Drugs and Young People - Essay Example

Name : xxxxxxxxxxx Institution : xxxxxxxxxxx Title : Drug Usage in Youths Tutor : xxxxxxxxxxx @2010 Introduction Drug has been defined differently by different individual. Joycelyn (1997) defines it as a chemical substance which distorts the central nervous system and subjects an individual into a non desirable behavior, perception and eventually a wrong personality. Sometimes patients take these substances without knowing that they were actually taking drugs. Some may notice changes in their body function immediately while others may take a long of time before they realize these changes. These effects range from a mere body alteration to fatal. There are different methods used by different countries in differentiating individual who are under the influence of the drug from those who are not. Why the drugs are allowed in U.K. and not allowed in Saudi or Arab countries In United Kingdom, consumption of illicit drugs has been allowed in the country, whereas, countries such as Saudi Arabia, sheria law governing the state strictly prohibits anyone who is under the influence of the drugs. A penalty is imposed for anyone who is found using and selling the drugs. In the year 1998, United Kingdom formulated a mechanism for combating drug misuse which was published in a gazette known as ‘Tackling to Build a Better Britain’. Several officers were appointed to co-ordinate all deliveries that were made in United Kingdom; this included anti-drug coordinator together with his deputy. This mechanism involved both deterrence and enforcement, with the state stressing so much on the long term approach of the drug strategies. Enforcement of trying to combat all illicit drugs in the country was to continue but their major focus would be on the most harmful product such as cocaine and heroin in the country. According to the census carried out by the government department, it showed that a third of the United Kingdom’s population is under the influence of drug. Out of that, 10% of the population who were under the influence of drug did it in the past. Specialist argue that though the use of cocaine and heroin in U.K. is so high than any other European country, it was found to have a binge attitude when it came to frivolous drugs. However, with the increase in number of those individual who are generally using the drugs, it does not necessarily mean that it has also a greater number of incidents. United Kingdom may have a larger number of drug users simply because it was among the first European countries which allowed importation of less harmful drugs in the country. It is however, very difficult to tell those people who are under the influence of the drug, because many individuals are usually not ready to accept the fact that they are using the drug. United Kingdom state came up openly to be able to identify those individual who are using the drug in order to offer help, but not actually arresting them. But only few if not all were willing to openly tell the country that they were using the drug. Why most users of drugs are young people Most users of drugs are young people because it is hard for a child to grow up with a parent who uses drugs and still come out clean. Joycelyn (1997) says ‘‘Young individual whose blood family member of drugs were twice likely to follow the same trend as that of their parents’’. Tobacco was first established in United Kingdom in the late 16th century, when it was still smoked through the pipes by men. Later on, drugs became much popular within the young population. Things got from bad to worse with the development or invention of machines which was meant to produce drugs. In the early 19th century, cigarettes were commonly sold in the market as compared to any other illicit drug, thus, raising this number within the young individual by 1945. Most parents in United Kingdom did not approve on their children engaging themselves into drugs. Furthermore, most of them tend to educate their children on the effects of such drugs; some even go to an extent of taking their children to a therapy in order to allow them quite their behavior. Statistics carried out in United Kingdom showed that children between the ages of 20-24 are mostly affected by the consumption of the illicit drug. The government realized that 31%of young people reported to be under the influence of the drugs. However, this number decreased with over the years with an increase in the older people The survey carried out showed some of this young people are likely to be influenced by their peers on the illicit use of the drugs. Most of them did not have any idea of the consequence of using such drug; some took them without necessarily knowing that they were actually consuming the drugs. How he young people can be stopped from the illicit drugs Crome (2004) states that consumption of drugs among young people living in United Kingdom may be reduced if both the addicted and the state are willing to take part in the preventive measure if not total cure. The United Kingdom has taken an initiative of asking major media stations to make important adverts especially during programs that are mostly watched by young people. The main aim of carrying out this activities was to ensure that the education on illicit drugs have reached most of them. It was however; very vital for parents to assist the government by helping young people to critically analyze the point that glamorized the use on both in movies, television and press magazines. Commission on Narcotic Drugs (1953) explains that, government does this to ensure that adequate target for the advertisements are met. The government also established a policy to curb the use of drugs among the young generation in United Kingdom. The government was able to achieve this by formulating an environment where use of drug automatically becomes a breach and therefore was punishable. It also campaigned so hard for all manufactures to clearly indicate the consequences of using the cigarette to both physical and body effects. The United Kingdom has also take control of all prices that should be administered to all drugs. The government has increased the cost of all drugs, thus making them so mush expensive. This was mainly carried out to discourage the consumption level of the illicit drugs especially on young individuals. Increase in the price of the commodity reduced the level of consumption since most of them were unable to obtain cash in order to purchase the commodity (Goodwin, 2006). Joycelyn (1997) notes that the government has formulated a learning program in school that was meant to educate the adolescent on the policies and measures for those who would violet the policies established by the government. However for those teens that are already under the influence of drugs, are given encouraged by the government and other public institution on the importance on facilitating a policy that would encourage them to quite their behaviors. Effects of drugs Most of these illicit drugs that are either directly consumed or indirectly have the ability of distorting an individual brain. Researchers in United Kingdom established that drugs such as nicotine that are consumed by individual are likely to trigger an individual brain, thus affecting his thinking and reasoning capacity. It usually activates the dopamine system located in the forebrain called nucleus accumbens. This is a small part of an individual brains that is responsible in controlling major activities of the brain. When an individual consumes an under dose drugs there is possibilities that the brain will automatically show an increase in dopamine. However, the consequence of these drugs depends mostly on the type of drug. Drugs have a latent effect of distorting ones mind. The effects of drugs vary from one individual to the other, basing on what he might have consumed. Different drugs have different effects on a person’s body. Some countries believe that a state that is likely to engage in drug will automatically have a stable economy. But this is usually not the case, because it reduces most of young people energy and thus makes them less efficient in the society. Drugs have however, a lot of meaning and definitions. The use of drugs has a lot of harm not only to the person who has the tendency of consuming it but also on families and the community at large. A drug manages most of the individual minds and the communities at large. Young individuals are most prone on using the illegal drugs. The effects of drugs on young adolescents are twice injurious than the rest of other population. Peer pressure is at times contributes to ones involvement in the use of drugs. However, there are still some individual who do get involve with the use of the drug without actually understanding its major consequences of the risk involved. All illicit drugs have its major consequences on the human growth and development. Apart from the physical effects it has also its impacts on the psychological and emotional growth and development. It also has a tendency of inducing a sagacity of intimacy thus subjecting n individual to total fear, depression and anxiety among the younger generation. However, other individuals argue that some drugs have therapeutic benefits. These drugs can also affect an individual social life. Thus, subject most of them to a lot of trauma and depressions. Conclusion In conclusion, it is evident that drugs can have devastating effects on the users. The UK government should therefore formulate measures aimed at educating the masses. People ought to be aware of the resultant effects and work harder towards avoiding the drugs that have negative effects on their health. A joint effort of the government together with other stakeholders can ensure that the targeted objectives are attained. Bibliography Crome, I., 2004, Young people and substance misuse, RCPsych Publications, High Holborn London. Goodwin, D. K., 2006, the Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, Simon & Schuster, New York. Great Britain, 2008, Statutes at Large: Statutes or the United Kingdom, University of Michigan. Michigan. Joycelyn, M., 1997, Preventing Tobacco Use among Young People, DIANE Publishing, New Jersey. United Nations, Commission on Narcotic Drugs, 1953, Annual summary of laws and regulations relating to the control of narcotic drugs, United Nations, New York. Waddington I. & Smith, A., 2009, An Introduction to Drugs in Sport: Addicted to Winning, Taylor & Francis, San Francisco. Read More