...DRUGS AND ALCOHOL Introduction The use and misuse of alcohol and other non-prescription drugs is one of the more controversial issues in our society, and often a source of conflict between generations and between sections of society. It’s not the purpose of this page – or of the NTU student counselling service – to tell people how to behave or to seek to label them as alcohol or drug abusers. However alcohol and other drugs are powerful substances with a potential to harm users; we would encourage people to take care of themselves when considering using them and to avoid taking any risks which they might regret later. No universal classifications ignore the fact that significant alcohol and drug use is an accepted part of many social groups. What is seen as risky or inappropriate behaviour by one group is accepted as normal by another. Use of drink and drugs can be classified as – 1. Abstinent – no use is made 2. Controlled – people have made a conscious decision have evaluated the risks and can stop if they want. 3. Impulsive – use is unpredictable and can lead to unexpected accidents and harm. However this is not continual or dependent use. 4. Habitual – the use of alcohol or drugs have become a significant and important part of the person’s lifestyle. Stopping would not be easy. 5. Dependent – there is a high degree of physical and psychological addiction. Alcohol and drug use disrupts or rules the person’s life. Stopping is not possible without considerable support...
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...Substance Abuse among American Adolescents Control substance abuse is an excessive consumption or a disorder use of substances especially drugs or alcohol that is associated with significant problems. Substance abuse is a disease that commonly appears among adolescents. According to Kerby Anderson1, “93% percent of all teenagers have some experience with alcohol by the end of their senior year of high school. Almost two-thirds of all American young people try illicit drugs before they finish high school.” If substance abuse is left untreated, it will cause violence in streets, such as crimes, kidnaping. Also, it will cause domestic violence. For example, many babies are born with drug dependency. There are many basic factors that lead to the use of control substances among American adolescents, how these factors affect our community, and what are the methods used to minimize them. Adolescence is a sensitive period for young people. They are encountered by many basic factors. First of all, family factors, which have the strongest impact on adolescent development, play a part in the influence to try control substances. For example, parents who provide low levels of support, or are not as close to their children, and use bad parenting judgment have children who are more likely to be drug abusers. “The parents are the biggest factor in the choice to drink or drug” (Stephen Artrburn24). Other factors are the social pressure, such as friends and school these significant...
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...Drug Abuse: Silent Epidemic Jennifer Lieberman Com 220 December 4, 2011 A. Caruso Drug Abuse in Today's Culture There are many drugs that are abused in today’s culture, and they are more readily available and affordable than a person would think. Even though not everyone that uses illegal drugs is an addict, drug abuse is a terrible epidemic in the United States because so many people die every day from drug overdose and drug abuse can lead to long term health problems. The current statistics state that one in four people die from fatal drug overdose. The most commonly abused drugs fall into six categories, have both “positive” effects and adverse effects, withdrawal symptoms and overdose potentials. The first category I want to explore is Stimulants. The drugs most commonly abused from this category are Amphetamines and Cocaine. Each drug in this category will give the user the feeling of increased energy, increased strength feelings of euphoria and a suppressed appetite. The adverse effects of this type of drug are an increased blood pressure, dry mouth, weight loss, mood swings, and paranoia. The most commonly seen withdrawal effects are mental agitation, depression, and panic. Both Amphetamines and Cocaine have the potential for fatal overdose even in small amounts. The next category I am going to talk about is Hallucinogens. The most commonly abused drugs from this category are LSD, Ecstasy, and Mushrooms. The drugs in this category...
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...Samuel Mazzie “Did you know America ranks the lowest in education but the highest in drug use? It's nice to be number one, but we can fix that. All we need to do is start the war on education. If it's anywhere near as successful as our war on drugs, in no time we'll all be hooked on phonics” (Leighann Lord). Illegal drug use has become a huge danger to society and future generations. As someone who has personally dealt with drug addiction in my family, I am tired of seeing people constantly damage themselves by abusing prescription drugs. My sister has been in rehab facilities two times in the last year and still continues to abuse drugs. Easy access to prescription drugs is resulting in increasing levels of addiction; therefore, corrective action must be taken to monitor the amount of drugs doctors prescribe, rehab facilities should be restructured to allow stays longer than 30 days, and friends and family should be more aware of the warning signs of drug addiction. People need to take action to prevent illegal drug use starting in their own homes and in schools. Obtaining prescription drugs from doctors has become way too easy causing more people to become addicted. Doctors should be monitored to see the amount of addictive drugs prescribed. There are doctors who are more concerned with their personal wealth then the well being of their patient. “An arrest warrant affidavit says Houghton would prescribe medication to some patients for $100 without a medical...
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...Interstate Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs - A Priority Issue for Partnership for a Drug Free America Abstract One ongoing priority of the Partnership for a drug free America (PDFA) is supporting Prescription drug Monitoring Programs (PDMP). With adolescent prescription drug abuse on the rise PDFA started a 5- year campaign called the Medicine abuse project to prevent teen prescription drug abuse. A vital tool taking precedence in this project is ensuring that Interstate prescription drug monitoring programs are implemented, utilized, and funded in all 50 states. PDFA points to research from the CDC showing the rise of prescription drug abuse amongst teens ,and their recommendation for using prescription drug monitoring programs to gain control over this epidemic. In supporting PDMPs, The Partnership for a Drug Free America is rallying with the Congressional caucus on prescription drug abuse and their initiatives to support nationally interconnected PDMPs. Recently, PDFA has received a great deal of backlash, and their motives for supporting interstate PDMPs have come into question. Mainly, because of their financial support from Pharma Pharmaceuticals. However, PDFA address all funding questions responding that Pharma provides funding solely for educational grants. The use of Interstate PDMPs comes into controversy with states like Florida, suggesting that utilizing interstate PDMPs violates...
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...However, the menace of drugs can be fought. Education is the first battle. Children need to be told at home and in school about drugs. People need to be aware of the effects so that they can avoid this problem A second approach is to increase police manpower and create effective laws to stop dealers. However the main target should be the user Families and counselors need to talk to children and people at risk. Parents need to look at their children and help them to become responsible. Worthwhile jobs and housing are also needed to give people a role in society. Drug abuse today is a major cause for concern and has a negative effect on society at large. Drug abuse solutions can be viewed from many perspectives. On a national level, solutions are based and discussed in terms of the reduction in supply of drugs. From a social perspective, solutions are usually discussed in terms of prevention, early intervention and treatment. Prevention is better than cure. This adage holds good in fighting drug abuse too. Public education campaigns and stricter laws regarding purchase and use of legal substances are measures that have been adopted by states in the USA The first step is to educate the public, as drugs are still a touchy subject for most Americans. This solution involves shifting the American perspective on the issue of drugs into a whole new light. There would have to be tireless efforts to inform the public on the horrible injustices and blatant failures...
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...Essay #1 Cause and Effect Sarah C. Powers Stautzenberger GEN 090 English Skills and Development Ms. Constance Plungus October 31, 2011 The loss of my mother was devastating and tragic. In 1998, my mother suffered from a brain aneurism that burst. I was 17 yrs old, and lost my best friend. Mom was strong willed and humorous. She finished college on the deans list, and raised four children by her self. She was the matriarch of my family, She was a great woman who cared for humanity. Sadly she also suffered the disease of addiction. Unfortunately that series of events left my poor mother in a nursing home not able to care for her self. Physically she is here, mentally she is not. The loss of my mom brought broken hearts, lost souls and God willing the dawn of a new day. My experience with addiction is that is can be life threatening. In my family alone, I have lost two aunt’s and a mother due to addiction. Before it took their lives, it changed their whole perspective on life. For example, my mother was always loving and compassionate. As an addict she was mean and hateful. The disease of addiction can and will take everything from you and your family. I lost the person who taught me how to be strong and proud no matter what the situation. My mother was an honorable woman and I suffered a dear loss. Addiction is fatal. There are many effects to the person who is an addict. Relationships with family and friends will...
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...Effect of Abuse on Society Family and Community Drug abuse is common in all societies. Families and communities are becoming less happy and rarely yet torn by death, or a serious injury due to drug abuse. Unfortunately, around the world and throughout time, drug abuse has shown to be common among families. Abuse of any kind takes over everything in the abusers life. Drug and alcohol abuse can affect a person’s capability to keep a job. Drug and alcohol not only affects the person itself but everyone around him or her especial their families and the community. People around the world believe that drugs or alcohol are the solution to their problems, not knowing the problem becomes worst and a nightmare is about to begin. Drug abuse negatively affects family’s communication and interaction. Whether the abuser is the parent or a child, communication and interaction maybe a major motive to lead a family member into abusing drugs as well as abusing drugs eventually will cause lack of communication and interaction within a family because the abuser is focused on the drug and his or her next high, rather than thinking about spending time with family. If drugs are involved in a family the communication is negative and the mood within siblings is often depressing (livestrong.com, 2011). Families, who live under this type of home environment, tend to pass the same lifestyle to the next generation, and it is prone for the children to repeat the same cycle of drug abuse, lack...
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...adolescents. This article contained personal views and expressed many opinions about what Latino and African American men think about child support and the role it plays in their own experience as fathers. As it turns out many studies showed a significant increase in work ethic and a significant interest in their own non-custodial children despite having to pay child support. In fact, one of the studies showed that Latinos were “more involved” compared to African Americans. Latinos were suspected to have higher emotional involvement with their children while paying child support than those who were African American fathers that were not paying child support. Anna Rockhill, Beth L. Green, and Lind Newton-Curtis. (2008). accessing substance abuse treatment: issues for parents...
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...Drug Addiction Dina Michelle Wyas COM/156 9/22/2013 Serafin Roldan Addiction is a serious problem with people. Any person can be addicted to anything. Some people are addicted to food or TV, some can be addicted to working out or computer games. The worst addiction is substance abuse. When people start taking or using a substance, they become labeled as an addict. An addict becomes addicted to the drug and its dependency with their use of it. Addicts try not to let anything come in their way with their substance abuse. It effects their life and the people that love and care for them. Addicts need help, but will often deny they do. When an addict reaches out for help there are many programs that offer support and all usually start out with the twelve steps. Everyone agrees that addicts sometimes take drugs chiefly for pleasure and sometimes chiefly to escape withdrawal or other dysphoric states for example life stress. However, there are several major problems with hedonic/withdrawal theories as full explanations of drug addiction. (Robinson, T.E.,& Berridge, K.C.2003) When people start using drugs it usually results in three different stages. (Dr. Sack) The addict either starts by taking prescription drugs, participating in social drugs, or using drugs for self-medicating such as in the case of depression. When they go to the doctor for a pain, doctors will prescribe drugs to make their body feel better and the pain to go away. Many drug addicts get started through...
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...Analysis Paper 3: Adolescent Drug and Alcohol Belinda D. Hicks Liberty University Abstract This paper offers a perspective on adolescent alcohol and drug abuse by focusing on identifying common predictors of adolescent drug, and alcohol. Alcohol and other drug use among adolescents has been a public problem for decades. However, it seems that the problem is increasing more every year. Although, some adolescents make it through these years with, on balance, more positive experiences, but as the writer indicated more negative experiences of alcohol and drugs are on the rise. Substance abuse can lead to serious problems such as poor schoolwork, loss of friends, problems at home, and lasting legal problems. Alcohol and drug abuse is a leading cause of teen death or injury related to car crashes, suicides, violence, and drowning. Adolescences experience tragic consequences and others develop chronic problems of abuse and dependence. The broad developmental themes during adolescence and the transition to young adulthood, heavy drinking and drug use increases during the transition from junior high to high school and has to potential to extend to college. The majority of young people make it through. There will also be a discussion on how the family- peers and individual characteristics/variables are correlated with drug and alcohol abuse in adolescence. There will also be review connections between each system risk factor and...
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...Drug abuse in Africa Sections ABSTRACT Introduction Historical background Current drug abuse situation in Africa Effects of drug abuse in Africa Control mechanisms Future trends Details Author: T. ASUNI , A. O PELA Pages: 55 to 64 Creation Date: 1986/01/01 Drug abuse in Africa T. ASUNI Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria A. O PELA Clinical Pharmacy Unit, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, Benin, Nigeria ABSTRACT Apart from cannabis abuse in northern and southern Africa and khat chewing in north-eastern Africa, the history of drug abuse in Africa is relatively short. The abuse of drugs in Africa is nevertheless escalating rapidly from cannabis abuse to the more dangerous drugs and from limited groups of drug users to a wider range of people abusing drugs. The most common and available drug of abuse is still cannabis, which is known to be a contributing factor to the occurrence of a schizophrenic-like psychosis. The trafficking in and abuse of cocaine and heroin are the most recent developments in some African countries that had had no previous experience with these drugs. Efforts should be made to design and implement drug abuse assessment programmes to determine the real magnitude and characteristics of the problem and to monitor its trends. A lack of funds and a shortage of adequately trained personnel have made it difficult to implement drug abuse control programmes...
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...talk about in this case report is the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) in the United States. A brief history about the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, through 1989, nine Prescription Drug Monitoring Program has been established. Two were located in state Attorneys General offices (California 1939 and Pennsylvania, 1972); two departments of Public Safety (Hawaii, 1943 and Texas, 1981) one in Department of Substance Abuse Services (Illinois, 1961); one in a Board of Pharmacy; and one in a Department of Consumer Affairs, Bureau of Health Professions (Michigan, 1988). How PDMPs are organized and operated varies among states. Each state determines which agency houses the PDMP; which controlled substances must be reported; which types of dispensers are required to submit data (e.g., pharmacies); how often data are collected; who may access information in the PDMP database (e.g., prescribers, dispensers, or law enforcement); the circumstances under which the information may (or must) be accessed; and what enforcement mechanisms are in place for noncompliance. A lot of people die from overdose of drugs in the United States and from drug abuse, not only that but there a lot of non-medical drug use in the United States as well. According to the Congressional Research Service Seven million individuals aged 12 or older (2.7% of this population) were current nonmedical users of Prescription or psychotherapeutic drugs in 2010 over 1 million emergency department visits...
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...Crisis Paper Casie Yu MCPHS University Patient Background Sammy is 27 year old, female patient who came into the hospital for opiates withdrawal/dependence. Sammy is white American and has been baptized but doesn’t attend to church regularly. She is admitted to the hospital for a detox for opiate dependence. Patient states that she currently uses “two bundles of heroin per day through shooting up for the past month. I also shoot up $20 of cocaine for the past month and I smoke marijuana once per week for the last three years”. Sammy has started using three years ago. Sammy also smokes tobacco about one pack per day for about ten years. Three years ago, Sammy got in a serious car accident that hospitalized her. The medical complications that followed up with the car accident is diagnosed with having reflex sympathetic dystrophy of the lower limbs and had a spinal cord stimulator implanted. The first surgery was faulty because the implanted battery wasn’t working. During the second surgery, the wiring of the batteries was wrong and the stimulator was stimulating the wrong leg. Sammy went back the third time and finally, the stimulator was working where it is suppose to be. Although the stimulator was working and suppose to help sooth the pain, Sammy still could not bear the pain. Due to the reflex sympathetic dystrophy of the lower limbs after the car accident, Sammy stated that she could not stand for long periods of times and she cannot lift more than twenty to...
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...GLT Task 2 Substance abuse is defined as “a pattern of harmful use of any substance for mood altering purposes” (Medline encyclopedia, 2014). This includes over the counter and prescription medications. Substance abuse leads to many problems from homelessness, jail, and even death. Many people abuse substances because they have some kind of stress in their life and see drugs as a symbol for a way out (More, 2008). I will be discussing how prescription drugs have an effect on the United States economy and how social theory relates to substance abuse dependency (More, 2008). Prescription drug abuse is one of many social problems in the United States. This problem is becoming an epidemic. In most instances, people are using controlled substance that were not prescribed to them or uses a legitimate prescription that does not match the label instructions (Davis, 2011). People think that since it was prescribed by a physician it is safe. This problem has been growing over the past few years and has cost the economy billions of dollars (Davis, 2011). Prescription drug abuse may come as a surprise to people but since physicians easily prescribe medications now days, they can be accessed very easily. Most drugs that are abused are opiates, which people also illegally sell on the streets for money (Davis, 2011). These drugs can be ingested, snorted, and smoked which is a misuse of how the medication is prescribed and is considered a felony (Davis, 2011). A wide...
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