Drug and Alcohol Use - Term Paper Example

Download file to see previous pages... These two perspectives were selected to hightlight the two because they are diametrically opposed to each other in principle; the disease model views addiction as a disease and therefore should be treated while the autonomy perspective posits that there is no such thing as addiction because any individual with “reasonable firmness” can overcome addiction. II. The ethical perspectives in comparison In the issue of drug and alcohol use, there are two clashing point of views which are often associated with their issue. First is the prohibition of its use and the enjoyment of its use. Those who argued against drug and alcohol use primarily disapprove of it because of its addictive property. For them, the mere fact that drugs and alcohol are addictive and destructive, it is therefore a disease that stunts a human being’s full development and thus, should be eliminated. This disagreement on the use drugs and alcohol was articulated in the disease model that drug addiction is not just a social or psychological issue but a medical problem. This was first articulated by Elvine M. Jellinek of the Yale Center of Alcoholic Studies that addiction is like diabetes and cancer and should be considered as an illness. It impairs the individual’s physiological, psychological and social function and should be treated. According to this point of view, drug and alcohol dependents are not supposed to be punished but should receive treatment because they are not in their usual self being under the influence of drugs or an alcohol. In a study conducted in accordance to this model, it was reported that addiction can only be arrested by abstinence, it cannot be totally cured because there are “addictive personality” and such addiction is biologically based. Inferring from this report, it can be deduce that addition should therefore be treated just like a regular illness (Boss 285-286). While this may be true, it was also reasonably disagreed to by the likes of Szasz and Husak who argued that prohibiting recreational use of drug and alcohol violates our autonomy. According to them, the “right to self-medication is a fundamental right”. Curtailing this “right to self-medication” infringes the people’s liberty rights. For them, there is no such things as drug addicts because any person of “reasonable firmness” can stop drugs (Boss 288). III. The persuasive point of view The two issues were chosen to be compared because I believe each issue highlights the other because their point of directly rejects the other. The disease model implies that addiction impairs our physiological, psychlogical and social faculties to the point that it makes it us dysfunctional. Szachs and Husak rejects this saying that there is no such thing as drug addicts because any person of “reasonable firmness” can stop drugs (Boss 288). If Szash and Husak were right, there should have been no drug related crimes. If they indeed can medicate us, there should have been no alcohol related accidents and people who became dependent either to drugs or alcohol should not suffer from “withdrawal” from them. I need not go to details on the number of rehabilitation centers in the country to attest that no person of “reasonable firmness” can stop drug addiction. Study has shown that alcohol and drugs has addictive properties that when their use is abused, they can induce dependency. Speaking of people’ ...Download file to see next pagesRead More