuana remains a Schedule I drug under federal law in the Unites States, however, 29 states and the District of Colombia have passed legislation permitting the possession, use, and distribution of medical marijuana in some form (Zimmermann, 2017). Proponents for this drug, base their arguments on the numerous therapeutic effects of it, while the opponents dwell on the stance that marijuana is a drug that has a high potential for abuse. Realistically, any drug has a potential for abuse, it is not an unknown element that over the counter laxatives, pain medications, vitamins and even cough syrups have been abused and probably will continue to be abused.

One can suggest that there will always be a group of people who will use and abuse drugs, and they will simply use what is available to them, whether legally, such as alcohol, or illegally, such as marijuana or more harmful drugs such as heroin. If marijuana were more widely available, it may lead to the decrease of more harmful drugs among the population of addicts. Marijuana has historically been looked upon in a negative light, often labeled a ‘gateway drug,’ or believed to having high addiction rates. However, “most people who use marijuana don’t regularly use other drugs” (Shatkin). Additionally, only about 9% of people who try marijuana become addicted, far less than those who become addicted to nicotine (32%) and heroin (23%) (Shatkin). Currently, 54% of Americans believe marijuana should be legalized across the United States (Society's Changing Views on Cannabis). If marijuana were to become legal, its benefits would be extensive, such as a boost in the economy, and a lowering in crime rates. Additionally, marijuana offers considerable health benefits for many conditions and diseases, including cancer.