Drug use and the Law
"Society mandates that it maintain control over which drugs are permissible and which drugs are prohibited"
Laws in the United States change so much in a persons lifetime. Some drugs in
the U.S are illegal, while others in different countries make it legal. Legalizing a drug is determined by political situations and the desires of the population of the country. A current controversy that is being argued in the U.S is legalizing marijuana.
Since many Americans had negative experiences with addicting substances, it has led the to many legislation's. In chapter 3, page 103, there is a table that shows many of the federal laws associated with the control of narcotics and other abused drugs. (Table 3.1)
Some well known Acts are,
Harrison Act (1914)- First federal legislation to regulate and control the production, importation, sale, purchase, and free distribution of opium or drugs derived from opium
Drug Addiction Treatment Act- Allowed qualified physicians to dispense or prescribe specially approved narcotics for the treatment of opioid addiction in medical treatment settings, rather than limiting it to specialized drug treatment clinics.
Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act- Allowed consumers to give controlled substances to specially designated individuals, such as law enforcement officials, for disposal.
Strategies for Preventing Drug Abuse
There are many people who experience drug abuse. Because of this educators are trying to find effective ways to help prevent drug abuse. Some strategies were supply reduction, demand reduction, and inoculation. The most recently is the use of drug courts.
What do each of these strategies mean?
Supply Reduction- a drug reduction policy that is aimed at reducing the supply of illegal drugs.
Demand Reduction- attempts to decrease individuals tendencies to use drugs. This is mostly aimed towards teenagers. It emphasizes on reformulating values and behaviors.
Inoculation- a method of drug abuse prevention that protect drug abusers by teaching them responsibility.
Drug courts- a process that integrates substance abuse treatments. Such as rehabilitation centers.
Which is the most successful?
I think the most successful is the demand reduction. This is because education is key. Teaching people at a young age is the easiest to preventing drug abuse. Many people that believe drug courts have been the most successful is not always true. Many people go through the rehab program and six months later they end up relapsing.
Both of these websites talks more about the demand reduction program.
How and Why Drugs Work
"A common belief is that drugs can solve most of life's serious physical, emotional and medical problems"
The video below is called "Brain on Drugs"
The Intended and Unintended effects of drugs
Usually when doctors prescribe medicine their goal is to treat or relieve symptoms of a disease. This is the intended part of the drug. The unintended part of the drug is side effects. This is a response that you may have to the drug that may make you have different symptoms. For example, the birth control pill is intended to prevent pregnancies and the unintended part it symptoms that can occur from taking this pill. Such as blood clots, nausea, weight gain, etc.
Tolerance
This is when changes in your body and don't respond to the drug the same way. You have to take more of the drug to get the same effect. This is also building your tolerance. It is important to be careful about increasing your tolerance. This is because it can result in an over dose. Over dose is when you take too much of the drug and die.
An individuals responses to drugs vary. There are many differences that people experience taking a drug. It is based on age, gender, pregnancy, weight, and many other difference in our bodies.
Also the amount of a drug that is taken effects people differently as well. Some people who take one dose of a drug may experience no side effects, while others who higher dosage end up having side effects.
Words Learned
Dysphoric-Characterized by unpleasant mental effects;the opposite of euphoric.
Rebound effect-form of withdrawal; paradoxical effects that occurs when a drug has been eliminated
Interdiction- the policy of cutting off or destroying supplies of illicit drugs.
Reflection
I feel like I put a lot of time in this module. I know I want to get good grades so the effort is needed! I really like this online class because I have more time to do my work, but have an appropriate time until the deadline. Also I really like doing the learning journal because I can use my creativity. I think doing the discussions and journal allow you to learn a lot about each of the modules.
Graph
Graph: Rational scale that asses the harm of drugs
(The mean of physical harm and Dependence)
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