Alcohol dependence and drug abuse The abuse of alcohol and drug abuse can effect a person’s economic, psychologically and physically. Drug and alcohol addiction is said to be the worst kind of addiction that one can have its common and costly. It can cause or worsen many medical problems and destroy families. With most street drugs outlawed in the United States the question still remains: Why is alcohol legal when it has been proven to be a leading cause of death? With that being said alcohol and drug addiction also takes a toll on wallets and families.
Research indicates that pathways into crime and drug use are causally related because they both result from factors such as physical and sexual abuse, poverty, lack of education, poor mental health and unemployment. Globally, the rise in the illegal drug use is the main cause of domestic violence, depression, unemployment and the rising crime rates experienced by many countries. Addiction and drug-related crimes are the most intractable social problems facing the world today. Illegal drug use and crime do not have a direct causal link. The two are related by specific common causes which include temperamental causes, parental alcoholism, antisocial personality behavior and poor relationships with parents.
“The carnage caused by underage drinking in America is unrelenting.” NLLEA Alcohol is the most commonly abused drug by teenagers in America. On www.ojjdp.gov they mention how alcohol influences you to partake in risky sexual behaviors. Youth who decide to drink and have sex have a higher chance of becoming pregnant or contracting an STD. People often look at alcohol consumption as a normal young adult behavior, but are blind to all the consequences from it. Underaged drinking is a social issue and causes many problems from learning problems to alcoholism.
Although, drug-related crime might decrease and drug use will increase, if we just have criteria and enforce safe use of drugs, then society will have control of drug-use. "We believe that drug prohibition is the true cause of much of the social and personal damage that has historically been attributed to drug use. ", states Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), "It is prohibition that makes these drugs so valuable – while giving criminals a monopoly over their supply." From my perspective, there will always be rebellion. The more you tell someone not to do something, the more they are
Why are prisons bursting at the seams? According to Joe Romaine of the International Business Times, it is because of America’s “insane drug laws,” which are doing more harm than good (Romaine). Many people may argue that drug offenders are getting what’s coming to them— they broke the law, and therefore it is part of their consequence to suffer through the overcrowded “cruel and unusual” incarceration. Individuals who argue this point are mistaken because although criminals should indeed receive punishment for their actions, there comes a time when a line of propriety is crossed. The ‘war on drugs’ has become a harsh and unnecessary measure that frankly costs American taxpayers far too much money.
Glasgow’s most affluent citizens, those in the top 10% of income distribution, die significantly younger than their counterparts in other British cities. At best, according to the epidemiologists’ calculations, deprivation accounts for less than half (around 40%) of Glasgow’s “mortality gap” compared to the rest of the UK. The other causes are unknown. The grim record has prompted calls for a wide-ranging public inquiry into drug abuse in Glasgow. MPs, bereaved parents, health professionals and junkies themselves say radical measure are needed to stamp out the city’s problem – the worst in Europe.
Another danger is that of misinformation, with the National Pain Foundation (2008) finding that the media confuses issues surrounding the addictive properties of painkilling drugs, leading to chronic under-treatment of pain. An aspect of media, advertisements, can be used to sell alcohol or cigarettes, whereby the media portrays people who drink to be sophisticated. Up to the 80’s, adverts also said that people that smoke were glamorous and successful. Chapman (1982) found that underage
Granted there are more of the lower income areas selling drugs, as well as using them, but that is not the main source. Middle and upper class areas are plagued with drugs also, but it is more of a secretive act on their part. The percentage of drug use in higher class societies is phenomenal. (Wise, 2001) 2 1. Make sure that you have research to support these claims.
Recreational drug use has increased over the years as more drugs are created and distributed. These drugs can be habit forming and can cause severe damage if abused, and may result in loss of life or bodily functions if used in large quantities over time. The side effects of these substances range from gastrointestinal problems to psychological and muscular damage as well as damage to the vital organs (Femail 1). Although some states allow some recreational drug use, the masses do not believe in the use of recreational drugs and society frowns upon users. Drugs used in a way that is not medicinal can be deadly and have shown to be too large a temptation globally, and have been the source of many historic events.
While many people believe that marijuana may not be as harmful as these other drugs, it can still affect the infant in a few ways. The baby can have physical problems; for example low birth weight and/or a small head. Developmentally, the child may experience difficulty with memory or attention, depression, and/or inadequate problem-solving skills (Berk, 2008, p. 67). Tobacco and alcohol are two of the most common and harmful teratogens which affect an unborn baby’s growth. Extensive alcohol consumption during pregnancy can lead to a very detrimental and potentially fatal disorder known as fetal alcohol syndrome.