Psychoactive substances harm the well- being of our society creating the need for implementation of an effective policy response. The Psychoactive Substances Act was implemented in 2013 due to a number of concerns being raised from the general public and Health officials about the effects of that synthetic substances were having on the people who were using them as well as their communities. Another concern raised was the unknown ingredients that the “legal highs” were being made from. These concerns have seen the push for more information about these substances and what services are available for people who choose to use these substances. The people who work in this field need to have an understanding of the legal highs as well as why people take them in addition to the effects that it has on their person’s mental health and their context. These people also employ the usage of tools as methadone maintenance treatment and treatment options that can focus on abstinence or harm reduction. Although, it is a legislation, various regional councils have implemented this through a number of different methods within their communities to minimise the harm that the synthetic substances can cause. The Psychoactive Substances Act was implemented in 2013 after New Zealand saw a rise in the availability and misuse of psychoactive substances that were freely available as they were deemed legal (Ministry of Health a, 2015). This lead to the wider public calling these products “legal highs”
The drug misuse and dependence policy, aims to support people misusing drugs to live safe and free from a drug dependence life (Department of Health, 2015). With this policy in place drug treatments are becoming more successful with 18% of people staying in treatment and leaving drug free (Department of Health, 2015) this shows the policy is successful and works with people to reduce drug dependency (HM Government, 2012). 193,198 people aged 18 and over were in treatment for drug use during 2013 to 2014, 29,150 of these patients completed treatment and have overcome their drug dependency (Public Health England, 2014). From when the policy was first introduced, drug use is at its lowest since measurement began in 1996 (Featherstone, 2013).
A great deal of harm is caused by illicit drugs, particularly to dependant users. Drug use damages the user and diminishes an individual’s social cohesion. An individual’s dependency on illicit drugs places a heavy burden on the Australian legal system, welfare(Centrelink), the justice system(lawyers) and the medical system. The many burdens caused by the manufacture, supply and use of illicit drugs effect the efficiency of Australia. The Drugs misuse and trafficking Act 1985 (NSW) applies to over 240 drugs, including
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,
Countries all over the world are dealing with a rise of drug use and drug-related public health concerns. Many nations adopt vaguely similar methods of battling the “War on Drugs”, from strict border control to harsh criminal punishments for drug-related offenders, violent or not. Even with these efforts put in place, many places are not seeing the desired results. Drug use is mainly treated like a crime, and that may be the problem. Countries that have concerns with rising drug use among their citizens should follow Portugal in decriminalizing the possession and use of small quantities of all illicit drugs.
Addiction to any substance whether it be alcohol ,drugs prescribed or illegal or even the new legal highs can have turbulent effect on a person’s life, whether it be work, social or family life. It has been said that addiction in any form can be treated through intervention by relevant bodies, such as NHS Trust, Twelve Step Programs, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA), to help the person overcome this compulsion through time and guidance, working towards a future clean and sober minded life. Drugs, alcohol, or any other chemical, artificially induced into the body, affects the way people see, speak, walk and hear. Albeit, theorists such as Dr Peele are staunch critics of the 12 steps model as advocated by Alcoholics Anonymous.
A ‘legal high’ is perhaps more accurately described as an unbanned substance which possesses the ability to alter the mental and physical state of an individual to mimic illegal drugs, based on its distinct chemical properties. Legal highs are ‘not controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act’ , but restrictions prohibit the selling of legal highs for the consumption of human beings hence they are often sold as chemicals such as bath salts. Substance misuse with regards to ‘legal highs’, young people and the limited success of policies implemented currently to eradicate such misuse is a prevalent issue subject to intense debate amongst politicians globally. A report published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre states how ‘in 2013, 16 per cent of pupils had ever taken drugs’, illegal and legal inclusive.
There was a great push for a non-judgmental approach that would ‘reduce physical, social and psychological risks to individuals who use drugs and to society as a whole’ (McCann & Temenos, 2015, p. 217). Never the less, this was a highly contested set of policy formulation across all levels of governance.
Legal highs or research chemicals are now referred to by their official name which is New Psychoactive Stimulants or NPS
In pre-modern times, drugs took on a role of medicinal use. As they were distributed in a free market without any constraints, Opium was recommended for sleepless nights, Cocaine for anesthesia, Hashish for relaxation (Hart, Ksir & Ray). These drugs were not dubbed as harmful, therefore, under the appropriate circumstances, provided beneficial effects to its users. More recently, individuals are more inclined to use drugs as an ‘escape’. Stimulants provide a sort of alternate existence which tends to reduce mental tension, increase energy, or induce euphoria (Hart, Ksir & Ray). Argumentatively speaking, drug use only affects the user, so there is no valid reasoning for impairing the freedom of citizens by prohibiting them. Individuals benefit by having the freedom to use
There are diverse opinions on whether “legal highs” in New Zealand should be legal or not. A “legal high” is a legal substance which consists of a stimulant that mimics the effect of an illicit drug. Users of such substances believe using legal highs to be a good option as it is affordable and legal to do so. Yet, health professionals highlight the risks of using legal highs in our society today as it poses huge effects on health and causes a higher risk of addiction. In New Zealand, synthetic cannabis and party pills (Benzylpiperazine) are most used by a range of populace.
It is no secret that drug use has the ability to completely alter a person’s state of consciousness, whether it be through extreme euphoria, increased hyperactivity, pain relief or psychedelic hallucinations. Although many drugs are used for medical purposes, the global issue of recreational drug use is now being fronted as an extremely serious matter that is steadily on the uprise. Recreational drug use is often associated with negativity, addiction and as having serious physical and mental repercussions. One of the few class of drugs that is often associated with both positive and negative connotations are hallucinogens, otherwise known as “psychedelics”, which have powerful altering effects on ones sense of perception, brain function
The use of drugs is a controversial topic in society today. In general, addicts show a direct link between taking drugs and suffering from their effects. People abuse drugs for a wide variety of reasons. In most cases, the use of drugs will serve a type of purpose or will give some kind of reward. These reasons for use will differ with different kinds of drugs. Various reasons for using the substance can be pain relief, depression, anxiety and weariness, acceptance into a peer group, religion, and much more. Although reasons for using may vary for each individual, it is known by all that consequences of the abuse do exist. It is only further down the line when the effects of using can be seen.
Currently drug abuse is the issue that has plagued almost all the societies in the world. This problem poses serious threat to the life of people both in developed and underdeveloped countries. There are different kinds of drugs such as heroin, cocaine, cannabis, hallucinogens, ecstasy, and methamphetamine and so on (McGeorge & Aitken, 1997). Young and age-old people largely use many of these drugs. People usually consider these drugs as a relief from their worries, but these drugs lead them towards addition and psychotic disorders that eventually destroy their health. Legislative authorities in almost every part of the world have been trying to save their generations from the abuse, but the use of these drugs never ended. However, these legislations help to minimize the numbers of drug users where their implementation is done properly (Hall et al., 2004). The aim of this research paper is to provide knowledge about the Cannabis Legalization in Australia and the people’s approach who favor or oppose this legalization. Cannabis drug use, impacts, cannabis legalization in Australia and its advantages and disadvantages will also
Drugs can be a highway to cool psychedelic trips or a lifetime of addiction, there is no in-between. More so, there's no fine line that separates these two situations and the jump from better to worse can only take one more hit of that drug. The illicit use of drugs is not always done with bad intentions; in the case of illegal study drugs use, most students use these drugs because they feel as if it aids them in focusing on their assignments. The illegal use of study drugs by college students can lead to dangerous consequences such as overdoses, addiction, and even death. To prevent further damage to these individuals information regarding the safety and side effects of study drugs from the government should be readily available, in turn doctors should limit to whom they prescribe study drugs, and alternatives to the criminalization of illegal users.
In the UK drugs legislation classified 5 schedules in which substances must be categorised. The Schedule 1 groups the substances that are considered of no therapeutic value, thus they are determinate illegal. It is not possible to buy or own those substances and the use of them in research may be authorised only with a Home Office licence. Although this legislation might discourage the research on illegal drug for therapeutic purpose, recent studies suggest that magic mushrooms, LSD and MDMA could help with mental and physical pathologies. This essay will briefly describe how substances operate in the body. In addition, there will be an investigation on the use of illegal drugs for therapeutic purpose.