Prescription Drug Abuse

Why do people abuse prescription drugs?  Prescription drug abuse is a serious and growing problem that concerns a lot of people in the United States.  In order to understand this issue, it is important to know what it is, what motivates people to do it, and what types of drugs are being abused.  An article published by the Huffington Post states that prescription drug abuse is the new killer of the block and that every 14 minutes a person dies from a drug overdose in the United States.

Prescription drug abuse is when people take prescribed drugs for non-medical reasons.  Taking prescription drugs when it has not been recommended by a doctor can be as dangerous and illegal as taking street drugs.  According to the Kids Health Organization, a 2009 survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that prescription drug abuse is on the rise, with 20% of teens saying they have taken prescription drugs without a doctor’s prescription. 

There are many reasons why people abuse prescription drugs such as misuse, availability, perceptions that they are safer than street drugs, and chronic pain and illnesses to name a few.  Michael Klein, a pharmacologist and director of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Controlled Substance Staff explains that people misuse prescription drugs hoping to get a bigger or faster response from medications or to get high.  Some people also misuse prescription drugs unintentionally because they do not follow directions properly.  Availability is another reason why people abuse prescription drugs.  Family members or friends may have them and they are also sold on the street like other illegal drugs, according to Teens Health Organization.  Many people also believe that prescription drugs are safer that street drugs due to the fact that they are recommended by a physician.

Illnesses and pain are key factors when it comes to abusing prescribed drugs.  It is sad but true that there are people out there who are willing to do whatever it takes to ease their pain and illnesses and end up dying from drug poisoning.  A good example is the case of Michael Jackson.  Michael Jackson did all he could in order to be able to sleep and ended up dying from a propofol intoxication.  He was not only taking propofol but also other two anti-anxiety drugs.  Millions of people are in the same situation as was Michael Jackson. 

Some of the drugs that are likely to be abused are pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants, and sedatives.  According to Michael Klein, Vicodin and OxyContin are pain relievers that tend to be abused.  Tranquilizers such as Valium, Xanas, Ambien, and Lunesta have been used for non-medical reasons by millions of Americans.  Stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin, and sedatives such as Amytal and Nembutal have also been abused by millions of Americans for non-medical reasons. 

In conclusion, I believe that prescription drugs should be more restricted because they are killing many people in the United States now more than ever and also because people are taking them for purposes other than medication.       

References:

Kids Health Organization

http://kidshealth.org/teen/drug_alcohol/drugs/prescription_drug_abuse.html

Michael Klein, Ph.D.

http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm220112.htm

Prescription Drug Abuse: The New Killer on the Block

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lloyd-i-sederer-md/prescription-drug-abuse_b_1076166.html

Drug Trafficking in the United States

Drug trafficking in the United States is a serious problem and it is one of the most profitable businesses.  In order to understand the issue of drug trafficking it is important to know what is drug trafficking, where most of the drugs come from, and why people do it. 

Drug trafficking is prohibited by the United States’ federal government in order to protect the health and safety of its citizens.  According to the United Nations, drug trafficking is a global illicit trade involving the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of controlled substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws.  Drug trafficking is not done by only one person but multiple people including groups.  Some people and groups known for committing these illegal acts are the Mexican and Colombian cartels.  Drug traffickers’ main intention is to sell, distribute, or deliver illegal substances.

Much has been done by the United States’ federal government to stop drug trafficking but drugs still enter the U.S. through Mexico and Canada.  Mexico plays a key role when it comes to smuggling drugs into the U.S.  The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency states that approximately 65 percent of the cocaine smuggled into the United States crosses the Southwest border and that Colombia controls the greatest supply of cocaine.

If drug trafficking is a criminal act why do people still do it?  There are many reasons why people chose to become drug dealers but the main one is easy money.  PBS interviewed a man who was an attorney before he became a drug dealer.   To protect his identity, he asked PBS to call him “Steve.”  Steve grew up in the San Diego/Tijuana area and was involved in drug trafficking with Mexican cartels.  As an attorney Steve represented many drug traffickers.  In the interview, he stated that 98 percent of his cases pertained to drug trafficking charges.  He became astonished as he saw the amounts of money drug dealers were willing to pay him.  Steve decides to become a drug dealer after he realizes the massive amounts of money drug dealers make.

In conclusion, drug trafficking is and will be a serious problem due to the great consumption in the United States and due to the fact that it is easy money.

References:

Interview “Steve”

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/drugs/interviews/steve.html

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/drug-trafficking/index.html

U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency

http://www.policyalmanac.org/crime/archive/drug_trafficking.shtml

   

Medical Marijuana

Why do some states legalized marijuana while the federal government still classifies it as a dangerous narcotic?  Medical marijuana is a controversial issue in the United States.  It is a hot issue because there are people who support it and people who are against it.  The people who support the legalization of medical marijuana argue that it can be a safe and effective treatment for the symptoms of many diseases.  Evidence for its use for arthritis, dystonia, insomnia, seizures, and Tourette’s syndrome is very promising (Earleywine, 2010).  On the other hand, people who opposed medical marijuana argue that it can be addictive, dangerous, and harms many organs within the human body.  There are a number of very serious side-effects including increased likelihood of cancer, impaired immune system and increased chance of other drug problems such as addiction to opiates.  Recently, substantial evidence has been published linking marijuana use to earlier onset of schizophrenia and other psychoses (Kleber, 2010).  A lot of people also believe that the legalization of marijuana even for medical purposes increases drug use and crime among teenagers.

An article of the New York Times states that marijuana, whose botanical name is cannabis, has been used by humans for thousands of years.  It was classified as an illegal drug by many countries in the 20th century. But over the past two decades, there has been a growing movement to legalize it, primarily for medical purposes. 

There are many states in the United States that legalized or are in the process to legalize medical marijuana.  Approximately, there are 16 states in the nation that have enacted laws to legalize medical marijuana such as Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, DC, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.  According to ProCon.org, 14 of the 16 states require proof of residency to be considered a qualifying patient for medical marijuana use.  Patients or caregivers can cultivate their own marijuana in 14 of the 16 states that allow marijuana for medical purposes. 

In California, medical marijuana was legal after the government approved Proposition 215.  Proposition 215 was approved in November 05, 1996.  Proposition 215 ensures that seriously ill Californians should have the right to obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes as long as it has been recommended by a physician.  It also ensures that patients and caregivers are not subject to criminal prosecution or sanction.    

In conclusion, I believe that the debate over the legalization of medical marijuana will never end due to the fact that there are strong supporters as there are opponents.

References:

Earleywine, Mitch.  “Opinion: Medical Marijuana Benefits.”

<http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503823_162-4844665.html?tag=contentMain;contentBody>

Kleber, Herbert D. “Opinion: Marijuana Not Benign.”

<http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503823_162-4845970.html?tag=contentMain;contentBody>

Marijuana and Medical Marijuana

<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/m/marijuana/index.html?scp=1-spot&sq=medical%20marijuana&st=cse>

16 Legal Medical Marijuana States and DC

<http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000881>

Proposition 215: Text of Proposed Law

<http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/sourcefiles/california-proposition-215.pdf>

Drug Abuse

Who is likely to become a drug addict?  Many people in America use drugs but not all become drug addicts.  Richard A. Friedman published an article in the New York Times called “Who Falls to Addiction, and Who Is Unscathed?”  From Friedman’s work, we will learn who is at risk of becoming a drug addict.  Friedman’s purpose is to show what types of people are likely to become drugs addicts and what types of drugs are being abused.

Stress, depression, anxiety and mood disorders are key factors in cases of drug abuse.  People who are depressed or anxious about something turn to alcohol and drugs in order to feel better.  According to Friedman, scientists know that having a mental illness doesn’t just increase the chance of drug abuse, but it raises the risk of dependence and addiction.  He also explains that people with personality disorders, who struggle to control their impulses and anger, often resort to drugs and alcohol to soften their intolerable moods.

Friedman talks about Amy Winehouse as an example of a drug abuse case and cites some associations to support his position.  He briefly mentions that Ms. Winehouse’s death was caused by an alcohol and drug addiction.  Friedman gives us statistics and cites a 2008 National Survey of Drug Use and Health.  The National Institute of Mental Health’s Epidemiologic Catchment Area and the National Institute of Drug Abuse were also cited in Friedman’s article.  Some of the facts provided by these sources are: 46 percent of Americans have tried illicit drugs at some point in their lives, people with mental health issues are likely to have an addictive disorder than those without, and drugs that are being abused include cocaine, heroin and alcohol to name a few.  

Overall, this is a great article that discusses and presents facts about drug abuse.  It informs us why people with mental health issues are more likely to become drug addicts.  Drugs that according to Friedman are being abused are cocaine, heroin, and alcohol.  The National Institute on Drug Abuse also shows cocaine, heroin, and alcohol as drugs that tend to be abused. Also according to NIDA, people take drugs to either feel good or to feel better, for example, individuals take drugs in an attempt to cope with difficult problems or situations, including stress, trauma, and symptoms of mental disorders.     

 

References:

Drugs of Abuse

<http://www.nida.nih.gov/nidahome.html>

Who Falls to Addiction, and Who Is Unscathed?

<http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/02/health/02abuse.html>

           

Why Do People Abuse Drugs?

<http://drugabuse.gov/pubs/teaching/Teaching6/Teaching3.html>

Why Should We Care?

Drugs are a major problem not just in America, but in the whole world. It is important to know the effects drugs can have on humans, which drugs are legal and which are not, who uses them the most, and what has the U.S. government done about stopping them.

People use drugs for many reasons such as pleasure or to become intoxicated because drugs make them feel good.  Other people take them for medical reasons because they may ease chronic pains.  Illegal drugs are the ones that are not allowed for people to have.  Legal drugs are the ones that doctors prescribe to people for medication purposes.  Drugs that are against the law are the most problematic in today's society because they affect and destroy many lives.  According to the BBC News, illegal drugs can cause things like hallucinations (seeing strange things), sickness, depression, liver and kidney problems, and fits. Some illegal drugs can kill even at the first time the person takes them.  That is why the government prohibits illegal drugs. 

People of different ages use and take illegal drugs, but it is mostly youth that consume them.  Alice Park stated in “Teens and Drugs” that a new report by the University of Columbia finds that 75% of all high school students have used alcohol, tobacco or either legal or illicit drugs and that 20% of these adolescents are addicted.  Peer pressure, risk taking, socialize, fit in, or to hide from emotional pain are some of the reasons why youth do drugs. 

The cost of preventing people from using illegal drugs is a very high one.  The United States’ government has spent billions of dollars trying to reduce illegal drug use and trafficking into the country.  In 1971, President Richard Nixon officially declared a war on drugs because drug abuse became a serious national threat, according to an article of the National Public Radio.  After President Nixon declares the war on drugs some administrations, policies, campaigns, and acts were created such as the Drug Enforcement Administration, Anti-Drug Abuse Act, and the National Drug Control Policy to name a few. 

It is hard to estimate the exact amount of money spent by the United States’ government on the war on drugs.  A chronology published by PBS states that in 1986, President Ronald Reagan signed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act and approved $1.7 billion to fight the drug crisis.  Of the $1.7 billion, $97 million were spent on building new prisons, $200 million for drug education, and $241 million were designated for treatment.  An additional $1.2 billion was added to the war on drugs budget by President George Bush in 1990.  In 2000, President Bill Clinton adds another $1.3 billion to help Colombian military combat drug traffickers.  In 2010, President Barack Obama added another $10 billion and promised to reduce drug use and the damage it causes, Martha Mendoza declared.  It has been 40 years since President Nixon declared the war on drugs, and efforts to prevent and stop drug abuse have not ceased in the United States.   

References:

<http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/find_out/guides/uk/drugs/newsid_1609000/1609624.stm>

<http://healthland.time.com/2011/06/29/teens-and-drugs-rite-of-passage-or-recipe-for-addiction/?xid=huffpo-direct>

<http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9252490>

<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/drugs/cron/>

<http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37134751/ns/us_news-security/t/us-drug-war-has-met-none-its-goals/>