Drugs Use in Modern Society

Drug use in Modern Society Use is Not Abuse Just because someone uses drugs does not mean they are an abuser of it about 10% of people who drink alcohol experience significant problems in their life because of their drinking Just because a drug is illicit does not mean that using it once can be Considered "abuse" Every Drug Has Multiple Effects despite wanting only one effect, all drugs (especially psychoactive drugs) acts at multiple sites, both in the brain and on organs throughout the body.   examples of side effects Amount matters large doses, frequent doses, or method of taking drugs all have varying effects taking drugs over a long period of time also has different effects over time Psychoactive Drug Effects are Powerfully Influenced by the user's History and Expectations new users have different experiences than experienced users expectations can greatly influence a user's experience with a given drug the more a person believes that alcohol makes them more Socialble, the more talkative and friendly they'll be Drugs Are Not Necessarily Bad or Good the behavior associated with the drug use is what should be considered as healthy or not healthy rather than the drug itself   ex: bleach, heroine, amphetamines Question #1 which of the following is not a general principle of psychoactive drug use? a) every drug has multiple effects b) amount matters c) recreational Substance use is always bad d) psychoactive drug effects are influenced by the user's history and expectations. Defining Terms drugs-any substance, natural, or artificial, other than food, that by its Chemical nature alters Structure or function in living organisms • illicit drugs-drugs that are unlawful to possess or use deviant drug use -drug use that is not common within a Social group and that is disapproved by the majority, causing members of the group to take Corrective action when it occurs (laws) • abuse-Consists of the use of Substance in a manner, amount, or Situations Such that the drug use causes problems or problems occuring Cuse is not alouse) greatly increases the chances of Extent of Drug Use and Researching Drug Use •very difficult to get an accurate picture of drug use today • what drugs might be harder to have a better understanding of their use and why? • most common type of getting data - questionnaire • What are some drawbacks to this kind of research? Brow Trends in Drug Use (Manjuana) Question#2 when did alcohol and illicit drugs use peak in the U.S.? a) around 1980 b) around 1990 C) Ground 2000 d) around 2010 Risk and Protective Factors for Drug Use. • risk factors: are correlated with higher rates of drug having friends who use use - marijuana or other substances engaging in frequent fighting, stealing, or other antisocial activities - perceiving that Substance use is prevalent at your school. - knowing adults who use marijuana or other substances having a positive attitude toward marijuana use - • protective factors: are correlated with lower rates of drug use perceiving that there are strong Sanctions against substance use at School - having parents as a source of Social Support - being committed to School - believing that religion is important and frequently attending religious Services participating in 2 or more extracurricular activities Personality Variables • most variables have been hard to find significant Correlations - ex: self-esteem recently, impulsitivity has become an area of interest and researon has found Some Significance between impulsitivity and substance use • Certain diagnosis of personality disorders such as conduct disorder and antisocial personality disorder are associated with increased rates of Substance use Genetics plays a Smau role in whether individuals first try substances Significantly associated with whether or not substance use develops into a serious problem Antecedents of Drug Use • antecedents: Characteristics that predict later initiation of drug use - ex: does deviant Social behavior precede substance use or does Substance use precede deviant social behavior? - Solutions? longitudinal Studies Case Study • one sucu study has tracked more than 1, 200 participants from a predominantly african american community in Chicago from ages le through 32.6 males who had Shown a high "readiness to learn" in first grade were less likely to be Cocaine users as adults, but females with poor academic performance in first grade had lower rates of cocaine use than females with higher first-grade Scores. Males who were either" either" Shy" or "aggressive" e" in first grade were more likely to be adult drug users compared to the students who had been considered neither smy nor aggressive 26 years earlier. - antecedents? Gateway • one of the Ist drugs (eg., alcohol or tobacco) used by a typical drug user • One important Study from the 70's found: - Stage 1: beer and wine - Stage 2: hard liquor, cigarettes, or both Stage 3: marijuana • Stage 4: more illicit drug use - Only 1% of the students began their experience with Substance use with marijuana • does this sequence make sense or is it Surprising? Why? • what are some plausible explanations for the sequence of the Gateway. process? 3 Perspectives 1) we should work to prevent any. use of tobacco or alcohol by those under age 21, as well as any use of drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, and LSD. These drugs are all illegal, and we know that early use of tobacco and alcohol is associated. with a greatly increased risk of illicit drug use in the future. • 2) focusing only on drug use ignores the fact that illicit drug use is usually part of a larger pattern of deviant or antisocial benavior. therefore, our efforts would be more effective if we were to target younger people and work to prevent poor targeting Prevention academic performance, fighting, Shoplifting, and other early indicators of this lifestyle, in addition to early experimentation with tobacco and alcohol. we're confusing what might be desirable with what might be possible. We can't prevent everyone from doing things we don't like. for example, as adults most people will drink alcohol at least once in a while, yet perhaps only 10% of drinkers have most of the problems. trying to to prevent all too big drug use and other undesirable behavior is just a job, and it violates our sense often goes with it. that's a much smaller problem, and we have a better chance of success. individual freedom. we need to focus our efforts on preventing abuse and the crime that goes with it. that's a much smaller problem, and we have a better chance of success.