The Drug Strategies Over The Years

Western countries struggle with the control of drug abuse. America, for example, has been failing with eliminating or reducing the chronic issues of drug abuse and crimes associated with drugs. America’s goal around these problems consistently has been complete

It is believed that certain individuals are predisposed or vulnerable to addiction based on biological, psychological and social influences. The euphoric high produced by many addictive substances is the result of overstimulation of the “pleasure center” of the brain. This is the same area that controls emotions, fear, self-control and overall feelings of wellness. The presence of these foreign chemicals creates a response that the brain will crave as soon as it fades. The brain’s chemistry works against its own health, as it rewires its decision making faculties around the primary goal of finding and taking more of the drug” (1). Many people mistakenly believe that psychological addiction is somehow less serious or real than physical addiction. The psychological aspects of addiction are much more challenging to repair and recover from than the physical addiction. Psychological addiction can last for years or even a lifetime.

The disease model of addiction rests on three primary assumptions predisposition to use a drug, loss of control over use, and progression (Krivanek, 1988, p.202). These physiological alterations cause an undeniable desire to take more drugs (McNeece & DiNitto, 2012). Addicts are viewed as individuals with an incurable disease with drug addiction as the symptom. The disease model argues users cannot be held accountable for their addictions (Kirvanek, 1988).

Mark A.R. Kleiman, Jonathan P. Caulkins, Angela Hawken. Drugs and Drug Policy: What Everyone Needs to Know. Oxford University Press, 2011.

The criminalization of drugs has filled the jails across Canada with people who have addiction problems, or substance abuse disorder, rather than criminality. The drug problem in our society has not been deterred, but in fact it has grown. This criminality has made it so that addicts are forced to break the law to obtain their drugs, as well as have to break the law to finance their addiction, rather than being offered the help and support that a person with substance abuse disorder requires to get better. The only true way to advance the war on drugs is to completely alter the current approach, as prohibition does not work any better now than it did in the early 1900’s with alcohol. The trend in drugs being cut with more dangerous drugs

“In Leading Change 2.0: Advancing the Behavioral Health of the Nation 2015-2018, SAMHSA has identified six Strategic Initiatives on which it will focus to guide the behavioral health system, reduce barriers to employment, education and life goals, social support changes, and promote individual, programs and system level approaches to improve health for substance abuse.” (SAMHSA, 2014). “SAMHSA is committed to addressing the nation’s health disparities by improving cultural and linguistic competence and access to prevention programs that serve diverse groups and communities. Many prevention approaches, such as selective prevention strategies, focus on helping individuals develop the knowledge, attitudes, and skills they need to make good choices

Canada’s Drug Strategy (CDS) is an initiative controlled by the Canadian federal government that emerged in 1987. The CDS addresses the many harmful effects substance use can have on not only an individual but families and communities as well. The CDS believes that substance abuse has a negative impact on health, social life, safety and economic conditions. The CDS has four pillars: prevention, treatment, harm reduction and enforcement. The program attempts to solve the issue of substance abuse by decreasing the popularity of harmful drug use, the number of Canadian youth experimenting with drugs, the frequency of contagious diseases related to substance abuse, the illicit drug supply, new and emerging drug trends, avoidable health, social

During the 1970’s when the “War on Drug” initiative first began, the immediate effects were amazing. The incarnation rate for drug abuse dropped by 48%. But then,

As a group, we decided we wanted to incorporate the preventive strategies listed in the health promotion textbook because it is essential for people to understand. The question is how can we prevent drug and alcohol abuse? It starts with primary prevention which is defined as “prevention for those who have not used tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs. The goal is to prevent exposure to and experimenting with drugs.” (Maville & Huerta, 401). The textbook presents information about how many programs in school are taught from any early age to keep young people away from drugs and alcohol. (Maville & Huerta, 401).This prevention strategy is targeting the kids who have never tried any drug, and the goal is to keep it that way. Secondary prevention

The current substance abuse policies are affected by the political canges. These political changes went into effect April 24, 2013. (Jones, 2013). The Obama administration created a drug policy for the 21st century. (Jones, 2013). The new policy which is refered to as the strategy notes that substance abuse disorders are a major public concern (Jones, 2013). The author notes this new strategy is based on science, promotes prevention in programs offered community wide, they try to promote community responsibility in this new strategy, have treatment available to all, and support others in recovery. It also notes that medical and law enforcement professionals play a vital role in all of this whether it be in intervention, prevention, or in

Addiction is like all behaviours “the business of the brain”. Addictions are compulsive physical and psychological needs from habit-forming sustenances like nicotine, alcohol, and drugs. Being occupied with or involved in such activities, leads a person who uses them again and again to become tolerant and dependent eventually experiencing withdrawal. (Molintas, 2006).

Society has long held a simplified view of addiction: the more someone performs an action, the more they become addicted. In the 1960s, researchers conducted the “Skinner Box Experiment” to test the effects of addiction and certain drugs. The researches placed a single rat in a small cage and gave it two bottles of water, one plain water and the other laced with heroin (Alexander 3). They wanted to see what effect heroin had on the rat and whether the rat would become addicted. In each experiment the rat became addicted to the heroin water, overdosed, and died (3). The researchers concluded that addiction comes from repeated use of an addictive substance.

A recent federal inquiry into the ‘manufacture, importation and use of amphetamines and other synthetic drugs’ by Australian Parliament Joint Committee and Australian Crime Commission (PJC-ACC) (2007) suggested that there is a need for current drug policy to target three areas: supply reduction, demand reduction and harm reduction. All three approaches can be seen as somewhat contradictory.

At the president’s inaugural, the 2010 National Drug Control Strategy presented an evidence-based practice that addressed reducing drug use and eliminating its consequences in the United States (National Drug Control Strategy, 2013). The president responded by having his administration draft the “third way” in drug policy, which rejects taking extreme measures on drug addicts and in criminalizing them, also minimizing the United States participation in the “war on drugs” (National Drug Control Strategy, 2013). This policy hopes to take a nuance approach on drug policy as it aims to balance public health programs, effective law enforcement, and international partnerships. After all we are in the twenty first century, where forward thinking is highly commendable and very much needed. The “third way” is rooted in the belief that drug addiction is a disease and causes grave damage to the brain (National Drug Control Strategy, 2013). Therefore it is true that one can seek treatment in hopes of recovery for his/her disease or one has the ability to completely prevent them from acquiring the disease of addiction. This policy is believed to represent the future of drug policy not only nationally, but globally as well (National Drug Control Strategy, 2013).

In my research I was surprise to learn that an increase in the international drug trade and drug user estimated 14.8 million Americans were illegal drug users as of 1999. I also read that the international drug trade generates $200 to $300 billion dollars a year. And due to a great amount of budget that is spent, this gives the drug trafficker an advantage over the government that has a small budget. Illegal drugs are considered to be a major source of funding for organized crime. The Canadian government has attempted to address these problems by implementing a national drug strategy, which is meant to reduce the demand for and the supply of illicit drugs. Eleven federal government departments and agencies have spent approximately $500 million annually in addressing the illegal use of drugs. In order to optimize the effectiveness of such governmental initiatives and expenditures, it is useful to achieve greater understanding of major trends relating to drug offences. This information will assist policy makers and criminal justice professionals in deterring