Psychoactive Drugs Through Human History

To illustrate the magnitude of the research problem and provide a frame of reference, this section begins with a brief overview of the increased use of pharmaceuticals and prescription drug abuse in the US. The section continues with the relationship between illicit drugs and prescriptions, adolescents’ abuse, personal and social factors; then concludes with the theoretical approach. The Social-Ecological Theory, will be applied in researching prescription drug abuse, possible influences and protective factors in adolescents in relation to prescription drug abuse, to develop focused intervention strategies and educational programs for this population, similar to other substances such as tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana.

When asked to choose a book from the reading list, I read all of the titles hoping for one that sounded familiar. I didn’t recognize any of them so I chose one that sounded interesting and went to my library to reserve it. From Chocolate to Morphine: Everything You Need to Know About Mind-Altering Drugs by Andrew Weil and Winfred Rosen starts out by explaining how drugs have been in our society for a very long time and they are not going away anytime soon. One author is an M.D. and the other is a writer, but both have had experiences with drugs, learning benefits and dangers along the way. These authors want it to be known that there is a difference between drug use and drug abuse, and at one point they say “there is no such thing as a bad

Drugs aren’t just bad for some people, they are bad for everyone. Vidal states “Label each drug with a precise description of what effect-good or bad- the drug will have on whoever takes it.” Each drug will have a different affect, but none of them will be good ones. Although they may seem “good” at first, the outcome in the end is something that takes time to come back

Mothers and nurses were giving children heroin-filled soothing syrups to treat a cold, or simply to “soothe” them to sleep. The journalist said, “the systematic doping of the delicate organisms of infants with these subtle and powerful drugs [was] practiced everywhere remorselessly or in desperate ignorance of its consequences.” The involvement of innocent children in the drug problem evokes a sense of urgency; however, the article does not just appeal to the reader’s emotions. Rather it is substantive, providing insight about what was happening in politics and medicine at the time. There was an attempt to investigate and try to regulate the medical use of opiates and other questionable drugs. The author cited an investigation by the Division of Drugs in the Bureau of Chemistry that found that soothing syrups often contained drugs such as powdered opium, chloroform, codeine, and cannabis, in combination or in place of heroin. It also referenced the action taken by pharmacists in Philadelphia to only sell these habit-forming “remedies” with a doctor’s approval or prescription. When looking at this article in a broad sense, one can see the change in mindset by medical authorities--which only ten years prior saw heroin as a great innovation in medicine.

In Adam Barton’s film, The Stoned Ages (2011), researches the historical use of drugs and the institutional response upon the use of drugs by the masses. The Stoned Ages (2011) exposes an overwhelming discovery of drug use by people of ancient times and a connection of persistent patterns world-wide. Human beings have been in pursuit of expanding psychological capabilities from the beginning of human evolution (Barton, 2011). Social advancements depicted in The Stone Ages (2011), have derived from the use substances such as psychedelic mushrooms, during ancient rituals; permitting individuals to communicate with sacred Gods. Barton (2011) also discovers the use of drugs among Ancient Greek politicians as well, illustrating the wide use of drugs among people around the world and therefore theorizing the concept of drug use as an element of human behavior (Barton, 2011). According to Marc-Antoine Crocq’s (2007) research article summarizing the existence of drug use throughout the history of human-kind; “Schematically, psychoactive substances have been used (1) in religious ceremonies by priests; (ii) for medicinal purposes; or (iii) massively, as staple commodities, by large segments of the population in a socially approved way” (Crocq, 2007). Explained in Barton’s (2011) documentary however, the use of drugs had dire consequences caused by elitists’ hunger for power; Christians forbade the use of drugs with severe tactics of enforcement and lethally persecuting those who

Did you know that in 2011, almost five people per hour dies of a drug overdose in the U.S alone? Good morning/afternoon everyone, isn’t it shocking to learn how easy it is to die of a drug overdose, yet, it seems, people in Brave New World are willing to take them in order to retain a permanent happiness holiday 24/7. Drugs both play a massive role in Brave New World and our modern society. I’m sure if I were to ask you if you knew of anyone who has ever tried drugs, I think we all would know the answer. It seems that in The World State you cannot find one person who doesn’t take drugs. Throughout this seminar we are going to see how drugs play an important role in both Brave New World and our modern day society for different reasons but also for some of the same reasons.

The use of drugs has improved society by never having to worry about anything. It brings you into a state of mind where you feel careless about

Drugs in society have been a part of society for hundreds of year, and the usage of them definitely has to do with the psychology in the users and certainly the abusers. Throughout history, the way society views and uses of drugs has been different from culture to culture. In some cultures it is a natural consumption, while in others it is strictly forbidden both by law and society’s stigma. Addiction to drugs has always been around and it has always been a problem, in both places with strict and relaxed laws about drug use, how different patients are treated is a different issue. There are many facets to the battle against drugs like in the United States there is a current debate on the legalization of marijuana in all the states. When you

After doing all the readings and watching all the in-class videos I’ve come to learn that drug policy and drug use is much more complicated than I had previously thought. I have gotten to learn a lot about the extreme complexities associated as to why policies were implemented, how they were implemented, and the by-products that accompanied those choices. Furthermore, I got an insight into the reasons and motivations as to why people choose to use, and it was not just the clear-cut reasons we were all given to believe at young age. In addition, after learning the origins and history of many of these substances and how almost everything is inter connected, it has really expanded my way of thinking and on how I view drugs. As a result, it has become obvious to me that it is not as easy as I thought it would be to just go around changing policy without having to worry about the ill effects it will have on other things—such as the ballon effect. So I am still not sure where I fully stand on drug policy as a whole, but

Over the past couple of years, the use of opioid painkillers has skyrocketed. And due to this, so has the number of overdoses. The opioid epidemic is the worst drug crisis that the United States has ever seen. Killing thousands of people and sending many more to either drug rehabilitation programs or prison. Yet doctors continue to prescribe these addictive painkillers, to patients with little to no restrictions. There are many safer options than these opioids, including the use of marijuana, which has been overlooked for far too long.

Propofol was originally available in 1986 and has been used as an anesthesia, for “short sedation in endoscopies and cardioversions, and for long-term sedations in intensive care units and also used for rapid opiate detoxification”(Bonnet, 2012). Propofol is used, unapproved by the FDA, as pain reliever for severe chronic headaches and as a sleep aid for insomnia.

Throughout the history of the human species, we have been always wanted to know three basic questions: why we are here, where did we come from, and where do we go after this life? Whether we were created from an omnipotent being as in many religions, we happened by chance and made it to where we are through evolution, or maybe even something else. Whatever the case may be, humans have always been curious and wondered about our existence and consciousness. Along with these age old questions, also came the use of psychoactive drugs and other mind altering substances. In order to try to understand these questions, humans have experimented with drugs that alter their state of consciousness.

Believe it or not, drugs have been around for thousands of years. In the medical field, drugs are any type of medicine (or other substance), which has a physiological effect when it is ingested or otherwise introduced into the body. Drugs can produce both harmful and beneficial effects once it is consumed and, “decisions about when and how to use them therapeutically always involve balancing the benefits and risks” (Rang 1). Drugs approved for human use are available through prescription and can be bought freely over the counter. Although drugs have been a great addition to the medical world and its advancement, not all drugs are legal and available for use. The government bans certain drugs, and illegal possession and trafficking of these

Drugs have been around for many centuries whether it is used for medicine or for spiritual purposes. There are many drugs in the world that many people do not know about and there are many that everyone knows about. Drugs are mysterious. They can be disguised in almost any form. They come in a simple and natural form also known as nature. Plants around the world have chemicals that soothe pain and create hallucinations. These substances were once thought to be “a gift from heaven”, but now, most people think of them as dangerous. At one point, these drugs were legal but today it’s a war on drugs.

The History, Use, and Effectiveness of Medicinal Drugs I. The History, Use, and Effectiveness of Medicinal Drugs A. Introduction (Pg's 1-2) II. Aspirin (Pg's 3-6) A. Its Origin B. Dosages C. Relative Effectiveness D. Side Effects E. Alternate Treatment III. Sulfa Drugs (Pg's 7-10) A. Its Origin B. Dosages C. Relative Effectiveness D. Side Effects