...Ritalin & Cocaine: Controversial Connection Today it seems that many children, especially boys, are diagnosed with ADHD, four times more than girls. Is it more prevalent now or just recognized more within our society? Those diagnosed with ADHD have a hard time concentrating and are prone to outburst based on the emotions they are feeling at the time rather than reason. This is caused by lower levels of dopamine in their brains. The most commonly prescribed drug to treat ADHD is Ritalin. The dopamine transporter within the brain moves dopamine from the synapse to the sending neuron. Ritalin blocks the dopamine transporter, therefore, increasing the dopamine level at the synapse. Similarly, in recent studies, “cocaine has the same affect on the dopamine transporter protein responsible for the reuptake of dopamine at the synapse”. “Both Ritalin and Cocaine have similar chemical structures, but Ritalin is a pill to be swallowed and can take longer to reach the brain, where cocaine is taken in higher doses by injection or snorting”. This method reaches the brain quicker and floods the brain with dopamine, making it addictive and dangerous. Unfortunately, Ritalin is relatively cheap and easier to obtain by today’s teens and is quickly becoming a drug of choice. If taken as prescribed Ritalin is not addictive, however, when taken without a prescription and in much higher doses, it can be just as addictive as cocaine. “Misdiagnosis of ADHD is common and many believe...
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...In “Embraced by the Needle” Gabor Mate uses a scientific approach to help persuade the reader to agree with his argument, which is that addiction is not bred from the drug itself, but from the feeling of abandonment or neglect. Mate also uses personal anecdotes from people he has met that have issues with drug abuse. The mixture of the scientific statistics, and personal anecdotes validate his argument, and make the reader agree with what he is saying. In “Embraced by the Needle” Mate discusses the ways in which addiction is bred and how it can eventually take over someones life. Gabor states “No drugs, in itself, are addictive.” This means that it is not the drug that causes the addiction, it is why the people are doing the drugs in the first place, and the way it makes them feel. If people grow up in an abusive household and have never experienced a “warm, soft hug”(305), they turn to drugs because it will give them that feeling. Although some may agree with Mate’s argument, the ways in which he gives his evidence and examples lacks all the necessary information needed in order to make a decision on whether you agree or disagree with his argument. In paragraph four Mate uses a scientific example saying, “Only about 8 per cent to 15 per cent of people who try, say alcohol or marijuana, go on to addictive use.” (305) While this statistic may be true, it is difficult to report on how many of those people of that eight to fifteen per cent are using it because they simply have...
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...Substance abuse is the destructive pattern of use of any substance for mood altering purposes, which leads to addiction and many other potentially serious problems (NCDHHS). Substance abuse is not limited to the abuse of drugs; it also includes inhalants, alcohol and solvents. In reality, nearly any substance can be abused (NCDHHS). According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the abuse of illicit drugs and psychotherapeutics has increased; with 9.2 % of the population over the age twelve having abused some substance. Not surprisingly, there has been a rapid increase, (due to its easy access) in the use of marijuana (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2014). Whilst there is no definitive cause of substance abuse, there are a myriad of factors that can trigger it. Socioeconomic status, family history, child abuse, depression, low self-esteem, stress; these are but a few reasons that can trigger substance abuse in an individual. Having relationships with people who use abuse substances, or accept their use as normal can also lead a person to develop substance abuse issues (Robinson, Smith &Saisan, 2014). There is no precise way to determine if someone will or does abuse substances, but there are some things one can look for and identify as indicators of substance abuse. Lack of interest in activities, depression, taking unnecessary risks, becoming drunk or high regularly, preplanning substance abuse, needing more and more substances to get drunk or high and blacking...
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...Have you ever wondered why some people are more prone to addiction than others? Even for certain diseases like diabetes or hypertension? Just like we have different looks, our bodies are different too. Studies carried out on addicts have pointed out to dopamine been the main cause of addiction. Drugs which increase dopamine in the brain can have untoward effect on certain addictive behaviors such as compulsive gambling, hypersexuality, and overeating. One such drug is Levodopa. In fact, one of the most addicting drugs is cocaine which acts mainly by inhibiting the recycling of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is one of the neurotransmitters in the brain and it induces pleasure as well as affecting bodily movement, motivation and cognition. Dopamine thus controls certain pleasurable feelings in the body caused by eating food, orgasms during sex and by addictive behaviors. That's why addictions are pleasurable...
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...Sometimes drugs can be the best thing to people when they are feeling stressed or it can just be a relief in their lives. Drugs are very dangerous but at the same time good for pain but if it becomes addictive then that’s a problem. Drugs are becoming more and more related to crime. When someone is abusing drugs they aren't really in their right state of mind. One someone is not in the right state of mind they do things they normally wouldn’t do. People commit crimes should as stealing, selling, and sometimes a type of abuse when they are abusing drugs. Drug abuse and crime is very serious and continues to grow in our society. There are certain drugs that we know of but aren’t the only ones people are using. Drug abuse isn’t only affecting your life it’s also affecting some else’s and that crime you commit because you are high off who knows what is also affecting someone. Drug Abuse is very serious problem that can lead to health complications and one health complication is death. But we have to think maybe something happened in one’s life to make them start abusing drugs and maybe crimes is all the know to keep up their habits. Sometimes the outcome of drug abuse and crime can be good sometimes it can be bad but I say it’s not worth it. Drug abuse is an addiction and just stopping won’t work if you’re too far gone. Sometimes there is reason behind everything. I know that not an excuse for people to do illegal things but sometimes that’s just the way it goes. Sometimes there...
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...Synthetic Drugs In the Good Morning America article “’Bath Salts’: Use of Dangerous Drug Increasing Across U.S.”, the many dangers of designer drugs are exposed. One of these dangers being the creation of the new designer drug: Bath Salts. Bath salts have become the hot new thing in teenagers today because of how easy it is to obtain the drug. Although the drug may be easy to find, the designer drug is not easy to get rid of in your body. Recently, there have been many attacks from people that were high on the new drug. The most famous being a Miami man who was killed after he ate almost all of a homeless man’s face. Because of this incident, the drug became more popular and the U.S. began to take action in order to ban the new designer drug. Recently, a Delaware senator, “ praised pending legislation proposing a nationwide ban on "bath salts," a dangerous synthetic drug that's on the rise in the United States and might have led to the recent attack in Miami where a man allegedly ate off 80 percent of a homeless man's face.” (Dolak). By the senator praising the pending legislation, it shows how America is concerned with the new drug and the effect it has on their people. Through the use of ethos, pathos, and logos, as well as different sources Kevin Dolak’s article “’Bath Salts’: Use of Dangerous Drug Increasing Across U.S.”, portrays the dangers that bath salts has on the many Americans that are using the designer drug today. The author applys to ethos throughout the entire...
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...closer to not only how these drugs effect our behavior but more importantly their biological effects towards the human body. Depressants, and their true implications of abuse. Alcohol, Barbiturates, and opiates such as morphine and heroine all relax neural activity and slow body functions categorizing them into the depressants. People who use these drugs are likely to experience temporary pleasure along with anxiety relief, these short term fixes are what lead to addiction because of the need and craving for the drugs effect. Biological effects while using depressants consist of slow neural processing, memory disruption, and reduced self awareness and control. For example, “ In one experiment, those who consumed alcohol were doubly likely to be caught mind-wandering during a reading task, yet were less likely to notice that they zoned out” (Sayette et al., 2009), this along with other effects are the results of abuse. Adverse effects such as the loss of self awareness are just the beginning, for instance “alcohol abuse can lead to alcohol dependence resulting in not only shrinking the brain, but putting you at risk for lung, brain, and liver damage”(Casa,2003; Wuerich2001). Opiates and barbiturates just like alcohol depress neural functions, lead to addiction, and can all ultimately end in death by overdose. The implications of stimulant abuse and its adverse affects. Stimulants unlike depressants speed up neural activity and body functions,...
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...Every year there are athletes dominating in each level of every sports played in the world. Although they can be the best through dedication and hard work, some athletes are questionable. They can enhance their performance by using drugs such as steroids, marijuana, or cocaine. By using drugs, it can strengthen their ability to perform better than opposing players. This displays an unfair advantage on the playing field between two teams. In my opinion, I believe that every athlete should have a mandatory drug test. By doing so it will benefit them on and off the field. Eliminating the use of drugs will keep it fair for all competitors. It can also help athletes stay away from drugs. For example, athletes who are in love with the sport would...
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...Dan Gravitt English 102 April 23rd, 2012 Mr. Rawson “Start of Something New” In recent reports from the Los Angeles Times, it is estimated that 100 people die every day from drug abuse or overdose. Abuse or overdose being defined as taking more medicine than a doctor prescribes, or taking medication not prescribed to the victim. These totals don’t even include deaths related to side effects from other prescription drugs, and those reach over one hundred thousand people annually. These numbers have alarmed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but rightfully so because from the years 2000 to 2009 the report states, “The percentage of poisoning deaths among those aged 15–19 years with prescription drugs as a contributing cause increased from 30% in 2000 to 57% in 2009.” There are many different speculations that would drive such a rapid climb, such as music and lifestyle, accessibility to the drugs, and affordability for many teenagers. Agencies like the CDC and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), are working together with the White House to reside this issue by improving education of healthcare professionals, using state prescription monitoring programs, and proper disposal of controlled substances by business trade and the public. I agree with Obama in that there are steps that need to be taken to help end this recent issue in society. Although, I believe there are other ways to go about it and the first is to federally decriminalize marijuana...
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...excitation or jubilation. What is Drug Abuse Drug abuse is unprovoked, decorative utilization of any usual or synthetic substance or drug in an unapproved amount for performance augmentation and psychosomatic effect for non-therapeutic, non-medical use by an individual with methods neither approved nor supervised by medical professionals. The society as a whole has been at the suffering end of this habit for a long time. Drug abuse has made such deeper inlays in our lives that there seems to be no end to this menace. Drug abuse is a major public health problem that impacts society on multiple levels. Directly or indirectly, every community is affected by drug abuse and addiction, as is every family. Drugs take a tremendous toll on our society at many levels. People who use drugs incident a wide array of bodily effects other than those expected. The thrill of cocaine high, for instance, is followed by a "smash into": a period of anxiety, fatigue, depression, and a heightened craving for additional cocaine to ease the thoughts of the crash. Marijuana and alcohol hinder with motor control and are factors in many automobile accidents. Users of marijuana and hallucinogenic drugs may experience...
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...Use Drug addiction within society today has become a big problem. To combat this growing epidemic, research is constantly being done to determine why these behaviors occur and how to refrain from the urge to use psychoactive drugs. Why people do it can be answered simply, because they like the way that psychoactive drugs make them feel. A psychoactive drug is any chemical substance that by affecting the function of the brain alters a person’s behavior and mood (Deckers, 2010). Psychoactive drugs can be anything from caffeine that is obtained by drinking a soda to opiates which are what is in morphine and heroin. In order to refrain from the use of psychoactive drugs, an understanding must be gained about why addictions to these chemicals occur in the first place. Brain Structures and Functions Associated with Refraining From Drug Use In order to understand how to refrain from drug use, it is important to first understand why it occurs. Different psychoactive drugs affect the brain and the body in their own specific ways. While some drugs stimulate the central nervous system, such as cocaine and caffeine, causing a more alert and energized feeling, others work as a depressant such as alcohol, which induces relaxation and can lower social inhibitions and stress levels (Deckers, 2010). Despite the fact that many drugs have different effects and can be administered in different ways, they do have a commonality which is the pleasure that is experienced by the brain reward system...
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...L01 Health promotion 1.1 Socioeconomic status means one of the most powerful risk factors for poor health outcomes. Persons of lower socioeconomic status suffer disproportionately from nearly all diseases and have higher rates of mortality than people of higher socioeconomic status. http://futureofchildren.org/publications/journals/article/index.xml?journalid=60&articleid=374§ionid=2510 This socioeconomic difference can leads to limited access to basic health care services. Social and economic factors shape risk behaviour and the health of drug users. They affect health indirectly by shaping individual drug-use behaviour; they affect health directly by affecting the availability of resources, access to social welfare systems, marginalization, and compliance with medication. many different influences, from family and friends to socioeconomic status and quality of life in general. Factors such as peer pressure, physical and sexual abuse, stress, and quality of parenting can greatly influence the occurrence of drug abuse and the escalation to addiction in a person’s life. (Drug facts, 2012). Drug facts, 2012 access online [www]http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/understanding-drug-abuse-addiction access on 12/11/14. 1.2 The state of public health Canada in 2008 stated Health inequalities are differences in health status experienced by various individuals or groups in society. The word Health inequalities is closely linked to “social...
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...nutritional value, and is a great source for cooking oils and vitamins. Before it was illegalized Marijuana was one of the main sources of paper and clothing. Marijuana can produce four times more fiber per acre than most trees used today. If you do the math on that anyone can see that Marijuana has a great chance of reducing deforestation. The war on drugs has cost our country millions of dollars over the past decades. But not only does the drug problem still exist it has actually grown over the decades. Alcohol causes more accidents and deaths than Marijuana ever has but it is not illegal. Alcohol will never be illegalized because it has always been so relative to most of the world’s cultures, but that doesn’t make it right. Do you still think so negatively of the term Marijuana? This paper will look at the Deontology and Utilitarian views of Marijuana. The purpose of this paper is to examine the rights and wrongs of Marijuana, and whether or not it should be illegalized. Is marijuana really an introductory drug? Many people believe so. In fact I believe it is also but only because that’s how our government makes it out to bad. Marijuana is associated with associated with illegal drug dealers so the drug is automatically viewed as negative. If Marijuana was legal then it would no longer be the intro drug. Morally smoking Marijuana is just as bad as smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol, but those acts are not illegal at all. If cigarettes...
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...Drug addiction has become a major social problem in Phillipines. In a developing country like Phillipines incidence of drug addiction increasing day by day. It was a problem of developed country beforehand, but now it is one of the important social problem of country trapped by this addiction it will affects the future of our country. It is spreading like mushroom & invading the every level of our nation like home, educational institution & affecting individuals of all classes. Increasing number of drug addiction not only decrease the economical development of a country but also directly related to increased incidence of crime, unexpected violence and corruption. Easy availability of drugs is a major cause of prevalence of drug addiction. Peer pressure is generally considered to be an important factor in the initiation of taking drugs. This descriptive research was conducted aiming at studying situation of drug use addiction as well as knowledge and attitude of people concerning drugs. Study population, Sukhothai people,aged 15-70 years, during January - September 2007, amounted to 476,956 people. The samples,drawn by multistage random sampling from districts, sub-districts and villages, included 400 subjects.The questionnaire was composed of 4 parts : 1) general information, 2) general health survey,3) drug use experiences, and 4) knowledge and attitude related to drugs. The questionnaire was both close and open ended were filled up by well trained interviewers. Data was analyzed...
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...the world. Our aim of the assignment is first, to make people aware of the drug addition that is occurring now, the effects of drug addiction. Our aim of the report is to dissuade the masses of drug addiction and give reason to stamp it out entirely. Identifying the problem Drug abuse started with opium. Chinese farmers first started consuming large amounts of opium to ‘forget’ the pains they were suffering. The modern ‘druggie’ uses a variety of different substances. They range from the most common cough syrup to the burning of herbal combinations and inhaling the smoke. This is one of the major problems of modern drug addiction. People are getting ‘high’ on the simplest substances; even glue sniffing is taking drugs. Some of the more common forms of drug are: Heroin Cocaine Marijuana (more commonly known as weed) Phensidyle Today, these practices are threatening the foundation of our society. The number of addicted youth is increasing in number every day, demolishing the whole economy of our nation. Thousands of talented youth's careers and the dream of their parents are shattering every day due to one wrong step taken. This problem is almost beyond anyone's control because established drug markets are constantly catering the thirst of drug for hundreds of addicts and there is practically no one to curtail the heinous efforts of these fiends. Drug availability A major factor affecting the increasing use of drugs is the availability in our markets. ...
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