...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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...Devin Moore Ben Cope Lifetime Fitness 4, May 2014 Drug Abuse in America Chapter 13 The United States is number one in illegal drug use throughout the world (cbsnews). Men, women and teens across the country are becoming addicted every day to drugs such as cocaine, alcohol, heroin and meth. While Marijuana isn’t technically addictive, it is still the number one used illegal drug in the United States. Marijuana has become legal in some areas in the United States. “Single adults were more likely to report marijuana and cocaine abuse”. These drugs literally destroy lives. People lose their jobs, families and homes because of drug abuse. It is a problem that has been and will be relevant for decades and decades. The definition of a drug is a “substance that alters the user’s ability to function”(Powerpoint). When your ability to function is affected, it affects your everyday life. This is why people lose their jobs and homes. People will spend all their money just get their fix. Cocaine is one of the more expensive drugs. It is very common within the wealthier communities because it can be afforded. Studies show that Americans are four time more likely to abuse cocaine then the other countries in the world (cbsnews). It is also one the most addictive drugs after Alcohol. Its different names are coke, cocaine, dope and white. It can be snorted for a quicker, shorter high or it can be injected which will cause a longer lasting high. Many people begin using...
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...Introduction Marijuana is a psychoactive drug made from the dried leaves and flowering parts of the hem plant (Dudley, 1999). Marijuana contains an active ingredient, tetrahydrocannabinol, known as THC. It is one of the most strictly classified illegal drugs in the United States. Marijuana is a schedule I substance. Schedule I means that marijuana has a high potential for abuse. It is illegal to buy, sell, grow, or possess marijuana in the United States. Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States. Marijuana is derived from the plant Cannabis. War on Drugs Marijuana prohibition comprises a large part of the federal government’s War on Drug’s. Law enforcement officials made 600,000 marijuana-related arrests in 1995 (Gerdes, 2002). The criminal prohibition of marijuana, this represents an extraordinary degree of government intrusion into the private, personal lives of those adults who choose to use it. People convicted of marijuana offenses face penalties ranging from probation to life imprisonment, plus fines and forfeiture of property. The government spends millions of dollars annually on preventative programs such as Dare Abuse Resistance Education (DARE), in which local police officers visit schools to teach young people to refrain from trying marijuana and other drugs. Marijuana Medical Uses Despite federal laws prohibiting marijuana in 1996, California and Arizona passed state initiatives legalizing marijuana for medical use by patients...
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...Drug Abuse and its Effects Introduction Drug abuse is a malaise that the U.S. has been fighting since a long time and still has a long way to go, whether it is the youth or the elderly, people from all age groups, all ethnicities and races, all regions and religions, seems to be afflicted with the enigma that is drug abuse. Internationally, over 200 million people chomp through some type of illicit drugs. From ordinary bhaang, Cannabis, opium to artificial “designer” drugs like ecstasy or MDMA, barbiturate derivatives, benzodiazepines like alprazolam, diazepam, amphetamines, Phenethylamine and Tryptamine derivatives; different forms of drugs are available for inducing 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...
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...Substance Abuse By: Ashley Johnson Introduction People abuse different substance/drugs for many reasons. The toll for this abuse can be seen in our hospitals and emergency departments through direct damage to health by substance abuse and its link to physical trauma. Jails and prisons tally daily the strong connection between crime and drug dependence and abuse. Although use of some drugs such as cocaine has declined, use of other drugs such as heroin and "club drugs" has increased. A drug is any substance that crosses from the bloodstream into the brain and that somehow changes the way the brain is functioning. By this definition, some common substances such as alcohol, nicotine, and even caffeine are considered “drugs.” Drug abuse implies “willful, improper use due to an underlying disorder or quest for hedonistic or immoral please” (N. Miller, 1995). Substance abuse is “harmful use of one or more psychoactive substance” (Abadinsky, 2008). The term substance abuse describes abusive or harmful use of any substance; it also known as a chemical or drug abuse. Drugs can have the wrong effects on people especially when used improperly. Not only does drug abuse harm you but it also breaks up families. Statement of the Problem According to www.medicinenet.com, the term substance abuse describes abusive or harmful use in excess of any substances. A drug is any substance that crosses from the bloodstream into the brain and that somehow changes the way the brain...
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...Drug Trafficking in the United States Bethany Chrisco ENG 122: English Composition II Mary Harmon December 10, 2012 Drug Trafficking in the United States “The war on drugs has become the longest most deadly war the United States has ever faced.”(Wright, 2011) The United States has been fighting drug trafficking since the 1900’s and the main dilemma is how to exactly stop it. Some people believe that making drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, and methamphetamine legal in the United States would put a stop to drug trafficking, but this is just going to do nothing but make things worse for the people of the United States and cause the drug war to begin in our own country. It is believed by some that making drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, and methamphetamine legal in the United States will stop drug trafficking from other countries and help the United States in other ways. People believe that making drugs legal in the United States that it would reduce the prison population which will save the government money, it will make money for our country because the government can tax the drugs, reduce the chances of drug overdoses because the drugs will be more pure and the amount sold will not be deathly, help cancer and glaucoma patients, and stop trafficking and smuggling from other countries. This all may be true in some ways but making these drugs legal would just cause more problems within the United States and for our people. These problems vary...
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...The Truth Uncovered Substance Abuse within our communities pose a severe threat to society. The United States is consumed with dissatisfied people who are unable to cope with the struggles in their life, so they coat their problems with powder . They consider drugs to be a victimless crime, and argue that it should be their choice in what they do with their body, and life. As true as this may be, sometimes people need to be protected from themselves, and their irrational, uneducated decisions. People often become victims to their own crimes, and in the end they pay the ultimate price. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, approximately 7 million Americans abuse prescription drugs, and roughly 6.3 million report they...
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...18, 2014 jessie fox PHL/323 March 18, 2014 jessie fox PHL/323 Doctor Shopping PHL/323 March 18, 2014 Robert Philip Doctor Shopping The illegal narcotic drug problem in the United States is a growing problem and is On the rise. This problem is growing at a rapid pace, but, the fastest and one of the Deadliest drug problems in the United States is doctor shopping, which not only affects The young addict, but also the senior citizen as well. This is the fastest growing problem In the United States and is at the top of every state’s agenda and even the federal Government is starting to take this as a serious matter. The federal government has Allowed each state take care of this problem, but as the deaths pile up and the addiction Grow the government has been forced to get involved. Doctor shopping is a way to get Narcotics legal and not risk getting caught in a drug bust, but new laws especially at the State level is starting to prosecute more people every year. The penalties for breaking These doctor shopping laws are ranging from not allowing the abuser to get prescription Medicine to time spent in prison . A great deal of issues surrounding health care that range from the cost of health Care, the health care reform, and not paying for pre-exiting conditions, which has a Negative effect on the health care industry. People are not focused on the issues that drive the cost of health care to an undesirable rate. Most people take his or her frustrations...
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...Substance Abuse in Today’s Society Substance abuse in the United States dates back to the excess use of morphine during the American Civil War. Morphine was used as a “wonder drug”, taking away the pain of soldier’s injuries as well as avoiding health hazards such as diarrhea. These soldiers ended up going home addicted, taking morphine even though they no longer needed it, and had to fuel their addictions just to keep their sanity. Present day United States is not free from substance abuse either, and it has started to escalate at an even bigger scale. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, over 570,000 die annually due to drug abuse (NIH, 2014). Due to an excess amount of people dying due to drug abuse,...
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... many “sensitive” topics, such as tobacco, drugs and alcohol are always on the table for debate; since they influence and impact our personal lives, people’s beliefs and the economy. As the United States of America continues on its present path of accumulating a deficit, many political opinions and justification will be voiced to clarify the excessive funds allocated to aid various tobacco, drugs and alcohol programs/budgets. These programs includes, but not limited to: education and awareness; local support groups; rehabilitation centers to medical finance assistance for care and medication. The programs listed above can easily be justified by local, state and/or national government bodies, but how about monies that are being missed used and/or irrelevant in helping society, which I like to, refer them as “scam expenses”. Tobacco products in the United States have influence two major problems in today’s economy. First, in recent years, numerous state governments have enacted higher tax rates on cigarettes. The governments overall explanation of higher tariff of tobacco products would hopefully lead to a decrease smoking rates. However, some disagree and different publications note the increase in taxes was solely for the purpose of increasing revenue. Overall state tax revenue from tobacco sales have dwindled in recent years in states like New York, which presently has the highest state tax on cigarettes in the United States. At first glance, people would consider this...
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...Drugs in AMerica | From Sea to Shining Sea | Patricia Diaz | 000348122 | GLT 1 111.6.2 | 2/5/2014 | | “Drugs in America from sea to shining sea” Drug use in the United States has been on a steady rise. This is largely due to the increasing popularity of Marijuana. Marijuana was on the decline from the 1990s to mid to late 2000s but has been on a steady increase since then. This is due to the changing perception and attitudes towards marijuana. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, in 2013, 7.0 percent of 8th graders, and 22.7 percent of 12th graders used marijuana in the last month. Why this sharp increase? This is related to state’s passing of legislation for the legalization of marijuana. This cannot help in the war on drugs. The use of marijuana has been shown to be the gateway to other more illicit drugs. Medical Marijuana has been in use for many years in the United States. It has been touted as the new miracle drug. While there are benefits to this drug the long term effects are still being analyzed. It has been said to help prevent blindness from Glaucoma; an appetite stimulant in Aids patients; and helps controls muscle spasms in Multiple Sclerosis patients. It can also have negative side effects such as paranoia, feeling of panic, hallucinations, and anxiety. People also have complained to short term memory loss, mood swings, perceptions and information processing. Why are there two different spectrum of the “miracle...
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...drug addiction and drug abuse Introduction drug addiction and drug abuse, chronic or habitual use of any chemical substance to alter states of body or mind for other than medically warranted purposes. Traditional definitions of addiction, with their criteria of physical dependence and withdrawal (and often an underlying tenor of depravity and sin) have been modified with increased understanding; with the introduction of new drugs, such as cocaine , that are psychologically or neuropsychologically addicting; and with the realization that its stereotypical application to opiate-drug users was invalid because many of them remain occasional users with no physical dependence. Addiction is more often now defined by the continuing, compulsive nature of the drug use despite physical and/or psychological harm to the user and society and includes both licit and illicit drugs, and the term "substance abuse" is now frequently used because of the broad range of substances (including alcohol and inhalants) that can fit the addictive profile. Psychological dependence is the subjective feeling that the user needs the drug to maintain a feeling of well-being; physical dependence is characterized by tolerance (the need for increasingly larger doses in order to achieve the initial effect) and withdrawal symptoms when the user is abstinent. Definitions of drug abuse and addiction are subjective and infused with the political and moral values of the society or culture...
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...May 2014 Drug Abuse It is often misunderstood by people why or how others get addicted to drugs. Most of the time we perceive abusers lack morals, are bad people and that it is easy to quit and to change their behaviors. Drug abuse is a serious public health problem that affects almost every community and family in some way. Each year drug abuse causes millions of serious illnesses or injuries among Americans. Abused drugs include Amphetamines, Anabolic steroids, Club drugs, Cocaine, Heroin, Inhalants, Marijuana and Prescription drugs. Drug addiction is actually a disease and quitting is more than having a strong will or good intentions. Drugs change the brain which causes quitting to be more difficult even if the abuser is ready to do so because of withdrawals or other symptoms. It has so many negative consequences on the abuser and society. Estimates of the total overall costs of substance abuse in the United States, including productivity and health- and crime-related costs, exceed $600 billion annually. Estimates of the total overall costs of substance abuse in the United States, including productivity and health and crime related costs, surpass $600 billion annually. This includes approximately $193 billion for illicit drugs, (1) $193 billion for tobacco, (2) and $235 billion for alcohol. (3) As bad as these numbers are they don’t fully describe the other prices people pay such as crime, loss of employment, failure in school, domestic violence, child abuse, homelessness...
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...Substance Abuse and Psychosis in Adolescents Over the past several decades, the U.S. population has grown significantly and continues to do so at a rapid pace. The most recent U.S. Census Bureau figures estimate that the population in the United States is currently nearing 304,800,000. Of this tremendous number, approximately one quarter are children under that age of eighteen years and over 40 million are adolescents (U.S. Census Bureau, 2001a). For the purpose of this examination, we will define adolescents as individuals between the ages of ten and eighteen years, although it is important to keep in mind that there are many different definitions and understandings of adolescents, most of which are not as directly related to chronological age (Santrock, 2001). Adolescents are a very special population because these are often the years in which childhood and adulthood become blurred, roles, expectations and needs change, as well as significant physical and psychological growth. As we also know, experimentation is often characteristic of adolescence and this experimentation can be physical, sexual or philosophical; all of which may possibly lead to drug use. This paper seeks to examine the question of whether or not drug abuse is related to psychosis in adolescents. Literature Review Adolescent Drug Use According to a national study in 2006, over 60 percent of reported that drugs were used, kept and sold on their school campuses on a regular basis. ...
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...Prescription Drug Abuse: The New Drug of Choice Tanya Butler COM/172 Elements of University Composition and Communication II March 29, 2012 Betty Taylor-Thompson Ph.D. Prescription Drug Abuse: The New Drug of Choice “In 2010, approximately 16 million Americans reported using a prescription drug for nonmedical reasons in the past year; seven million in the past month” (National Drug Intelligence Center, 2002, p. 1). “Nonmedical use of a prescribed medicine is use by someone who does not have a prescription for the medication, or use of the prescribed medicine by someone who does not have a prescription in a manner that is not directed or approved by the prescribing physician” (DuPont, 2006, p. 1). The misuse of prescription medication is an expanding health problem in the United States today. An individual taking her own medication exactly as prescribed is not misuse, but giving one pill to a friend or loved one is prescription abuse. In fact, it is against the law. Most people overlook the fine print at the top (or bottom) of the prescription label that clearly states: “Caution: Federal law prohibits transfer of this drug to any person other than the patient for whom it was prescribed.” Then again, some people are very aware of the fine print but choose to ignore it. Many people believe that because the prescription is written by their doctor, it is safe. This is not the case! Prescription narcotics are just as dangerous as illicit drugs, such as cocaine, heroin...
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