Drug Use in College Students - Assignment Example

Drug Use in College Students The research design that is part of this research is assemblage of qualitative as well as quantitative research. Interview as qualitative methodology is part of this research. The conducted interview contained ten questions in total about the topic of the paper that is Drug Use in College Students. The interviewees were the college students. Research Question/Hypothesis Why the college students make use of drugs and how can they be prevented to use drugs? Method of Collecting Data: Interviews The interviewees were the students of Indiana State University. The students who we ready for the interviews were included in individual interviewing sessions. Interviews are similar to our day-to-day communication with people; however, they are somewhat diverse because the recorded information is focused as per the researcher. They are also different because the collected data through the interviews should be reliable and valid. While interviewing, the researcher’s technique should be reproducible, systematic, credible and transparent (Oppenheim, 2000). The open-ended questions are part of semi-structured interview and for this research, I have incorporated mostly open-ended questions. Open-ended questions are mostly accommodative and the respondents are facilitated to give answers as per their views and opinions openly (Kvale, 1996). They feel comfortable with answering open-ended questions. The interviews should be started with general information about the interviewee because in this manner the interviewee personalizes the interview and also regards it not an examination, but a causal activity. The language that is used along with the selection of vocabulary should be simple and easily understandable. The technical words should not be incorporated in the interviewing sessions as they alienate the interviewee. In addition, the technical words make the interviewee feel that he is not that much capable. The interviewee should be engaged in the interview session by making the topic his own (McNamara, 1999). Results of Interviews I conducted ten interviews with questions regarding drug usage by college students. The questions were related to drug names, their availability and obtainment, reasons of their use, their illegality and risky and ways of prevention. The responses of interviewees were diverse and quite informative and supporting for the research. When interviewees were asked about their knowledge about the names of the drugs, they reported mostly that they knew about marijuana, cocaine, amphetamine, ecstasy, methamphetamine and crack. The interviewees were asked about the mostly available drug or mostly used drug and all of them reported that it is marijuana, which is not only cheap, but also easily available. Some of the interviews also informed about the usage of amphetamine as common among users of drugs. Johnston et al (2010) inform that usage of marijuana has increased more as compared to other drugs since 1990 at different levels of education indicating increased usage of the drugs in students. People mostly get drugs through illegal drug dealers, friends and other related people. Most Popular Drug among Users When the interviewees were asked about their first usage of the drugs, their responses were contrasting as some of them reported that they took it by mistake, while mostly used drugs intentionally with full knowledge of the drugs. Riley (2012) informs that people use drugs by habit or because of social constraints, which is indicative that people are aware of their drug usage and their aftereffects. The respondents when asked about gaining medicinal drugs by telling lies to the doctors informed that they never did it. When the interviewees were asked about the health issues created because of usage of drugs, it was clear that all of them were well aware of the health issues. The respondents reported that with drug usage, the users can lose their control and can be out of their minds. In addition, their health as a whole can get affected, as they can get lung diseases, brain damage, cancer and other diseases as well because of falling health and control. When the respondents were asked about the reasons of using the drugs, they informed that drugs are used for enjoyment, physical relief, medicinal purposes and also for curiosity. The respondents were fully knowledgeable about the risks of the illegal drug usage, as they reported when they were asked about risks that drug usage could lead them to imprisonment, lose of family and homes. In addition, the respondents were aware of the criminality attached with the usage of drugs. Drugs affected their study performance and they were aware of the risks of the drugs. The students were aware that usage of drugs would affect their studies and college performance. Drug usage can lead to losing focus of studies. The interviewees were fifty percent drug users while fifty percent answered in no when they were asked about drug usage. Usage of Drugs    Interviewee A Yes   Interviewee B Yes   Interviewee C No   Interviewee D Yes   Interviewee E No   Interviewee F Yes   Interviewee G No   Interviewee H No   Interviewee I Yes   Interviewee J No   When they were asked about prevention strategy of drug usage, they informed that a good punishment strategy can lead to prevention, but what is utmost important is putting stoppage to the delivery of drugs. Our youth is threatened because of usage of drugs and this threatening should be taken seriously (Johnston, et al, 2010) Conclusion The drugs usage in college students is dangerous and needs to be prevented. The students use the drugs because of many reasons such as enjoyment, curiosity, physical relief and medicinal needs. The respondents were aware of the dangers and hazards of the drugs’ usage, but they were still the users of drugs. When they were asked about prevention strategy, they informed about more punishments and prevention of delivering of drugs. References Johnston, L. D., O'malley, P. M., Bachman, J. G., & Schulenberg, J. E. (2010). Monitoring the Future: National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975-2009. Volume I: Secondary School Students. NIH Publication No. 10-7584. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Kvale, Steinar. (1996). Interviews: An Introduction to Qualitative Research Interviewing. Sage Publications. McNamara, Carter, PhD. (1999). General Guidelines for Conducting Interviews. Minnesota. Oppenheim, A. N. (2000). Questionnaire design, interviewing and attitude measurement (New ed.). London, UK: Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd. Riley, M. K. (2012). Binge Drinking and Drug Use among College Students: A Test of Hirschi's Social Control Theory. Master's Theses. Paper 4167. Retrieved from http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=7700&context=etd_theses on 9 February 2014. Read More