Drugs and their influence - Research Paper Example

Drugs and their Influence Introduction Drugs, both legal and illegal, have influenced and had numerous effects on society throughout history; and, drug use and addiction continue to do so, especially in the United States. Illegal drug use (i.e. heroin, cocaine, marijuana) continues in the US despite numerous and aggressive enforcement strategies and legislation aimed at illegal drug sales and use (Reuter, 2009). In addition to illegal drugs, the rate of prescription drug misuse and addiction continues to rise, with Oxycontin being the most common of these drugs (Grau et al., 2007). Regardless of whether the drugs are legal or illegal, drug use and addiction has many direct and indirect effects on society including health costs, crime rates, incarceration, rates, and high costs of enforcement and legislation (Reuter, 2009).

However, as evidenced by the steady increase in drug use, current attempts at drug control do not seem to have any significant effect and are basically not working. More research is necessary to develop new options, methods and strategies for dealing with the drug problem in the US today. Review of the Literature Supply and Cost of Illegal Drugs Heroin, cocaine and marijuana have been, and continue to be, the most commonly used illegal drugs around the world, especially in the US (Id.). Despite increased interdiction and seizures by the Coast Guard, and other government authorities, retail prices of heroin and cocaine in the US continues to decrease significantly.

For example, even with a reported 26% seizure rate of heroin throughout the world, heroin prices in the US fell over 30% from 1998 to 2004 (ONDCP, 2004). Currently, Columbia and Mexico are the largest producers and suppliers to the US of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine (Reuter, 2009). Risk Factors for Illegal Drug Use Research has repeatedly found that certain risk factors increase the likelihood of drug use and/or addiction, including environmental (e.g. community, family structure), biological (e.g. genetic), cultural (e.g. race, ethnicity), and other factors, which has led to the development of numerous theories regarding the factors which increase the likelihood of drug use (Perkins, Elifson & Sterk, 2010).

While an established link does exist between certain risk factors and drug use, more research is needed in order to understand the how the factors may be related and how they interact with each other. Without a complete understanding of the variables involved in putting individuals at risk for drugs use, the development of more effective prevention and treatment programs will not be possible. For example, some research claims that genetic factors are solely responsible for putting an individual at risk for drug use; however, other studies, including identical twin studies, have found that a combination of genetic and environmental factors are involved (Grant et al., 2006). Environmental and socioeconomic factors have also been identified as the most significant factors increasing the likelihood of drug use; and, most of these studies point to community related factors as the main problem (Perkins et al., 2010). Community characteristics most often found to be related to high rates of drug use include high unemployment rates, poverty, transiency, lack of opportunity, and large numbers of single mother households (Id.). Therefore, as previously mentioned, further research is needed to have a better understanding of how these factors may interact and lead to an increased risk of drug use.

Prescription Drug Misuse and Addiction In recent years, the misuse and abuse of prescription drugs has been steadily increasing in the United States, especially with pharmaceutical opioids. In fact, there was at least a fourfold increase in pharmaceutical opioid abuse between 1995 and 2002 (Grau et al., 2007). After marijuana, prescription opioid use disorder is the second most common of all illegal and prescription drugs (Wua, Woodyb, Yangc & Blazera, 2010). Pharmaceutical opioid use also has very high rates of overdose, mortality and admissions to treatment (Id.). Furthermore, despite increases in enforcement efforts and government legislation, this type of drug abuse continues to increase in the US.

Since the abuse of prescription drugs is so prevalent, so dangerous, and steadily increasing, further research is essential for the development of effective prevention, intervention and treatment strategies. Summary Despite all efforts, drug use and addiction continues to be a steadily increasing problem in the US; and, its effects on society are numerous, including increased health care costs, loss of productivity and increased crime rates. The fact that there has not been a dramatic decrease in drug use and addiction indicates that current efforts at drug control, enforcement and legislation are not working.

A current trend, slowly growing in the US, is to remove criminal offenses related to drug use and addiction out of the criminal justice system into special drug courts that focus more on treatment and rehabilitation than incarceration (Nielson, 2010). Therefore, as previously mentioned, more research is needed for the development of effective options and strategies for dealing with drug use and addiction in the US. . References Grant, J.D., Scherrer, J.F., Lynskey, M.T., Lyons, M.J., Eisen, S.A., et al. (2006). Adolescent alcohol use is a risk factor for adult alcohol and drug dependence: evidence from a twin design.

Psychological Medicine, 36, 109-118. Grau, L.E., Dasgupta, N., Harvey, A.P., Irwin, K., Givens, A., Kinzly, M.L. et al. (2007). Illicit use of opioids: is Oxycontin a gateway drug? The American Journal on Addictions, 16, 166-173. Nielson, A.L. (2010). Americans’ attitudes toward drug-related issues from 1975-2006: the roles of period and cohort effects. Journal of Drug Issues, 10(2), 461-494. Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) (2004). The price and purity of illicit drugs: 1981 through the second quarter of 2003.

Washington, DC: Executive Office of the President. Perkins, M., Elifson, K.W. & Sterk, C.E. (2010). Drug risk: a cross-sectional exploration of the influence of family-of-origin and current situational circumstances. Journal of Drug Issues, 10(2), 353-378. Reuter, P. (2009). Ten years after the United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS): assessing drug problems, policies and reform proposals. Addiction, 104, 510-517. Wua, L.T., Woodyb, G.E., Yangc, C. & Blazera, D.G. (2010). Subtypes of nonmedical opioid users: results from the national epidemiologic survey on alcohol and related conditions.

Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 112(1-2), 69-80.