Prescription Drug Abuse Essays (Examples)

Prescription Drug Abuse Please Describe

1). Taking drugs for longer than medically necessary, asking multiple physicians for drugs, or simply accepting medications for which they are over-prescribed by irresponsible physicians can all shape the pattern of elderly person's prescription drug abuse. Taking prescription drugs with alcohol or drugs that are contraindicated with their medications is another. Drugs with psychoactive properties may be more prescribed amongst the elderly, because it is assumed they are less likely to abuse them: "Elderly individuals are 2-3 times more likely than younger individuals to be prescribed psychoactive drugs, most notably benzodiazepines [sedatives]…benzodiazepines make up 17% to 23% of drugs prescribed for older adults" (Benshoff 2003, p.1).

Both early and late-onset drug abusers are manifest in the elderly population: late abusers may be individuals who always engaged in moderate consumption, but because of chronic pain, social isolation, and depression have begun to use more painkillers or other medications than are medically…… [Read More]

Prescription Drug Abuse Narcotics

Prescription Drug Abuse: Narcotics

In today's society, the debate as to whether or not prescription narcotics are necessary in certain situations is one that is fueled mainly be the tendency for patients to overuse after being prescribed these medications. In many situations, patients present with pain that is treated by their respective physicians with prescriptions drugs that fall into the category of narcotics and opiates in order for the cited pain to be treated. However, as many patients have fallen into habit in terms of overuse of such medications as well as addiction, narcotics prescription standards have become an issue that has continuously hinders true sufferers of chronic pain. In understanding the statistics related to the over-prescription of such medications, one can better understand the connection to overuse. Additionally, one can see how these facets do nothing but harm individuals who truly need these medications. In understanding these facets of…… [Read More]

Prescription Drug Abuse Into All

In the words of one user: "I convinced herself that abusing prescription drugs was safer than abusing heroin, marijuana, and other 'street drugs'...I would never do those." (Meadows, 2001) So long as the drugs are available by prescription, it is easy to think that abusing these drugs is okay, especially in the minds of impressionable teens.

Did you know that OxyContin is actually a form of morphine, like heroin, and is often just as additive, especially when it is crushed and injected intravenously or snorted into the nostrils, as it is by many addicts whose tolerance has escalated after repeated use of the drug? (Meadows, 2001) Do you have a friend with ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder? Ritalin (methylphenidate) abuse amongst high school students and even middle school students is on the rise! The presence of younger and younger addicts, who can't even drive, but can buy this drug,…… [Read More]

Healthcare Prescription Drug Abuse On-Campus

(aeburn, 2002, p. 127)

Clearly, college life presents it sown situations that are conducive to the creation, or exaggeration, of psychological disorders in individuals.

College is a time of change, and change can produce stress; however, as it is to be noted that a certain amount of substance abuse appears to be a part of the regular college experience.

All forms of SUD are relatively prevalent in young adulthood, suggesting that perhaps substance involvement is more related to developmental and social factors associated with this stage of life as opposed to stable individual differences. (Sher, 2003, p. 167)

This not to say that individual problems with prescription drug abuse do not exist in the nation's colleges and universities, but that the root causes, and more importantly, the nature of the "prescription drug abuse problem" might be quite different from that which obtains among the adult population. David Degrazia (Degrazia, 2000,…… [Read More]

Pharming Parties Prescription Drug Abuse

According to a Columbia University's National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) report, about 75% of prescription-drug abusers also use illicit drugs with their prescription drug of choice (Banta 2005, p.1).

Some teens steal the drugs from their parents, some buy them on the Internet, and others buy them from dealers who steal them from hospitals. Even middle school 'pharming' parties have been reported: preteens that lack the street smarts to have regular access to illegal drugs might still be able to find a source within their suburban communities (Ferraresi 2009). "Last year I had gum surgery, and I thought, well, at least I'll get painkillers," said a frequent participant in pharming parties (Banta 2005, p.1).

There is no single demographic profile of a prescription drug-abusing teen. However, no matter how young or how old, clearly these 'party-goers' do not appreciate the seriousness of the issue: "Overdoses of prescription…… [Read More]

Drug Abuse and Rehabilitation in Long Island

Drug Abuse in Long Island, New York

With more than seven and a half million residents, Long Island, New York is a major center of commerce and education, but like many other densely populated large urban centers, this city also has a significant drug abuse problem. To determine the facts about the problem, this paper reviews the relevant literature to provide epidemiological evidence concerning the incidence of drug abuse in Long Island, and what community-based resources are available to its resident. Finally, a review of a recent research study article concerning these issues is followed by a summary of the research and important findings concerning drug abuse in Long Island in the conclusion.

eview and Analysis

Epidemiological evidence concerning drug abuse in Long Island

Like many other major American urban centers, all types of drugs are abuse in Long Island, but heroin abuse in particular has become a serious problem…… [Read More]

Prescription Drug Use Research Pradel V Delga

Prescription Drug Use Research

Pradel, V., Delga, C., Rouby, F., Micallef, J. nd Lapeyre-Mestre, M. (2010). ssessment of buse Potential of Benzodiazepines from a Prescription Database Using 'Doctor Shopping' as an Indicator. CNS Drugs, 24(7), 611-620.

This study involved assessing the potential for abuse of several benzodiazepines using so called doctor shopping and to recommend that a "doctor shopping indicator" statistic can be useful in reducing prevalence of prescription drug over-use.

McCabe, S.E., West, B.T., Morales, M., Cranford, J.., Boyd, C.J. (2008). Does early onset of non-medical use of prescription drugs predict subsequent prescription drug abuse and dependence? Results from a national study. ddiction, 102, pgs. 1920 -- 1930 doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2007.02015.x

This study examined the associations between early onset of non-medical use of prescription drugs and the development of prescription drug abuse and dependence in the United States. Research participants comprised a nationally representative cross-sectional sample of civilian non-institutionalized adults aged…… [Read More]

Drug Abused Pregnant With Fetus

Substance Abuse Upon a Fetus

Women's Issues

The Effects of Substance Abuse upon a Fetus

The Effects of Substance Abuse upon a Fetus

The ideas and consensus regarding what is appropriate behavior for pregnant women has changed in the world over the course of modern history, and specifically over the course of the past few decades. It is commonly held in modern countries around the world that substance abuse of any kind of drug is harmful and to be avoided during pregnancy. The fetus within the womb and the mother are connected in innumerable ways during pregnancy. This is why it is often said that what happens to the mother during pregnancy, also happens to the fetus. If the mother experiences stress during pregnancy, the fetus experiences stress, too. If the mother is high on cocaine throughout pregnancy, the fetus will ingest cocaine as well, in several ways, but primarily…… [Read More]

Prescription Drugs and the Health

The FDA also, amongst others, has recommended that clinical trials used to support advertising claims be approved by the FDA and to institute stiff fines against those found gaily of deceptive tactics. (Turning Medicine Into Snake Oil...) There is little doubt from the research that pharmaceutical companies have to be made more accountable for their products and advertising promises.

eferences

Borden Anne. Vioxx Stroke isk could last for Years. 2007. etrieved June 1, 2007 at http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/articles/00888/vioxx-stroke-risk.html

Deceptive Prescription Drug Marketing Tactics 'Common and Dangerous'. 2006.

etrieved June 1,2007, at http://www.uspirg.org/newsroom/health-care/health-care-news/deceptive-prescription-drug-marketing-tactics-common-and-dangerous

Introduction to the Health Care Industry: Health Expenditures and Services in the U.S. etrieved June 1, 2007, at http://www.plunkettresearch.com/HealthCare/HealthCareTrends/tabid/294/Default.aspx

O'Connor K. x for prescription drugs. etrieved June 1, 2007, at http://www.oconnorhealthanalyst.com/pgs/rx.html

Oxycontin Manufacturer Agrees to Plead Guilty and Pay Fine of $600,000,000.

etrieved June 1, 2007, at http://tyler.injuryboard.com/defective-products/oxycontin-manufacturer-agrees-to-plead-guilty-and-pay-fine-of-600000000.php?googleid=8636

Prescription Meds Changing Health Care. etrieved June 1, 2007, from Spending http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=60788…… [Read More]

Prescription Drugs Number of Medicare

The Act creates a positive balance between government interests to save money and the interests of Medicare recipients to receive a wide range of drugs for their specific needs. The current ban on government negotiations with pharmaceutical companies serves to protect Medicate recipients by using the positives of the free market, such as the experience and purchasing power of PBMs. hile there are serious potential problems with this approach, such as the potential for fraud between pharmaceutical companies and private interests, overall the ban on government negotiations with pharmaceutical companies provides a good balance between recipient and government interests.

orks Cited

American Legislative Exchange Council. Prescription Drugs. 19 October 2005. http://www.alec.org/2/4/talking-points/7.html

Barry, Patricia. New Salvos in the Prescription Drug ars: Class action suits are exposing schemes that gouge consumers. AARP Bulletin, January 2005.

19 October 2005. http://www.aarp.org/bulletin/prescription/a2005-01-06-salvos.html

Dealey, Sam. Drug Dealings: Democrats had it right before. National Review Online, May…… [Read More]

Drug Abuse in Eastern Kentucky

drug use and abuse in the United States and presents differing approaches that are used (or proposed) to get a handle on the problem. There is no doubt that the drug abuse issue is not new and it is not being reduced by any significant amount. This paper presents statistics and scholarly research articles that delve into various aspects of the drug abuse issue in the United States, with particular emphasis on drugs that are abused in eastern Kentucky and generally in the Appalachian communities.

History of Drug Use & Availability

The history of illegal drug use in the United States goes back to the 19th Century, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). The DEA has a Museum in Arlington, Virginia, that illustrates the history of drug discoveries, drug use, and drug abuse through the years. The DEA reports that morphine, heroin, and cocaine were "discovered" in the…… [Read More]

Drug Culture Final the Second

Brick and Cutter's Way can be categorized as both thrillers and films noir due to the fact that the narratives of these films revolve around an investigation into the mysterious deaths of young women at the hands of power-hungry men. While the investigation in Brick is fueled by a desire to expose a drug trafficking ring at a high school, thus making drugs a central issue, drugs in Cutter's Way are not a factor that contributed to the deaths of the individuals Cutter was looking into. However, that is not to say that drugs to not play a major role, as Cutter is heavily addicted to alcohol, which causes him to be discredited despite the fact that he is able to solve not only the crime at hand, but also reveal why his father was targeted by the same murderer years before.

On the other hand, Cabin in the Woods,…… [Read More]

Drug Abuse Economically Alcohol Consumption Causes Injuries

Drug Abuse Economically

Alcohol consumption causes injuries, deaths and other problems in the society. In order to reduce the problem economists must understand it, and know the economic burden or effects it causes. Economists approach the problem using costs and further put it in real numbers. Economists use assumptions to simplify their work, and focus on what that really matters. They make rational decisions based on reason, and encourage them to act using that reason and not based on facts. They think at the margin while isolating variables; thus the notion that economists can be said to act rationally based on in their own interest.

Economic Approach

Different factors should be considered when looking at alcohol consumption. Economists should use statistics to know the rate of alcohol consumption, and the increasing alcohol consumption rates. Many people tend to believe alcohol myths, which are unrealistic and misleading. Believing and acting on…… [Read More]

Drug Abuse Scenario Analysis

drives under the influence of alcohol, it is a criminal offense abbreviated as driving under the influence (DUI). However alcohol is but one of the many substances that can interfere with one's driving capability. DUI charges can also be pressed against individuals who are driving under the influence of other kinds of drugs, including illegal drugs and even prescription medication. Taking drugs and driving at the same time, whether the drugs are just prescription muscle relaxers or medicinal marijuana is illegal and a DUI offense. The argument that one took drugs because of doctor's orders is not a defense to DUI charges. Various drugs have different effects on drivers. The drugs that impair concentration, judgment, alertness and/or motor skills are regarded as dangerous and in several cases even more dangerous than alcohol. Driving while having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of more than 0.08% or higher is illegal in the…… [Read More]

Prescription Pill Abuse Epidemic

Perception of Drug Companies

The author of this response has been asked to respond to several questions that pertain to the pharmaceutical industry. In order, those questions will be what practice, factor or event has been most damaging to the public perception of the pharmaceutical industry, what practice, factor or event has been most enhancing of the public perception of the pharmaceutical industry and what would be the most effective day for the medical product industry to improve its public image. While drugs are most certainly life-saving and life-sustaining, there are also some major problems that are present and thus must be dealt with.

While it is easy to point to the recent "pharma bro" brouhaha with Turing Pharmaceuticals and drug pricing overall, most people have coverage and what Turing did is not really that common in terms of frequency and the amount of companies that devolve into the practices…… [Read More]

Psychology - Drug Abuse in

Whereas the harms associated with some illicit (and prescription) drugs is cumulative, some of the most popular recreational drugs such as ecstasy actually destroy neurons each and every time they are used.

Each time you take ecstasy, for example, neurons dedicated to respond to the neurotransmitter dopamine lose their ability to do so. As a result, ecstasy use in particular is known to interfere with the natural neurotransmitter reuptake mechanism. This impairs your ability to maintain a healthy mental frame of mind because dopamine reception and reuptake is fundamentally important to perceiving pleasure and to experiencing happiness. Ultimately this is a major cause of clinical depression in young people, requiring life-long treatment with antidepressant medications which are associated with negative side effects of their own. Suicide is also directly attributable to the psychological effects of clinical depression. Therefore, if you hope to achieve your academic potential and to avoid causing…… [Read More]

Tackling Drug Abuse

Inhalants refer to the ordinary household products that are sniffed or inhaled by individuals so as to get high. There are many household products that are misused as inhalants. Some of these products include gasoline, hair spray, fabric protector, air conditioner fluid, nail polish remover, and correction fluid, propellants in aerosol, cleaning fluids and cooking spray. These products are mainly bagged, sniffed, snorted so as one to get high. They can be sniffed directly from the containers. In most cases when an individual is under the influence of such inhalants one is likely to engage in anti-social or criminal behavior (Ksir, 2002). This report endeavors to explain the theoretical and empirical literature regarding theories of drug information and addiction.

The intoxicating inhalants that have volatile vapors are ingested through the trachea and nose. However, some inhalants are used for medical reasons as in the case of nitrous oxide. The inhalation…… [Read More]

Teen Drug Abuse - Prescription or Not

Teen Drug Abuse - Prescription or Not

Differences between nonalcoholic offspring of alcoholics (family history positive, FHP) and matched offspring of nonalcoholics (family history negative, FHN) have been identified on a variety of behavioral, cognitive, and neurological measures. Compared to FHN teens, FHP adolescents and young adults demonstrate more disturbed school careers, impulsivity, rebelliousness, and nonconformity (National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2006); poorer neuropsychological performance (Worden & Slater, 2009); and significantly lower amplitude in P300 brain waves, which are believed to measure selective attention (Cicero, et al. 2005). Further, following ingestion of alcohol, sons of alcoholics report less body sway and less subjective intoxication (Grant, et al., 2005), higher levels of flushing (McBride, 2011), and decreased P300 amplitudes when performing difficult tasks (Foster, et al., 2009).

Not all individuals with a family history of alcohol dependence become alcohol and/or drug abusers, however, and genetics alone cannot account for…… [Read More]

U S Soldiers and Drug Abuse

One of the most frequent injuries is represented by the traumatic brain ones.. amongst other symptoms, one can mention anxiety, severe depression. Headaches and the difficulty to reason clearly. PTSD, post traumatic stress disorder is also manifested through depression, insomnia, flashback.

It is important to underline that these psychological disorders are usually associated with drug abuse. Taking this into consideration, it can be underlined that we are dealing with a social phenomenon. Most soldiers do not have the psychological training needed in order to do what they need to do once in combat. War has never been and could never be a pretty things, so the atrocities that these young men witness or are forced to do, shake them up psychologically. The use of drugs is to be understood in close connection to this factor.

Depression is not a factor that can be ignored. And there is no time for…… [Read More]

Illegal Drug Use Implications

Drugs and Behavior

What are drugs exactly and what are some ways drug users get away with illegal usage?

Defining drugs use is a surprisingly difficult proposition. The definition as stated in the session II review is as follows: "any substance taken into the body that alters the function or structure of the body organs ... that changes body state or mental function." But this definition might not only apply to the substances that we would normally consider to be a "drug," but also to substances like chocolate. For example, chocolate has properties that have been shown to change body state and mental function by making a user feel happier for example. Furthermore, drugs can also be naturally occurring substances such as marijuana or mushrooms and thus cannot be further classified in regards to being synthetic substances. There are also countless useful drugs that significantly improve an individual's well-being. Thus…… [Read More]

History of Direct to Consumer Advertising of Prescription Drug Products in US

History of Direct to Consumer Advertising of Prescription Drugs in the U.S.

Imagine this: you are at home watching television one evening after work. As you casually flip through the channels searching for something interesting to watch, you notice a multitude of advertisements for prescription drug products. This form of advertisement is known as direct-to-consumer advertising, and is now well-known to practically all American households. One needs only to watch virtually any commercial television program or to browse through any consumer-directed magazine to view advertisements for a variety of prescription drugs. In regard to broadcast media, this is a relatively new phenomenon because, for many years, pharmaceutical manufacturers had to follow certain requirements. These requirements consisted of the inclusion of a substantial amount of material about the drug product's side effects, contraindications, and effectiveness.

Recent changes in 1999 under the guidance of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) altered the…… [Read More]

Substance Abuse in the Military

Drugs and Alcohol Abuse

The United States military faces considerable difficulty related to substance abuse amongst its personnel. It is critical to denote that its substance abuse issues pertain to both active personnel on duty, as well as to veterans. Of the myriad issues that the military faces, one is the evolving nature of substance abuse in the 21st century. Whereas such abuse has traditionally focused on alcohol and illegal narcotics, there is a stronger emphasis on the abuse of prescription medication. This abuse, in addition to binge drinking, (Institute of Medicine, 2015, p. 243) has considerable ramifications for the aforementioned military personnel. Active personnel face situations in which their readiness and ability to engage in combat is impaired by over-consumption of drugs and alcohol, whereas veterans must reckon with decreased quality of life and ability to successfully reintegrate into society because of the same problems.

Consequence of War ?…… [Read More]

The Nida Drug Abuse Screener

Substance Disorder

There are a number of different instruments that are used to diagnose substance disorders. One of these NIAMED, which has an online screening tool, the NIDA Drug Screening Tool. This test is used for screening. The patient is surveyed with respect to his/her use of various drugs, both illegal and prescription, with the focus on non-FDA approved uses of the latter. The tool was launched in 2009 as an aid to help physicians quickly and easily screen their patients for drug abuse risk (NIAMED, 2009).

This test is typically administered online, but it can be administered in offline format. The test is a survey. The results are provided at the end of the survey when the test is administered online. The test is one of the more basic tests, in that it is a single source, single method test that only focuses on frequency of usage and on…… [Read More]

Drug Profile

Drug Profile

Drug addiction is a human issue that cultivates biological, psychological, and social consequences, among others. The manifestation of addiction itself is characterized by physical dependence, and is defined by the uncontrollable, compulsive urge to seek and use drugs despite harmful repercussions (Fernandez, odriguez & Villa, 2011). Philologically, drug use affects the reward center, where dopamine receptors are over-stimulated. Ultimately, the repetition of drug use is encouraged to achieve the same, heightened, pleasure response (U.S. DHHS, 2007). Psychological responses to drug use may reflect motivations caused by positive pleasure, anxiety, or protection. The bodily effects of drugs often reflect the drug's class: stimulants, depressants, narcotics, hallucinogen, and cannabis. Each class represents various drugs and causes distinct biochemical responses. In addition to illicit drugs, prescription drugs are also highly abused and are categorized within the drug classes. Drug addiction does not discriminate between gender, race, sexual orientation or creed, and…… [Read More]

Drug Legalization as the Country

"As a case in point we may take the known fact of the prevalence of reefer and dope addiction in Negro areas. This is essentially explained in terms of poverty, slum living, and broken families, yet it would be easy to show the lack of drug addiction among other ethnic groups where the same conditions apply." Inciardi 248()

Socio-economic effects

Legalizing drugs has been deemed to have many socio-economic effects. A study that was conducted by Jeffrey a. Miron, who was a Harvard economist estimated that by legalizing drugs, this would inject about $76.8 billion in to the U.S. every year. 44.1 billion dollars would come from savings made from the law enforcement measures and 32.7 billion would be from tax revenue. This revenue can be thought to be broken down as follows: 6.7 billion dollars from marijuana, 22.5 billion from heroin and cocaine and the rest from the other…… [Read More]

Drug Crime Does Research Evidence Suggest That

Drug Crime

Does research evidence suggest that current policies on drugs and crime are still appropriate?

While "tough" policies designed to curb drug use and distribution are attractive politically, and look good on paper, research shows that such policies are no longer appropriate. Instead of responding to drug use as a public health problem, governments like that of the United States and the United Kingdom still regards criminalization as "the sine qua non-of responsible policy-making," (Downes and Morgan, 2007, p. 212). Unfortunately, the criminalization approach happens to also be irresponsible policy making based on emotion rather than fact. Governments with criminalization policies like the United States and Great Britain show a disturbing "state of denial" about the way criminalization creates and enhances organized crime, and may have even exacerbated some types of substance abuse (Downes and Morgan, 2007, p. 212).

Drug use patterns have also changed dramatically, requiring an intelligent…… [Read More]

Drug Enforcement Strategies

In jails, not one of the violent criminals was under the influence of heroin at the time their crime was committed. Twenty-one percent of state inmates incarcerated for violent crime were under the influence of alcohol alone at the time they committed their crime. The number of those under the influence of marijuana alone was too small to be recorded statistically. (National 1998) These facts indicate that it is not the drug users that are committing the crimes, but the people who deal with drugs. If there was no money to be gained from dealing with drugs, these criminals would have to find legitimate jobs and the police would only have to worry about traffic.

The efforts to target youth with drug education in the ar on Drugs has fallen far short of its original goals. The ONDCP is budgeting less than 12% of the $100 million it was planning…… [Read More]

Drug Legalization of Drugs Legalization

Economists are concerned with the impact that the sale of drugs has on both individual and economic freedoms and frame their argument from this perspective. Others argue that reliance on the criminal justice system has not produced significant results and that it is time to reframe the argument to focus on the education, prevention, and treatment of drugs.

From the economic perspective, there are apparent differences between government prohibition and legalization of drugs. It has been estimated that total government expenditures devoted to the enforcement of drug laws is well in excess of $26 billion. These figures are also significant in state and local law enforcement agencies with drug related incidents making up one fifth of the total investigative resources and drug enforcement activities. Approximately 25% of the total prison population, municipal, state and federal, is made up of drug law violators. In fact, ten percent of all arrests are…… [Read More]

Drug Alcohol Abuse Drug and Alcohol

Substance use is frequently associated with child abuse and domestic violence. It also is a leading contributor to marital dissatisfaction, family breakups and rejection of family members. The importance of the family in understanding alcohol and drug use and abuse is underlined by these highly destructive consequences of alcohol and drug dependency on the abuser and the family. (Lala; Straussner; Fewell, 17)

Peer Group plays an important part in resolving the problem as they are able to take the drug or alcohol abuser more into confidence compared to others since most people associate themselves with their respective peer group in terms of habits, tastes and concerns. It has been demonstrated that a drug abuser will definitely abide by a member of the peer group to which he belongs and obey requests of abstinence more than anyone else. Educational system also plays an important role in tackling the prevalence of the…… [Read More]

Drug Policies Major Policies History

14). Soon, Congress passed the Marijuana Tax Act, which was signed into law in 1937. Like the Harrison Act, the Marijuana Tax Act placed marijuana into the same category as the cocaine and opium drugs. It was now illegal to import marijuana into the United States (McWilliams, 1991). However, this law was ineffective in curbing marijuana use (Brecher, 1986, p. 14).

By the early 1940s narcotic addiction had significantly reduced in the United States (Harrison, Backenheimer and Inciardi, 1999). However, this was not the result of legislative initiatives. Instead, it was because World War II was cutting off the "supplies of opium from Asia and interrupt the trafficking routes from Europe" (Inciardi, 1992, p. 24).

Several other legislative efforts in the supply reduction department served to establish more severe penalties for violations of drug laws, and tighten controls and restrictions over legally manufactured narcotic drugs (Harrison, Backenheimer and Inciardi, 1999).…… [Read More]

Drug and Alcohol Abuse Over

In some cases, these issues or problems stem from different cultural views and beliefs. While at other times, these issues will affect someone who lives in an environment with: parental drug/alcohol related problems, disruptions to the family, social deprivations, the lack of economic opportunities, physical/sexual abuse, peer pressure and stress. The question I will try to determine is whether or not ethnicity and economic factors play a major influence in determining who will be the most likely to abuse drugs and alcohol?

This will highlight the primary reasons as to why someone will begin using these stimulants on a regular basis. Once this is determined, one can provide specific insights that will illustrate the root causes of the problem and their lasting effect on society.

Describe the data collection method (Research Method)

The basic approach that will be used for collecting and analyzing the data is evaluation research. This is…… [Read More]

Drug Use in Teens

Drug Use in Adolescents

The author of this report has been charged with writing a brief scholarly report with a few key components. The author of this report has been asked to select a topic of interest. That selected topic shall be substance and drug abuse in adolescents. As part of this scholarly report, there will be three major components. The first will be a description of the area of interest and why the author of this report is interested in it. Second, there will be a brief literature review with scholarly sources that cover that same topic. Finally, there will be a reflection and reaction to the literature review including whether there was agreement, how the author of this report perceives the involved paradigm(s) and so forth. While many kids avoid the pitfalls and negative outcomes of drug use and abuse, many fall prey sometimes or many times and…… [Read More]

Non-Medical Usage of Prescription Medications

Addiction of Teenagers to Prescription Drugs

Addiction of teenage prescription drugs

The problem of addiction of teenagers to prescription drugs has been on rise in modern days. It is estimated that daily in the United States 2,500 youth abuse prescription drugs. This is not only a problem in the United States, but it also affects teenagers in Europe, South Asia, and Southern Africa. Over 15 million people have reported abusing prescription drugs globally. This is higher than those who reported abusing heroin, cocaine, and hallucinogens. A 2007 survey carried out in the United States in 2007 indicated that in one month 6% of 17 to 25-year-olds and 3.3% of 12 to 17-year-olds had abused prescription drugs. This might seem like a low number, but considering that this only happened in one month you can imagine how prevalent the rates would be in one year. A survey conducted in 2012 found…… [Read More]

Alcohol Abuse and Dependence Among the Elders

Benshoff, John J. & Laura K. Harrawood, Darwin Shane Koch. (Apr-May 2003) "Substance abuse and the elderly: unique issues and concerns." Journal of Rehabilitation. Journal article retrieved from Find Articles Health & Fitness database on 25 Oct 2005 athttp://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0825/is_2_69/ai

This article by John J. Benshoff, Laura K. Harrawood, and Darwin Shane Koch entitled "Substance abuse and the elderly: unique issues and concerns," attempts to understand why alcohol abuse amongst the elderly (defined as individuals over the age of 65 for the purposes of the article) has gone largely ignored in issues pertaining to rehabilitation and the field of geriatric medicine. The article also attempts to gain inkling upon the scope of the problem of substance abuse in the elderly population. The article admits while "various sources of data suggest that alcohol problems are ordinary events, but largely unrecognized in this population, and estimates of the prevalence of heavy drinking or…… [Read More]

Drug Use Among Teenagers

Rise of Illicit Drug Use Amongst Teenagers

According to recent surveys, there has been a rise in the use of illicit drugs amongst teenagers. One particular drug that has seen a steady increase in use is Ecstasy, while in other studies researchers have seen drugs become more available in a variety of markets, like the Internet, in order to cover a wider area for distribution.

Teenagers have been a prime source for these Internet-dealers, and while certain drugs have seen a drop in their use, it is only because they have been replaced by more illicit and easier to obtain drugs. Contrary to popular belief, teenage drug use is on the rise, and appears to only be heading on the up and up.

In a study conducted last year by the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research, out of 44,000 students, "the proportions of eighth-, 10th-, and 12th-graders who…… [Read More]

Legal Response to Drugs

Drugs

Decriminalization of drugs is an ineffective legal policy that has harmed millions of Americans. Since Nixon's declaration of "war" on drugs, American policy towards mind-altering substances has been as violent and futile as the term "war on drugs" would suggest. Drug use is not qualitatively different from alcohol use. The prohibition of alcohol failed miserably in the early 20th century, leading also to a proliferation in profitable black market businesses that fueled organized crime. The same pattern has been occurring with mind-altering substances of all types. Drug cartels have blossomed throughout the Americas, and the global black marketplace is teeming with criminal behaviors that are linked to protecting the lucrative but illegal drug trade. If trading in drugs were akin to trading in alcohol, then drug cartels would no longer need the massive stashes of weapons used to protect their property. The war on drugs has ruined far more…… [Read More]

Manalapan High School Drug Epidemic

Drug Epidemic at Manalapan HS in Manalapan, NJ

In most high schools, drugs are a common rite of passage. As a matter of fact, the problem is so serious that it has reached epidemic levels. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse - NIH (2014), 22.1%, 16.3%, and 22.7% of high school students (seniors) in 2013 admitted to binge drinking, cigarette smoking and marijuana smoking, respectively.

Prescription drugs are also being abused at an alarming rate. For instance, "in 2013, 15.0% of high school seniors used a prescription drug non-medically…" (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2014). One of the prescription drugs most abused, as the National Institute on Drug Abuse (2014) further points out, was Adderall. The said prescription drug is used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Other commonly abused prescription drugs are products with dextromethorphan as a component and Vicodin.

In a study conducted by…… [Read More]

Legalizing Drugs

Drug Legalization

This week, Columbian drug smugglers surgically opened six Labrador retriever and Rottweiler puppies and stuffed packets of heroin inside their bellies. Countless human beings have willingly stuck packages of illegal substances into any available bodily orifice or swallowed unknown quantities only to pass them out later. These instances indicate the grimly extreme lengths drug smugglers are willing to go in order to circumvent American drug prohibition laws. Drug trafficking is one of the world's most dangerous businesses; trafficking is intimately connected to crimes ranging from theft to murder to terrorism. In an article in Canadian paper the National Post, Ted Carpenter notes that both leftist and rightist paramilitary groups have "been financed largely by that country's cocaine trade." Carpenter continues to state, "The harsh reality is that terrorist groups have been enriched by prohibitionist drug policies that drive up drug costs ... hat anti-drug crusaders refuse to acknowledge…… [Read More]

Drug Screening Is Used More

In most cases, recreational drug use is seen as a victimless crime and a harmless activity. This attitude changes in the workplace if the drug use impairs performance to the detriment of other workers or if the work involves public safety, in which case tolerance for drug use drops significantly. Another reason why tolerance for some drug use is so high is because the attitude is a reaction to the apocalyptic warnings emanating from law enforcement and government, given that people know that mild marijuana use, for instance, is not the mind- and life-bending experience often claimed. Many do not see the problem as being as dire as it is made out to be, and so they do not see it in the way earlier generations did.

Casey J. Dickinson notes the increasing use of pre-testing for applicants as a way not assuring that the person hired does not use…… [Read More]

New Leading Cause of Accidental Death

Prescription Drug Abuse

The overall point of conversation when speaking of prescription drugs in the public and political sphere has usually focused on cost and/or ease of access among all Americans. The overall points of conversation relating to drug has often centered on drugs like heroin, cocaine, crack and marijuana. However, as time and trends have shifted, the primary focus of both overall topics has centered on the use and abuse of prescription drugs, usually certain classes of drugs such as sedatives, opiates and anti-anxiety drugs. Common drugs focused on include Xanax, any narcotic-based painkiller such as Oxycontin and sedatives or muscle relaxers such as Valium and Soma. While prescription drugs are very important to have at the ready, the likelihood and propensity towards abuse of the drugs and other legal behavior is significant and this is even true among people who obtain the drugs legally at the onset.

Analysis…… [Read More]

Effects of Drugs on the Economy

Drugs on the Economy

History of drugs in the United States

How drugs affect the United States Economy both positively and negatively

How decriminalization of drugs like marijuana stand to lessen the burden on tax-payers

Wonder drugs like morphine, heroine, and cocaine to mention but a few pose a lot of problems to the entire American society. Americans have had to grapple with the deleterious effects of drug abuse and addiction. estrictions were imposed at the beginning of the 20th Century through domestic and overseas law enforcement to contain the drugs epidemic. Such enforcements were initiated to limit opium and cocoa crops (Drug Enforcement Administration, 2012). This term paper seeks to give a brief history of drugs in the United States of America and subsequently outline how drug use affects the American economy both positively and negatively. The paper also endeavors to list how decriminalization of drugs like marijuana stands…… [Read More]

Economics of Alchohol Abuse Alcohol for Consumption

Economics of Alchohol Abuse

Alcohol for consumption is not a necessary food item, but for some has become a standard part of adult culture. Increasing the level of alcohol consumption, however, moves from an economic paradigm to a social issue due to the ancillary health and behavioral effects from alcohol abuse. In turn, this becomes part of economics in that it requires fiscal resources to treat societal issues caused by alcoholism: domestic abuse, crime, traffic or driving issues, etc. The economic effects of alcohol are undebatable, and are pervasive in the overt and covert areas of the economy (short- and long-term) (Fogarty, 2006).

In the economic sphere of political and social policy, alcohol, like tobacco and gambling, are considered a "sin" tax that is ostensibly designed to reduce transactions for issues society considers dangerous or undesirable. However, when it comes to alcohol, many see that this type of a sumptuary…… [Read More]

Psychology and Physiological Aspects of Substance Abuse

danger signals of drug abuse and how can they be used to identify possible abusers?

There can be various danger signals that may indicate the possibility of substance abuse in individuals. These signals will obviously appear in a variety of contexts and situations but the following are generally accepted as the most common indicators.

One of the most common signs is a radical change in behavior, especially in a formal or work situation where the individual, for example, shows a marked change in work quality or production. This can also be related to changes in personality and is even seen in outbreaks of temper or depression. The drug user also tends to shirk responsibilities.

The deterioration of personal grooming and general physical appearance may also be another danger signal. Intravenous drug users often wear long sleeved garments even in very warm weather to hide signs of their addiction. There may…… [Read More]

Narcotics Distribution Manufacturing and Abuse

Law enforcement and narcotics trafficking

In fact, one of the things that many Americans may fail to understand is that there is a relationship between the domestic narcotics industry and international terrorism. Illegal drug trafficking is an international crime problem, and it is rarer that criminal enterprises limit themselves to a single illegal activity. Many criminal enterprises involved in narcotics distribution are also involved in the trafficking of humans and weapons. Furthermore, much of America's narcotic supply comes from Afghanistan, where its production and distribution can provide revenue for terrorist organizations. "The specific dynamics of the linkage between narcotics and conflict remain poorly understood. Evolving theory on the link between organized crime and terrorism enhances and supplements the debate on economic incentives in civil war, proposing mechanisms whereby insurgent groups interact with narcotics production -- a crime -- rebellion nexus" (Cornell, 2007). This nexus is not yet fully understood and…… [Read More]

Substance Abuse Is a Common Affliction Among

Substance abuse is a common affliction among the elderly population. Several factors may contribute to the prevalence of alcoholism and drug abuse among older adults, including loneliness, poor health, and depression. The most rapidly growing segment of the American population is the elderly, and whether or not alcohol can be considered beneficial or detrimental in this population depends on the doses being consumed (Ferreira and Weems, 2008). However, the population of older adults is increasing and so is the proportion of elderly individuals demonstrating alcohol abuse (Ferreira and Weems, 2008).

It is estimated that by 2030 the proportion of adults comprising the elderly population (65 years and older) will reach 20%, which marks double the current number (Duncan et al., 2010). Interestingly, substance abuse in general has shown increases in the elderly population, with a steady increase in primary substance abuse problems other than alcohol observed in the elderly population…… [Read More]

Solutions for the Alcohol Abuse Problem From

solutions for the alcohol abuse problem from economists' point-of-view. The second section of the paper addresses the situation of prescription drugs and how they can affect the demand and supply of other products and services. The paper continues with a section that explains the relationship between supply modification and elasticity of demand, and between demand modifications and elasticity of supply. There is also a section that discusses increasing-costs industries. Another section of the paper address the conditions required for competitive markets to be economically efficient.

There are several solutions that economists can offer when addressing the alcohol abuse problem. In this case, the problem is regarded as a negative externalities situation of the production and consumption of alcohol. The assumption in this case is that alcohol abuse is a negative externality because of its consequences, like drunk driving and the effects on consumers' health and on relationship with other individuals.…… [Read More]

Illegal Drug Use Among Military

The first method, therefore, of curtailing use relates to the development of tougher measures for soldiers once they have failed a drug test. Prevention programs should be given a higher priority than is currently the case. ith stronger prevention programs, and if commanding officers are more willing to put troops who have failed drug tests into those programs, more soldiers can see their drug use curtailed.

The second method is related to the first -- prevention programs. If stress in its various forms is a major cause of illegal drug use among soldiers, then there needs to be more awareness of the issue in the military community, and more help available to soldiers before they start using. Training for all members of the military community would allow for the creation of an informal support grid for soldiers experiencing stress. Programs that give soldiers a place to turn to when they…… [Read More]

Substance Abuse in Primary Care

Additional training in substance abuse can help to ensure that nurses are prepared to effectively deal with these types of situations. esearchers such as Jackson, Alford, Dube and Saitz assert that despite the widespread substance abuse problems in our nation, there is a considerable lack of training for primary healthcare providers in this area. Both psychotherapeutic (such as cognitive and behavioral strategies) and pharmacological (such as Buprenorphine, Methadone, LAAM and Naltrexone) interventions have shown to be successful at treating substance abuse. However, if the medical professionals making contact with these individuals are not properly trained to deal with these issues, nobody benefits.

As a primary care nurse, it is also important to know the best treatment centers for referral in the community. While most communities have Alcoholics Anonymous and other twelve step programs readily available, knowing where to refer a client for in-patient treatment is critical as well. Some in-patient…… [Read More]

Substance Abuse Amongst the Elderly

Q4. Participants at treatment facilities might be disproportionately affluent and white, given that historically, individuals of color suffering from addictions have more often been relegated to prisons, rather than received support and assistance. Public as well as private treatment facilities may need to be compared, to ensure a more representative sampling.

Part B:

Article:

Benshoff, John J., Laura K. Harrawood, & Darwin Shane Koch. (2003, April-June). Substance

abuse and the elderly: unique issues and concerns. Journal of Rehabilitation. 69.

In this study, the authors used a literature review format to examine a variety of previous studies of substance abuse amongst the elderly. In general, while individuals tend to age out of illicit drug use, alcohol abuse remains a risk throughout an individual's lifespan, given the lack of social and cultural taboos. Broad-ranging studies have found that alcohol abuse amongst the elderly is a silent epidemic, and both late and early-onset…… [Read More]

Teenage Substance Abuse Substance Abuse

Help her to realize that having a child may interfere with her future career, but that many mothers have successful home and job lives. There are an infinite number of options, and a determined teenager can find a way to success. Do not skirt around the issues of danger, however, as teenagers are more likely to miscarry or have other complications with their pregnancy such as premature labor and low birth weight of the child. Teenage mothers are more likely to need bedrest during the late stages of pregnancy, and a cesarian section during birthing, and the child is at greater risk for any number of complications.

Of course, while supporting a pregnant teen is vital, the key to solving the problems faced by teenagers dealing with pregnancy is to stop it before it happens.

Provide accurate and unashamed information about sex and pregnancy to children and teenagers, and encourage…… [Read More]

Women and Drugs

Female Substance Abusers and Addicts

Heroin is a highly addictive substance which is characterized by a rush of biophysiological symptoms such as a rush or feeling of euphoria, heaviness in one's extremities and a certain element of dry mouth (rehab-international.org). When it comes to heroin and gender, either gender can become addicted to it in a brief amount of time: "Addiction to heroin is characterized by the compulsion to use heroin despite an onset of negative consequences and despite the user's best attempts at stopping via willpower alone" (rehab-international.org). For women, one of the more common traits of heroin abuse is rather detrimental: the acquired tolerance means that greater doses of heroin have to be taken in order to get the original effects of the drug. When women are under the influence of the drug, they may engage in unsafe sexual activity, actions which can lead to STDs, unintended pregnancies…… [Read More]

Methamphetamine Abuse in the U S

The second largest category of economic expense arose from crime and criminal justice expenses. The costs were for arresting and incarcerating drug offenders and also the cost of non-drug crimes due to the abuse of the drug like thefts as a means of supporting the habit. The abuse of the drug was also found to contribute significantly to loss of productivity and the expense of moving children to foster homes away from their methamphetamine addicted parents. The other economic cost was due to the production cost of methamphetamine which required the use of toxic chemicals. This would be as a result of injury incurred by emergency personnel as well as other victims and also the efforts applied in cleaning up the hazardous wastes that come about due to the production process. These estimates are based on the effect of production and abuse of the methamphetamine on the society and also…… [Read More]

Substance Abuse and Cognitive Therapy

Cross-cultural evidence shows that drinking abuse will be low in any group in which drinking "customs, values and sanctions are clear, agreed upon by all, consistent with other customs of the group and characterized by prescriptions for moderate drinking and proscriptions against immoderate drinking" (1995). Prohibition in America has obviously proven unsuccessful as it has in other locations as well, the approach that is taken today is a prohibitionist impulse in the "controversial control-of-consumption approach" (1995). When it comes to alcohol and drugs in the United States, there is a desire for policymakers (and others) to manipulate and control the behavior of others (something endemic to humans) (1995).

THE PROBLEM OF THERAPY

Healthcare professionals who treat substance abusing clients must recognize the powerful nature of these drugs and the controlling effects they have on people's lives. The fact that tens of millions of Americans continue to engage in substance abusing…… [Read More]

Food and Drug Law in

S. Food and Drug Administration, because they were in wide use before the 1938 Act (grandfathered in, as it were). (Dunn 1938)

The problem was that Act contained a definition for a "new drug" (one in need of prior approval to market), as any drug "the composition of which is such that such drug is not generally recognized, among experts qualified by scientific training and experience to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of drugs, as safe and effective for use under the conditions prescribed, recommended, or suggested in the labeling." FDCA § 201(p) (1). The manufacturers set out to establish then, that anything GRAS/GRAE therefore was not a new drug, and needed no FDA blessing.

Many medicines are ancient, and the active ingredients of many drugs on were first introduced before 1938. To make matters worse, between 1938 and 1962, the FDA considered drugs that were identical, related, or similar…… [Read More]

Substance Abuse in the Elderly

Substance / Alcohol Abuse among the Elderly

Substance/alcohol abuse among the elderly 60 years and older

Alcohol and substance abuse among the elderly is a significant social problem, not only because people in this age group tend to have very permissive attitudes towards social drug and alcohol usage but also because the stressors that accompany aging may result in increases in drug or alcohol usage to problematic levels. While people may begin experiencing age-related problems in their 40s and 50s, it is not generally until their 60s that most people begin to experience significant physical or emotional challenges related to age. These challenges are often accompanied by major life changes, such as retirement, the death of a spouse or friends, relocation, and diminished physical and intellectual capabilities. These changes may mean a lack of access to the coping mechanisms that have traditionally served the individual, leading to a rise in…… [Read More]

Direct to Consumer Advertising History of Drug

Direct to Consumer Advertising

HISTRY F DRUG ADVERTISING

THE DTC ADVERTISING PHENMENN

CREATING DEMAND

DECEPTIVE ADVERTISING - A WLF IN SHEEP'S CLTHING

CAUSE F DEATH

PRFIT

UTILIZATIN, PRICING, AND DEMGRAPHICS

LEGISLATIN, PLITICS AND PATENTS

LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES REGARDING DTC

RECALLED and/or DEADLY DRUGS

In order to provide the most efficient method of evaluation, the study will utilize existing stores of qualitative and quantitative data from reliable sources, such as U.S. Government statistical references, University studies, and the studies and publications of non-profit and consumer oriented organizations. Every attempt will be made to avoid sources of information sponsored by or directly influenced by the pharmaceutical industry.

Existing data regarding the history, levels, content and growth of direct-to-consumer advertising will be examined. In addition, the industry's composition prior to and after the proliferation of direct-to-consumer advertising will be examined, with regard to market share, type of substances sold, benefits of substances sold, and…… [Read More]

Label Drug Use Useless Costly

The structure of yetta is similar to that of GLP-1 and performs the same functions. oth promote decreased appetite (Wilson).

Dr. Wysham was an observer at a study conducted on 20 Rockwood diabetic patients who were taking conventional diabetic medication for their uncontrolled blood sugar (Wilson 2005). She was not informed about their glucose levels for several months after the tests began. About two-thirds of the respondents were given different injectible doses of yetta to incorporate into their medication plan, while the rest were given placebos. All of them were instructed and trained to do the injections at certain times twice daily for a month. Then they were subjected to a physical exam. Dr. Wysham closely monitored their liver, kidney, blood counts, and other functions. She observed that the patients consistently lose weight while taking yetta. The average respondent-patient lost 15 pounds in the duration of the study, 5 lost…… [Read More]

LGBT Illicit Drug Use

LGBT Drinking & Drug Use

This report will center on a particular concern and challenge that is facing the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community as a whole. The affliction is certainly not limited to the LGBT community but this report shall focus on the unique traits and patterns that occur within that community. Of course, that affliction would be the excessive use of alcohol and/or drugs among people that identify with one or more of the LGBT groups. To be sure, the abuse of alcohol, methamphetamine, MDMA/Ecstasy, prescription pills in general and other drugs is a plague that affects many communities and cultures and the LGBT culture is certainly on different. What follows in this report will be a fairly concise yet thorough literature review on the subject. While drug abuse and misuse is not unique to the LGBT community is not unique to the LGBT community, it…… [Read More]

Short Answer Questions on Drugs

economic impact of drug use in the United States might initially seem easy to measure. A legal trial is an expensive proceeding: police officers, prosecutors or public defenders, judges, stenographers, and bailiffs are employees of the state, and even if jurors are barely remunerated, defense attorneys are lavishly remunerated. To prosecute someone for dealing marijuana is an expensive undertaking, and to do so under a "three strikes" law, where the crime is suddenly elevated to a horrific felony with extreme penalties, is even more expensive. The greater expense comes with convictions: America has the largest imprisoned population in the world, with more people behind bars in this country than comprise the entire populations of other sovereign nations. Imprisonment is not a cheap proposition. We can then consider the further economic impact, legally and morally speaking, of drug use in the current extensive misuse of civil forfeiture laws. Ostensibly designed to…… [Read More]

Solutions to Dealing With Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol Abuse

This topic will be alcohol abuse. The dimensions that will be covered are, in order, a brief history, current trends or issues, societal concerns or issues related to the topic, the significance or relevance of the topic to the counseling profession and any future implications that exist when it comes to the subject. While alcohol is usually legal and illicit/prescription drugs are very much dominating the discussion about drug abuse today, alcohol has been and remains a major concern and deserves its own focus, interventions and sociological discussion.

Alcohol has been around for a very long time and it has created its share of questions and issues in American society during pretty much all of its existence. In terms of history, the major even surrounding alcohol was the temporary prohibition of alcohol across the land. However, this ban was indeed temporary and was eventually lifted. Even with that,…… [Read More]