Social problems - Essay Example

Social Problems Social Problems Does public tolerance of alcohol and tobacco lead to increased use of these drugs?Why do many people view the use of alcohol and tobacco differently from the use of illicit drugs? Yes, public tolerance of alcohol and tobacco leads to increased use. Since the use of alcohol and tobacco are encouraged through various forms of media advertising, it leads to an increase in the demand for the products. Furthermore, since both alcohol and tobacco are easily available in various sales outlets anytime of the day, it is so convenient for users of these drugs to get hold of it.

There is no regulation banning the sale of these drugs. In fact, aside from the warning placed on the packaging of tobaccos and cigarettes, the government does not exert any form of regulation on its use. Unlike tobaccos and cigarettes, there are no warnings placed on advertisements and containers of alcohol beverages. The reason behind this tolerance and encouragement of the government is that they earn huge revenues from taxes from the sale of these products. The government for one does not encourage the use of illicit drugs because they do not earn anything from the sale of these drugs unlike with the sale of alcohol and tobacco.

In April 2011, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that almost six million people die from tobacco use and 2.5 million from harmful use of alcohol each year worldwide (Join Together Staff, 2011). The report goes on further to state that tobacco is predicted to be the cause of death of 7.5 million people worldwide by 2020, accounting for 10 percent of all deaths, while alcohol-related deaths accounts for 3.8 percent of all deaths worldwide. These figures show that alcohol and tobacco use is as dangerous as using illicit drugs.

However, this is not the belief of a lot of people. One reason why many people view the use of tobacco and alcohol differently from the use of illicit drugs is that they believe that if done in moderation, the use of alcohol or to some extent tobacco cannot be harmful to one’s health. Unlike with the use of illicit drugs, there is the perception that even if consumed in moderation, it still adversely affects one’s health. For some people they believe that there is no such thing as a “moderate use” of an illicit drug.

There are some parents who tolerate their teen children’s consumption of alcohol especially during special occasions or family celebrations. This gives the idea to these youths that drinking is acceptable; thus, when they are out with their friends, drinking becomes part of their lives. Parents then give the notion that alcohol is good while illicit drugs are not. The difference in the views of people about the use of alcohol and tobacco as opposed to illicit drugs also stem from the government’s policies on these substances.

In Britain, drugs are classified through a system which classifies drugs according to its harmfulness, with Class A being the most harmful and Class C the least harmful (Layton, 2011). Alcohol is ranked number five in harmfulness yet it is legal. On the other hand, ecstasy is ranked number 13 in harmfulness yet it is illegal. These classifications somehow cloud the perceptions of users as to the harmfulness of a drug. People then ask, “If alcohol is very harmful to one’s health, why then is it legal to sell it?

” or “If ecstasy is less harmful than alcohol, why is it considered illegal?” These confusing classifications of government have a bearing on why people view the use of alcohol and tobacco differently from the use of illicit drugs. The legal status of alcohol and tobacco makes it seem a better option than illegal drugs like ecstasy. Works CitedJoin Together Staff. (2011, April 27). WHO report: Smoking and drinking cause millions of deaths worldwide. Retrieved September 21, 2011, from The Partnership at Drugfree Website: http://www.drugfree.org/join-together/alcohol/who-report-smoking-and- drinking-cause-millions-of-deaths-worldwideLayton, J. (2011). Is alcohol more dangerous than ecstasy?

Retrieved September 21, 2011, from Discovery Communications, LLC Web site: http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/drugs-alcohol/drug-ranking.htm