Marijuana Abuse by University Students - Annotated Bibliography Example

(Day and Time) Annotated Bibliography – First Draft Topic: I am studying Marijuana abuse by in the US to help those students cope up with their lives and provide awareness to other students especially those who are at-risk. Babcock, Quinton and Tom Byrne. “Student Perceptions of Methylphenidate Abuse at a Public Liberal Arts College.” College Health 49.1 (2000): 143-145. Print. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD is known to occur among people who use prohibited drugs recreationally or for regular use. It was then known to occur in cocaine and amphetamine. Babcock and Bryne made a study about it in a local college as substance abuse was alarming. They pointed out that probably the school experience may have something to do with the increase in drug consumption among college students. They also surveyed adults and made a separate analysis on the surveyed traditional and nontraditional students. They stressed that the study focused on methylphenidate as their study was the first one about that kind of substance abuse. Their survey was then strictly confidential as to ensure the safety of the respondents. They found out that methylphenidate was used as a study-aid for students especially when exams are coming as they deal with sleep deprivation and more time in studying. For others, they use it for enjoyment as they get the stimulation especially when they inhale it, but that poses significant health damages. Despite of the findings, the survey was not able to address the other ways of intake of the drug and the behavioral patterns of the users and their frequency of intake. The study made by Babcock and Bryne showed how substance abuse was used as a study-aid and may serve as an eye-opener for local colleges on how they can deal with it especially for the methylphenidate. Since it was a first study on methylphenidate abuse by college students, it still requires many follow-up studies as to quantify the cases further and have specific measurements and other methods in data gathering and analysis other than survey. The sample size must also be increased as more participants mean fewer errors from the data acquired. In terms of experience and background of the authors, they have sufficient of those regarding the topic of their study as Babcock is a member of National Brain Injury Foundation while Byrne is a PhD in related field. Also the study may have many rooms for improvement, but its purpose adds some knowledge for creating a study on marijuana abuse among college students. DeJong, William. Problem Analysis: The First Step in Prevention Planning. USA: The Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention, 2009. Print. DeJong was able to make the booklet about the prevention planning in collaboration with the Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention. The center followed the enacted law about the safety of the children and youth from the harm that may arise from substance abuse like alcohol and drugs. The booklet revealed the steps in making the plans sustainable through programs, activities and other preventive efforts that are products of studies starting from the problem analysis. It then focused on how to objectively understand the needs of the students and youths in particular places especially the campuses and how to gather and analyze data accurately. Afterwards actions must be taken based on the awareness acquired from problem analysis. The accuracy of the techniques and requirements for problem analysis as listed down in the booklet is of high quality as the information are ensured to be practical. The author is then connected to the government agency responsible for that particular problem, and the government has the role of taking care of citizens which makes the published document to be accurate. It can be of big help in making a study on marijuana abuse among college students as it showcases ways on being objective in understanding the prevalent problems. Teter, Christian, Sean McCabe, James Cranford, Carol Boyd and Sally Guthrie. “Prevalence and Motives for Illicit Use of Prescription Stimulants in an Undergraduate Student Sample.” Journal of American College Health 53.6 (2005): 253-262. Print. The research team made a web survey to find the ulterior motives of the users of alcohol and other substances like drugs. They sampled the survey on 9, 161 college students. It was found out that a fraction of the students consume those substances in a regular or non-regular basis. The usual reasons for taking those substances are to increase focus and the feeling of being energetic. The team that conducted the study pointed out that their respondents reported that they use the substances for alertness especially during studies. Also the study cited the work of Babcock and Byrne regarding the motives and effects of substance use. To further increase the quality of the study, various analysis, quantitative measurements and statistical techniques were used as to reduce the errors while maintaining the accuracy of their study. The work has its limitation then as it focused on one university only and getting data from majority of White students and did not include other racial students. If the study was conducted to include other colleges and universities and other racial students, the accuracy will go up further. Also the quantity intake and route of intake were not taken into considerations. Despite of the limitations, the quality is ensured as the team behind the study was health professionals and has their own specializations that may be used to check the flow of the study. United Nations. World Drug Report 2011. New York: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2011. Print. United Nations had its agency on Drugs and Crime that made that report in a global perspective. The entries in the report encompassed all drug markets in all of the continents that were divided into various sections: introduction, consumption, production, trafficking and market analysis (6). The root cause was opened in the introduction that also included the demographics of the locations of those drug markets. United Nations would like to strengthen its ties with other agencies and institutions to create stricter policies and control the prevalence of drugs worldwide. They also included in the report that illegal drugs are worth much money as they symbolize wealth and status. They consider some wealthy people to be difficult to stop as they are the dealers in the said underground market. Those substances shown in the book supports the study about marijuana as the illegal drugs market has great influence over the consumption of those substances by the students for whatever purposes they have in mind. Money drives the transactions as the substances are usually expensive but once taken regularly, the health is in jeopardy. Everybody must be concerned about it and be aware of the existence of such markets. The awareness is not for the increase in consumption but for preventing that action from influencing more people and increase violence and crimes. When authorities are able to control the market, the students will be saved as they will have no access to those substances and keep their focus on their studies and peers. Thus, their lives would be pretty normal and healthy as they can maximize the enjoyment in life without harming their own selves. The reduction then in social problems from substance cut may contribute to the development of a nation as a whole that may change the earth as a whole for betterment. Also the report had its accuracy to be top-of-the-line as UN works with many partner agencies in their efforts to gather data, study the present conditions and enforce control for the betterment. Helene White and David Rabiner Eds. College Drinking and Drug Use. USA: Guilford Press, 2011. Print. Various researchers and professionals contributed to the making of the book as they passed their own article or chapter regarding the alcohol and drug abuse from various perspectives. The book showed how alcohol and drugs can affect the biological and chemical components of the body while linking them to the behavioral effects. The book is also a practical one as its writers included preventive ways and how to deal with alcohol and drug problems. They also include the social and political perspectives of alcohol and drug abuses as they affect other people too. The accuracy of the entries in the book was further assured by the two editors who got their PhD degree related to the topic. It can be used as a textbook for both students and practitioners alike as they can get substantial contents for dealing with alcohol and drug abuses. The book can then be applied to the marijuana abuse as marijuana is a prohibited drug due to its psychological and chronic health effects. Read More