Category: Drug Abuse

Introduction

Alcoholism and drug abuse significantly affect societys sociocultural, economic, and health indexes. Addiction to alcohol and substance intensifies the risk of dependency among the personnel. Therefore, a significant percentage of the families experience financial instability based on the increasing redundancy, with more household revenue redirected for the care of the addicts. Transcendentally, the long-term effect of alcohol and drug abuse enshrines health issues, mainly mental, psychological, and physical disorders. The community-based process is an intervention program that contributes to reconstructing the support system for recovering and rehabilitating alcoholic and substance abuse addicts.

Health Disparity

Addiction is a core issue in the Canadian territory, aptly influencing the well-being of the communities and the productivity quotient. In the study by Carberg (2022), the scholar establishes that the Canadian administration incurred $46 billion in 2017 as the cost of substance abuse and criminal justice. The researcher further establishes that at least 21% of the population, equivalent to 6 million, deal with addiction issues (Carberg, 2022). In 2014, alcoholism recorded the highest cost incurred by the government at $14.6 billion, while tobacco, opioid, and cannabis use indexed $12 billion, $3.5 billion, and $2.8 billion, respectively. In 2022, Carberg (2022) noticed that 15% of Canadians consume more than the recommended amount, while Ontario incurs at least $5 billion annually on health and legal issues related to alcoholism. In a different spectrum, the scholar stipulates that the dynamic extremes of alcoholism and drug abuse include illnesses, accidents, and overdosage (Carberg, 2022). Ideally, substance abuse causes 47,000 Canadian deaths annually while indicating 12.3% of alcoholic abuse deaths involve drunk pedestrians (Carberg, 2022). Primarily, Canadas prevalence rate of alcohol and substance abuse demands incorporating an effective remedy to the situation.

Health Promotion Strategy

Community-based health promotion strategy is a multidimensional phenomenon that significantly influences rehabilitative essence among alcoholics and drug addicts. Research establishes that the vital components of the spectrum include resident mobilization, enforcement of restrictive regulations, and information enlightenment among counterparts (Crabtree et al., 2018). Alcohol and drug abuse adeptly foster a social, economic, and health burden to the populace. Therefore, it is critical to integrate a solution framework that addresses the local and national outcomes of the problem. One of the dynamic approaches enshrines intersecting social control and order perspectives on reconstructing the human behavioral quotient.

Social control significantly defines the nature of human behavior on account of the ability to gear order. According to William and Clarke (2018), it is the central concept in the life of people. Primarily, the framework is composed of a reaction imposed upon deviance by an individual. Therefore, it contributes as a central factor in the essence of the character, and it is crucial to understand the core definition and the elements that foster the ideology. The researcher establishes a slight difference between social control and order (Maxwell et al., 2018). Although the former encourages lawfulness, the latter is an independent phenomenon involving various concepts and experiences. Maxwell et al. (2018) postulate that social control contest encompasses the interpretation of dynamic and influential concepts. Applying the health promotion strategy fosters the development of an effective support system for the personnel.

Relationship between Promotion Strategy and Health Disparity

Alcohol dependence negatively affects the health of an individual that is an embodiment of a spiritual, mental, and physical being. In this case, establishing a therapeutic family and community environment fosters the optimal acquisition of insights to avoid alcoholism. In a different spectrum, the researchers establish that it is crucial to exploit the social learning theorem (Goldenberg et al., 2022). It is a construct that indicates the interdependence of human behavior and exposure to different ideologies. In this case, a childs exposure to an alcoholic father risks the inheritance of the habit based on the perceptive approach. Therefore, it is crucial for relatives to alleviate the aspect of exposing the younger generations to the conduct as a preventive aspect.

Social learning theoretical construct profoundly influences the interdependent relationship between alcoholism and drug abuse and character development. According to studies, the nature of family relationships orients the behavior of the personnel due to the ability to contribute to self-realization (Maxwell et al., 2018). Individual esteem translates to the quality of experiences with a relative. During a childs growth and development, the cognitions response and attitude towards particular concepts depend on previous experiences. Therefore, expressiveness and personality impact the dynamic populations ethical and moral code and interpretation. The primary duty of parenthood entails mentorship in developing charismatic leadership qualities, thus the prominence on integrating the promotion strategy to solve the health disparity under the spectrum of restructured social support system.

Relationship between Strategy and Health Promotion

Alcoholism is a significant factor affecting individuals health and family relations due to the repercussions of dependence. Liquor is highly addictive mainly because its significant impact on the body leads to inhibitions and euphoria. The considerable effect of consumption and abuse encompasses compromising the individuals perception, reactionary behavior, and judgment (Crabtree et al., 2018). It is a depressant to the central nervous system but causes profound liver damage and cirrhosis. Drunkenness is a perspective that fosters the dependence of the victims on other family members. The main reasons victims become dependent involve overutilization of financial resources, loss of jobs, and health issues. The unproductive and dependence rate among the victims causes psychological abuse among the family members since the individuals resolve to violence for a desperate solution. Fundamentally, a community-based intervention strategy promotes individuals well-being by optimizing the social learning of rehabilitative approaches among addicts.

Barriers to Accessing the Health Promotion Strategy

Despite the significant effect of the community-based promotion strategy, different barriers influence the effectiveness level. Research establishes that it is challenging to mobilize societal members and leaders due to the dynamic sociocultural and economic structures (Goldenberg et al., 2022). Although the core objective enshrines enhancing the health index, the divergence in ethical and moral appeals across the various ethnic groups risks controversies and misinformation. As a result, it is vital to reconstructing the initiative along the gradient of the foundational social identity pillars to boost the efficacy stance on the implementation process.

Evidence Supporting the Health Promotion Strategy Effectiveness

Human behavior is a reflection of the social code within a particular community. An excellent example of a country whose crime rates significantly reduced is Portuguese, which focuses on implementing community-based programs that intensify the rehabilitation of criminals rather than the ideal punishment solution. In this case, one of the causes of the decline in the U.S crime rates is the integration of community-based interventions in the rehabilitative processes (Williams & Clarke, 2018). It is a form of an approach that elevates social learning among individuals based on the necessary behavior and engagements with other people. Another reason for the decline in offences in America is embracing diversity and focusing on cooperating in nation-building. Cultural diversity fosters dynamism in the ideals of growth and development. Therefore, the incorporation of strategies that enhance coherence among the parties involved renders the ultimate solution to the continual decline in the violations of the law on alcohol and drug abuse.

Current use of the Strategy

Different institutions utilize community-based intervention strategies to enhance positive effects among individuals. An excellent example is the utilization of the framework in combating crime. Despite the divergence in criminal activities, the offenders encounter distinctive degrees of punishment. Scholars agree that serving a jail term is one of the solutions to a profound deficiency in mentorship to re-establish social networks (Crabtree et al., 2018). The integration of community-based initiatives attributes to establishing a support system addressing the perspectives on necessary human behavioral codes along ethical and moral gradients.

Discussion

Based on the evidence, the community-based health promotion strategy scores eight out of ten. The main reason entails the ability to enhance the development of an effective support system. A different factorial baseline is the attribution of social learning and control concept that impacts the human behavioral aspect. Alcohol and drug addicts suffer from a habit that risks health and financial integrity. Therefore, implementing the mainframe renders an adept trickle-down effect concerning the networking and rehabilitative efforts among the counterparts.

The key recommendation to utilize in improving the Strategy encompasses intensifying the government involvement. Integrating the agenda within the national administrative budgeting elevates the provision of disposable resources amplifying the community-based projects for the members and the addicts. The significant stakeholder involvement fosters the pooling of skills and knowledge to exploit advancing the health promotion initiative.

Conclusion

Alcohol and drug abuse is a prevalent issue in Canada, thus the necessity of implementing an effective promotion strategy. Ideally, community-based intervention is an effective remedy to the vital challenge across the populace. The main reason enshrines the amplification of an effective support system for the victims during rehabilitation. Further, the aspect contributes to creating awareness among members concerning the consequences of alcoholism and substance abuse. It is crucial for the first nations governments to incorporate measures to alleviate the core problem threatening the productivity quotient from the Canadian generations.

References

Carberg, C. (2022). Addiction statistics in Canada. Addiction Guide. Web.

Crabtree, A., Latham, N., Morgan, R., Pauly, B., Bungay, V., & Buxton, J. A. (2018). Perceived harms and harm reduction strategies among people who drink non-beverage alcohol: community-based qualitative research in Vancouver, Canada. International Journal of Drug Policy, 59, 85-93. Web.

Goldenberg, S. M., Perry, C., Watt, S., Bingham, B., Braschel, M., & Shannon, K. (2022). Violence, policing, and systemic racism as structural barriers to substance use treatment amongst women sex workers who use drugs: Findings of a community-based cohort in Vancouver, Canada (20102019). Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 237, 109506. Web.

Maxwell, S. R., Zepeda, A., & Rzotkiewicz, A. (2018). Peers, social control, or guilt? Self-conscious emotions as explanation for antisocial behavior.Deviant Behavior, 39(3), 322-331. Web.

Williams, P., & Clarke, B. (2018). The black criminal other as an object of social control. Social Sciences, 7(11), 234. Web.

Abstract

This paper aims at analyzing the data on the issue of drug consumption and abuse among adolescents, a menace for public health. The information for the paper was collected from various studies, current event articles, and evidence-based works. In addition, the objectives of the paper are as follows: the first aim is to analyze the collected data and produce a review of the information. The second aim is to evaluate referential opinions, compare and contrast them critically. The next objective is to examine the policy in New Jersey regarding drug abuse in adolescents, and finally, to draw a conclusion summarizing all the information. After evaluating the data, drug abuse in adolescents can be considered a menace for public health.

Keywords: drug consumption, drug abuse, adolescents, public health

Introduction

Currently, the issue of drug consumption among adolescents has become widely discussed and utterly controversial. Many people hold an opinion that adolescents are in particular danger of using drugs and their consequent adverse effects which is proved with scientific pieces of evidence and various studies. However, some researchers claim that todays adolescents are remarkably self-conscious, and trends in adolescents drug consumption are statistically promising (Levy, Campbell, Shea, & DuPont, 2018). It is possible to note that past-year use of illicit drugs other than marijuana has held steady at the lowest levels in more than two decades (Office of Adolescent Health, 2019, para. 6). Nevertheless, the question remains  is there a real public health menace in the drug consumption of adolescents aged 15-19 years old, and what is a general situation around it nowadays? This paper aims at analyzing the data on the issue from various research studies, evaluating referential opinions, and drawing a conclusion with a consequent answer to the question mentioned above.

Affecting Factors

Adolescence is age-specific and can be characterized by exposure towards such a social phenomenon as peer pressure or bullying, which may lead to psychological disorders, such as anxiety and depression. In addition, it is typical for individuals aged 15-19 years old to experience boredom and lack of emotions (Bagley, 2018). These aspects along with other factors mentioned above make adolescents vulnerable and susceptible to drug consumption (Levy et al., 2018). A reason for concern is that, although lately statistics show the lowest percentage of drug-using teenagers, adolescents still use such most common substances as marijuana and alcohol.

Moreover, when adolescents are at the age of 15-19 years, their brain and mind are exposed to drugs; dopamine contained in these drugs causes pleasant feelings to which an adolescent responds quickly. This is the point where the addiction begins as it is common for adolescents to get used to this state of pleasure and consequently want to prolong it. To avoid or treat addiction, it is essential to detect such a state as early as possible and try to intervene (Curtin, Tejada-Vera, & Warmer, 2017; Levy et al., 2018). In most cases, there are other reasons for starting to consume drugs, such as psychological disorders, life ordeals, peer pressure, shame, and failures.

Drug addiction is a disorder resulting from constant usually uncontrolled drug consumption, leading to brain and mental diseases and behavioral changes. Drug abuse is associated with using both legal and illegal substances in quantities that are harmful to a person or other people (Seligman et al., 2017). For instance, drug abuse is observed when a person takes more medicines than were prescribed or consumes illegal drugs for various reasons, such as to ease stress, to relax, and to distract their attention.

NJ Policy on Drug Abuse in Adolescents

Currently, in New Jersey, there is a policy aimed at control of substances consumed by underaged adolescents. According to the law, it is legally prohibited to serve, make available or offer alcoholic beverages to adolescents under 21 years old (New Jersey Revised Statutes, 2013). Also, there are programs targeted at assisting addicted adolescents, such as one developed by the Governors Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (GCADA) that was established in accordance with NJSA 26:2BB. The GCADA works to promote public awareness and prevention planning (Governors Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, 2014). According to its report, programs conducted by the organization have led to significant results, such as increased awareness on the issue and successful treatment of addicted adolescents.

Dangerous Results of Drug Abuse

Considerable problems arise when a person starts to misuse or abuse drugs. It leads to significant untoward effects, such as behavioral changes, health problems, brain and mental disorders resulting in worsening of social and interpersonal relationships, personal development, and living conditions to name a few. Consequently, it is impossible to deny that drug abuse can be considered as a public menace, especially in individuals aged 15-19 years old, since adolescents are more susceptible to its side effects (Pagliaro & Pagliaro, 2019). Using drugs by adolescents likely results in physical or mental illnesses later in adult life.

Death is viewed among other significant risks of drug abuse. Thus, drug abuse may also be responsible for drug overdosing, car accidents, and domestic violence among others. According to Curtin et al. (2017), Drug overdose deaths in the United States are a major public health challenge (p. 5). Drug-related death is one of the essential reasons to control adolescents substance consumption, pay special attention to them, their surroundings and friends, as well as educate them about drugs.

Types of Drug Abuse

Generally, trends of young adolescents drug consumption continue to decrease, although some drugs cause particular concerns. It is important to note that the substances that are most often abused are pain medications (including opioids), alcohol, cigarettes (including vaping and e-cigarettes), marijuana, and inhalants (The NIDA Blog Team, 2018). According to statistics, it is possible to assume that 15-19-year-old adolescents are generally aware of the risks of using drugs, such as alcohol, cigarettes, and opioids. However, they are less cautious with vapes, inhalants, and marijuana, which are also risky and can be damaging to their health (Richtel, 2019). Therefore, it is essential to monitor drug awareness among adolescents, to educate them properly about drug consumption, its consequences, and side effects.

Researchers report that Abuse of alcohol is associated with more harm than all of the other drugs and substances (Pagliaro & Pagliaro, 2019, p. 32). This issue can be provoked by factors such as culture and traditions. Many gatherings or celebrations usually involve alcohol, and adolescents are especially susceptible to drinking alcohol in such surroundings (Richtel, 2019). Moreover, during these events, other factors can influence adolescents, such as pressure from peers.

In addition, there are many social factors that are crucial when it comes to a choice to consume substances or not. One example of social factors that influence drug use/abuse is the stigma of addiction (Bagley, 2018). In other words, social stigma appears as social disapproval of a person because of stereotypical social characteristics that make this person different from normal people. There are many examples of social stigmacommonly, they are related to gender, nationality, culture, race, abilities, and health. The stigma of drug addiction has a particularly adverse influence on a person, since it prevents them from seeking help and slows down the recovery process. Adolescents are exposed to social phenomena such as the stigma and image because socialization is one of the most vital processes in their self-development.

Ambivalence of an addicted person may interfere with recovery, and it is hesitant to engage in recovery due to concerns of shame and fear of being judged by others. According to Bagley (2018), it can also slow down the process, make it less effective and more time-consuming, since a person can start the therapy but avoid coming to the next session. In such cases, it is difficult to reach positive results. The familys support is of great importance, as it can help to reduce the pressure of social stigma and to sort out ambivalent feelings.

Help and Treatment

Currently, there are many addiction centers that can ease some social issues to help to lessen the pressure. For instance, these organizations can assist an individual with basic needs, such as housing and employment or schooling. The main challenge is compliance of the addicted adolescent to seek help. Psychologically, for an adolescent, it can be an inner fight. Moreover, it is significant to note that most adolescents with already existing life troubles tend to abuse drugs and become addicted. Therefore, they may have serious trust issues or issues around communication, which will also inevitably influence the recovery process (Pagliaro & Pagliaro, 2019). For such an adolescent, the first step is to start with a specialist, to open up and gain trust with the specialist is an utterly energy-consuming and complicated challenge. It is also significant to note that, because of their age, 15-19-year-old individuals are much harder to deal with. Therefore, therapy for these adolescents can be particularly complex and considerably long.

There are many organizations and government programs aimed at helping addicted adolescents to recover. Thus, Truth Initiative produces a series of Public Service Announcements/Ads (PSA) intended to persuade adolescents to stop consuming substances (Rosenberg, 2020). The anti-smoking campaign yielded impressive results, as there was a remarkable reduction in the percentage of smoking adolescents. The main challenge is to raise the awareness about the hazards of addiction by explaining its mechanism and prevalence to adolescents.

Conclusion

Some adolescents are exposed to various life crises such as rape, domestic violence, and brutality. Many adolescents are more vulnerable to social pressure and psychological issues. Drug abuse can be a result of peer pressure, adverse influence, and mental disorders. It is essential to create a friendly environment and express support as apparently as possible. One of the key factors in a successful recovery process is to support addicted adolescents aged 15-19 years old through the recovery process with support from family. It is important to make them feel accepted and understood as this can help them make the right choice and start the recovery process. Raising public awareness about health and drug abuse through specific advertisements campaigns is an innovative method that is effective in reducing adverse drug effects of drug abuse.

References

Bagley, S. (2018). Adolescent substance use, addiction, and treatment [Video file]. Web.

Curtin, S. C., Tejada-Vera, B., & Warmer, M. (2017). Drug overdose deaths among adolescents aged 15-19 in the United States: 1999-2015. NCHS Data Brief, 282, 1-8.

Governors Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. (2014). Confronting New Jerseys new drug problem: A strategic action plan to address a burgeoning heroin/opiate epidemic among adolescents and young adults.Web.

Levy, S., Campbell, M. D., Shea, C. L., & DuPont, R. (2018). Trends in abstaining from substance use in adolescents: 1975-2014. Pediatrics, 142(2), e20173498. Web.

New Jersey Revised Statutes. (2013). Title 2C  The New Jersey code of criminal justice, Section 2C:33-17  Availability of alcoholic beverages to underaged, offenses. Web.

The NIDA Blog Team. (2018). Teens drug use is lower than ever (mostly). Web.

Office of Adolescent Health. Promote mental health and prevent substance use in teens. Web.

Pagliaro, A. M., & Pagliaro, L. A. (2019). Child and adolescent drug and substance abuse: A comprehensive reference guide. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis.

Richtel, M. (2019). Teen marijuana vaping soars, displacing other habits. The New York Times. Web.

Rosenberg, T. (2020). Weaponizing truth against opioids. The New York Times. Web.

Seligman, M. E.P., Romer, D., Gur, R. E., Hendin, H., Walsh, B. T., Evans, D. L., & OBrien, C. P. (Eds.). (2017). Treating and preventing adolescent mental health disorders: What we know and what we dont know. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Drug Court

Todays American society is replete with drug abuse cases among various age and social groups. Being a severe health issue, drug abuse is also a threat to people due to its illegal nature. The drug epidemic leads to high levels of imprisonment for several reasons. First of all, people who consume drugs are breaking federal law by abusing or possessing the substance. Secondly, addiction sometimes makes people commit crimes like burglary to get enough money for a dose.

Thus, millions of Americans are imprisoned because of drug-related crimes. However, since 1989, the US federal system has been providing the majority of drug abusers with proper treatment or education with the help of a drug court option (Gonzales, 2020). Such an option implies the federal court is assigning rehabilitation instead of imprisonment since jail is not capable of treating drug dependence.

Although this system is considered to be quite effective, there are still some pitfalls concerning the system of drug courts. First of all, people who are assigned to this program are often misled in terms of its seriousness because they only think about avoiding prison (Fulkenson, Keena, & Longman, 2016). Secondly, the algorithm of defining who exactly among the drug abusers should be given a chance for improvement is sometimes uncertain.

For example, people who need medical and psychological support are often left behind due to their lack of courage to ask for help. Drug court is, by all means, a major step towards an inclusive democratic society where everyone is heard, valued, and allowed to become a better version of themselves. Hence, with improvements in terms of this opportunity equality, drug court options will continue empowering drug abusers to create better lives for both themselves and their families.

Detoxification

Any case of drug consumption is a severe stress for the human body, as it has to cope with an alien substance that tries to modify its structure and habits. For this reason, different medical establishments and specifically created addiction centers now deal with detoxification  a process of removing these harmful substances from the body under the doctors surveillance (Levinthal, 2014).

The cases of detox are quite frequent nowadays among both licit and illicit drug abusers due to their availability and popularity among the state residents. However, nowadays, people who voluntarily ask for help in such establishments sometimes refuse the procedure, as they are told their intoxication level is acceptable for the process. Such situations, to my mind, happen because of a lack of proper education on drug prevention when people underestimate the potential consequences of the addiction.

To combat the issue, drug abusers should fully realize the responsibility of drug abuse and its effect on their behavior and organism. Moreover, people have to acknowledge that home-based detoxification will never be nearly as effective as the one provided in medical facilities (Elkins, 2020). Even if the drug rates are relatively low for the human body, detoxification is only one step towards full patient rehabilitation from dependence.

Hence, there is no need to reconsider the amount of substance in the blood to persuade people to continue the treatment. They should, first and foremost, be properly informed on the subject of any drug intoxication. In such a way, patients with the slightest signs of alcohol or illicit drug abuse will be eager to receive help to prevent dangerous implications.

References

Elkins, C. (2020). Medical detox. Web.

Fulkenson, A., Keena, L., & Longman, A. (2016). In or out: the drug court dilemma. Criminology, Criminal Justice, Law & Society, 17(2), 34-45.

Gonzales, M. (2020). The history and effectiveness of drug courts in the U.S. Web.

Levinthal, C. F. (2014). Drugs, behavior, and modern society. London, UK: Pearson Education.

Substance abuse is one of the most critical health care concerns in modern society. It is associated with the detrimental influence of the problem on an individuals health as well as their social integration. In most cases, the problem is connected to living in an unfavorable environment characterized by varying physical and emotional stressors, so different substances are seen as a way to mitigate the influence of these stressors on ones wellbeing (Blume, 2016). Still, this desire to get away from problems by means of substances instead of making effort to improve an individuals environment contributed to the evolution of the challenge of substance abuse into a real public health concern, thus driving the need for investigating it in detail and focusing on strategies for coping with the related issues (Gurganus et al., 2015).

State of the Science

Nowadays, special attention is paid to the challenge of substance abuse among both adolescents and adults. To cope with the problem, different approaches are designed and tested for their effectiveness in coping with the issue. Therefore, according to recent peer-reviewed and evidence-based studies, there are several trends in substance abuse that are supported by evidence. In general terms, it has been concluded that various interventions are helpful for making the scopes of the problem less significant (Blume, 2016; Estrada et al., 2017; Gurganus et al., 2015). Nevertheless, interventions differ in both targets and objectives. For instance, focusing on strict control of selling alcohol (the so-called point-of-sale interventions) is useful for decreasing the rates of adolescents and young adults drinking alcohol (Blume, 2016). On the other hand, there is a powerful impact of family-based interventions on addressing the issues related to the substance abuse problem mainly due to the improved family functioning and adolescents social interactions and life choices (Estrada et al., 2017). More than that, special attention is paid to the role of pharmacists in fostering the prevention of substance abuse because they might provide necessary education and assistance, thus decreasing the desire to try illegal substances or consume alcoholic beverages (Pharmacists role in substance abuse prevention, education, and assistance, 2016).

Based on what was mentioned above, it is obvious that focus is made on investigating the effectiveness of strategies aimed at decreasing the scope of the current day epidemic  substance abuse. The main stress is laid on different interventions. Except for it, there is significant progress in studying the impact of substance abuse on an individuals health as well as their family and social interactions. All in all, the subject is deeply and comprehensively researched which points to the criticality of the problem and the desire to address it properly.

National Benchmarks Related to the Problem

Improving a nations health is one of the central tasks of the national health care system. Still, it is impossible without identifying nationwide benchmarks necessary for measuring outcomes of national health improvement programs. For this reason, the US Department of Health and Human Services pays special attention to establishing national benchmarks pertaining to substance abuse issues. These objectives are determined every decade. Therefore, as for the latest benchmarks, they are the following: increase the rate of adolescents aged between 12 and 17 avoidings trying alcohol for the first time from 85.6% to 94.2%; increase the same group rates for refraining from marijuana from 94.3% to 96.3%; increase the rate of high school seniors avoiding alcohol from 27.7% to 30.5%; and decrease the use of cocaine, LSD, hallucinogens, and methamphetamine among adolescents and members of their families (Sharma, 2015).

Gaps in the Literature

Regardless of spectacular progress in researching the problem of substance abuse and offering numerous ways for preventing its further outburst, there are still some critical gaps in the literature that should be mentioned. For instance, even though special attention is paid to the cultural relevance of interventions, little is being said about the cultural appropriateness of different substances, such as alcohol, marijuana, and even some illegal drugs (Blume, 2016). In addition, even though the focus is commonly made on the effectiveness of educational interventions, not much is being mentioned about the nationwide educational interventions and their role in achieving national benchmarks for combating the challenge of substance abuse (Gurganus et al., 2015).

Strategies for Preventing Substance Abuse

As mentioned above, educational interventions are effective when it comes to decreasing the rate of substance abuse. Still, in my opinion, increased knowledge is incomprehensive without the increased social awareness regarding the criticality of the problem in terms of both scopes of the challenge and severity of its outcomes. Therefore, to address the problem and prevent substance abuse, I would pay special attention to launching society-wide educational interventions. However, it is critical to take the initiative popular among adolescents and young adults. To achieve this objective, it is advisable to deploy social networks (for instance, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube) for sharing knowledge about the problem as well as making young people aware of the scopes of the problem and the extremely negative impact of substances on their health, families, and social interactions. The main idea is that early education is valuable for the future prevention of substance abuse.

References

Blume, A. W. (2016). Advances in substance abuse prevention and treatment interventions among racial, ethnic, and sexual minority populations. Alcohol Research, 38(1), 47-54.

Estrada, Y., Lee, T. K., Huang, S., Tapia, M. I., Velazquez, M. R., Martinez, M. J., & Prado, G. (2017). Parent-centered prevention of risky behaviors among Hispanic youths in Florida. American Journal of Public Health, 107(4), 607-613.

Gurganus, K. M., Butt, A. L., Kirchenbauer, C. M., Melkvik, C., Piatt, J., Hawkins, J., & Onuorah, Y. (2015). Implementing the Regional Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup (REOW) in the State of Oklahoma for substance abuse prevention: An ODMHSAS Project. Community Mental Health Journal, 51(5), 535-539.

Pharmacists role in substance abuse prevention, education, and assistance. (2016). American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 73(9), e267-e270.

Sharma, M. (2015). Progress in substance abuse indicators of Healthy People 2020: Implications for research and practice. Journal of Alcohol & Drug Education, 59(3), 3-6.

Introduction

There are many approaches to defining deviant behavior and singling out its root causes. Some scholars argue that peoples biological features are at the core of aberrant conduct, whereas others consider the social impact to play a critical role. Based on these differing ideas, researchers defend their positions on why people break the law in various situations. The present paper aims at supporting a social deviance position and analyzing one of the core topics related to deviance. Specifically, Mertons (1938) argument of deviance will be defended, and the theme of drug abuse will be discussed.

The Social Deviance Position

The position taken is the agreement with Mertons statement about the causes of deviance in society. Particularly, Merton (1938) argues that deviance occurs when the abilities of societys members to achieve socially acceptable goals are not equal. According to Merton (1938), two elements are constituting the social and cultural structure: cultural goals and institutional norms. The first element makes up the frame of aspirational reference composed of interests and aims in the cultural dimension that presuppose different levels of sentiment and prestige (Merton, 1938). The second element is responsible for controlling and regulating the acceptable modes of gaining the purposes from the first one.

The rationale behind agreeing with the argument is that the scholar offered a viable typology of deviance, which explains that individuals can become criminals if they cannot achieve the socially accepted values by legal means. This position can be related to drug abuse in the following way. People buying drugs have rejected the culturally acceptable norm of leading a healthy lifestyle. However, at the same time, they share the cultural value of receiving pleasure or pain relief (depending on what their purpose in using drugs is). Hence, according to Mertons (1938) theory, deviant behavior can be manifested by following one norm but rejecting the other one in an attempt to gain the first.

The social deviance definition emerging from the selected position involves the compensation of institutionalized behavior by socialized rewards. Merton (1938) argues that it is necessary to arrange the distribution of roles in society in such a way that each position within the distributive structure should have an equal number of positive incentives and status obligations. Thus, deviant behavior may be considered as a sign of dissociation between the aspirations defined by cultural norms and the means expected by the social system. The disproportionate emphasis on objectives is the primary concern of the selected deviance position.

Examples Supporting the Position

Mertons major goal is to emphasize the disruption of the social structure and prove that it can affect deviance (Social disorganization, 2020). The scholar distinguishes between five types of adjustment and adaptation: conformity, ritualism, innovation, retreatism, and rebellion. According to Merton, social structure is a social deviance theory due to its potential to indicate the divergence between social stability and behavioral limitations (Social disorganization, 2020). Depending on a persons social activity, one can change the activitys type (Merton, 1938). Specific emphasis in Mertons (1938) theory is given to the problem of wealth accumulation as an indicator of success in American society. Hence, basically, people demonstrating deviant behavior know the institutional regulations, but they cannot always secure emotional support to follow these rules.

The most prominent example in support of Mertons argument in relation to drug abuse is that cultural and social circumstances play a crucial role in defining peoples desire to engage in drug use. As Eckersley (2005) remarks, cultural expectations of a person, such as an ethnicity, social status, or race, can affect the way people are accepted in society. Frequently, when an individual notice that he or she is not welcome in the social group they would like to belong to, they resort to any means possible to make others find them acceptable. Culture formulates the main assumptions of the peoples way of living (Eckersley, 2005). Furthermore, Eckersley (2005) points out that some aspects of modern Western culture and society constitute a crucial social impact on peoples drug abuse choices, which is currently underestimated. Therefore, in an attempt to meet the norm necessary for joining the society, one can practice deviant behavior.

Another example of drug abuse being a social deviance problem is also related to peer pressure and the need to accommodate. As Schulden et al. (2009) report, drug abuse is a phenomenon most frequently occurring in young people. There is a growing recognition of the drug abuse problem among American teenagers. This population group is vulnerable to various social factors, acceptance being the most important of them. Hence, to gain the goal of being an equal member of some social group, a young person may engage in anomie. Schulden et al. (2009) also note the significance of viewing the problem not only at a macro level but also at a micro-level. Specifically, there are some youth groups that suffer from greater negative impacts, such as Hispanics and Blacks. These young people tend to overuse marijuana rather than other types of drugs (Schulden et al., 2009). However, no matter what substance is being misused, the problem remains, and its connection to social lifes regulations cannot be denied.

Media sources share the opinions expressed in research studies concerning drug abuse as a social problem. OLeary (2019) singles out five socio-cultural factors that are likely to cultivate addiction. These factors can be analyzed from the point of view of Mertons (1938) theory. Firstly, the bonding experience, which can be gained by drug use, is viewed by OLeary (2019) as a crucial social factor promoting addiction. Here, one can trace the connection with Mertons (1938) theory in that to gain a socially positive outcome (become a part of a group), young people engage in deviant behavior (abuse drugs). Another factor is the relief from stress, which one can get with the help of drugs (OLeary, 2019). Here, the positive norm followed by an individual is the desire to feel well and function properly. On the other side, this goal is gained by means of rejecting the norm of the legal use of drugs.

The next example is similar to the one discussed by Schulden et al. (2009). OLeary (2019) remarks that the desire to feel the sense of community can push people to anomie. Thus, the person endeavors to follow the norm of conforming to a social group, but to do so, he or she defies the need to consume only legal substances. Further, the allure of rebelling can also ignite peoples desire to abuse drugs (OLeary, 2019). In this case, the desired positive norm is to express ones freedom and exercise ones rights. Meanwhile, the need to follow the rules of social behavior (avoiding drugs and not threatening anyone by ones conduct) is rejected.

Finally, OLeary (2019) also draws attention to such a socio-cultural factor as lifestyle appeal. According to the author, some people may consider the lifestyle of a drug abuser as glamorous and highly attractive. In a situation like this, a person strives to obtain better living conditions, which is a normal intention (Merton, 1938). What is abnormal, though, is that to gain the desired lifestyle, people become addicts. What is more, drug abuse is frequently associated with criminal behavior (Why drug addiction is a social problem, n.d.; Zembroski, 2011). Therefore, the outcomes of drug abuse can be manifested not only in social and cultural spheres but also in a legal one.

Reasons for Disagreeing with the Other Position

The selected position contradicts the view expressed by Durkheim, who argues that the existence of social solidarity should prevent people from anomie (Social disorganization, 2020). Durkheims approach states that people are not likely to break the rules if they share the same views (Adrian, 2003). It is impossible to agree with such an argument since even if all society members know what is right, it does not mean they will never do wrong. For example, if a young student knows that abusing drugs is illegal, he will still do it if the group of his peers persistently lure him into trying.

Conclusion

Mertons (1938) argument of deviance states that a person tends to break the rules when he or she does not have an opportunity to gain some socially acceptable goal legally. This argument seems fair in various socio-cultural situations, but it especially concerns the problem of drug abuse. There are many reasons why people might start abusing drugs, but most of them are related to the need for being accepted and recognized. It is not possible to agree with Durkheims position since numerous examples indicate that even if all members of society know the rules, they will not break them.

References

Adrian, M. (2003). How can sociological theory help our understanding of addictions? Substance Use & Misuse, 38(10), 13851423. Web.

Eckersley, R. (2005). Cultural fraud: The role of culture in drug abuse. Drug and Alcohol Review, 24(2), 157163. Web.

Merton, R. K. (1938). Social structure and anomie. American Sociological Review, 3(5), 672682. Web.

OLeary, D. (2019). 5 socio-cultural factors that cultivate addiction. National Rehabs Directory. Web.

Schulden, J. D., Thomas, Y. F., & Compton, W. M. (2009). Substance abuse in the United States: Findings from recent epidemiologic studies. Current Psychiatry Reports, 11(5), 353359. Web.

Social disorganization. (2020). [Lecture notes].

Why drug addiction is a social problem. (n.d.). Web.

Zembroski, D. (2011). Sociological theories of crime and delinquency. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 21(3), 240254. Web.

Social and health issues that take part during the formation of human identity have negative consequences on the individuals further development. Thus, teenage drug abuse presents a severe danger to an individuals health in adulthood. The problem of teenage drug abuse inflicts a threat to the future society and health state of the overall population in the United States. This essay will discuss the core reasons and consequences of teenage drug abuse and propose a possible solution based on the collected information.

There are several reasons for teenage drug abuse in the United States. As teenagers are influenced by high concertation of hormones, some of the core reasons for teenage drug abuse are specific to the age category, implying that those reasons are not connected to adult drug abuse. Moreover, teenagers are more influenced by external factors such as social connections and media. One of the core reasons for teenage drug abuse is the willingness to be accepted and validated in a social circle of individuals who already use drugs. In teenagers perception, drugs are often used in media as an attribute of cool characters, so they frequently try to fit in with the cool image, unaware of the consequences of drug use. In addition, current teenagers often experience depression and helplessness from being unable to control their lives or social rejection from excessive social media involvement and resort to drug abuse to feel better.

The consequences of teenage drug abuse include development and widespread poor morals, increased danger from sexual activity-related problems, such as STDs and unplanned pregnancy, dangerous driving, and poor performance in school. Even though some minor consequences of episodic drug abuse could be solved, threats like impaired driving present a significant danger to the population. Development and widespread of poor morals will also negatively affect the development of society as poor morals suggest an increased number of crime commitments among adolescents. With the current issues in the prison system, such as difficulties in offenders re-entry into the society, the teenagers future will be negatively affected in cases of crime commission.

Despite the complex character of the issues imposed by teenage drug abuse, one primary measure could solve the issue or partially improve the current state. The significant difference between teenage drug abuse and drug abuse among adults is parental participation in teenagers lives. Increasing the level of parental awareness on the issue of teenage drug abuse and providing them with necessary information could positively influence the situation. Providing parents with helpful information such as red flags in teenagers behavior, and current state of drug involvement in the local area/school would help the parents establish connection with the teenager. The connection will provide an opportunity for a dialogue on the topic of drug use and its consequences. Moreover, active parental participation in teenagers activities would help prevent other issues, such as dangerous and harmful connections or violent tendencies.

In conclusion, this essay explored the issue of teenage drug abuse in the United States through the aspects of core reasons and consequences. Based on the collected information, teenagers are more subjected to drug abuse due to their social interactions and the high risk of depression tendencies. The increased parental participation in teenagers lives is the primary solution to the problem. Parents should express concerns about the childs social circle and activities outside the home. Increasing parental awareness on the problem and providing opportunities for parent-teenager dialogue on the issue of drug abuse will positively influence the current state of teenage drug abuse in the United States.

Modern American society is influenced by various internal and external factors that cause serious mental and physical interference with peoples lives. The most common triggers are both licit and illicit drugs and stress factors. Dependence on different substances has become not only a major issue within the country but a significant part of the American mass culture. The most vulnerable social group in terms of drug abuse in adolescents and college students who can be easily influenced by public opinion and peer pressure.

Many specialists today are aimed at combating this issue with the help of various prevention strategies. According to Levinthal (2014), there are two groups of factors that influence an individuals patterns of drug behavior. The first group is connected with risk factors that make a person more likely to abuse drugs, while preventative factors help decrease this probability. When specialists deal with preventative factors, they pay attention to both mental and physical ways to resist the drug. The physical aspect includes medication treatment that helps drug abusers withdraw without severe implications.

The mental aspect, on the other hand, encourages people to experience moral support from close ones, or the ones who once experienced drug addiction on their own. The symbiosis of these procedures is exceptionally efficient in terms of the drug rehabilitation process when a person is provided with medications and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). However, the cost of such treatment is quite frequently too high for abusers and their families. In your opinion, how the prices could be decreased to become more affordable? Are addiction centers that provide free help as efficient as the fee-based ones?

Reference

Levinthal, C. F. (2014). Drugs, behavior, and modern society (8th ed.). London, United Kingdom: Pearson Education.

Introduction

US as well as other countries have formulated numerous strategies to help in the fight against drug abuse, production, trade, distribution, and addiction. This is a critical provision in the realms of rehabilitating drug addicts and banning business regarding illicit drugs (illegal trade).

It is notable that the country (United States) has made remarkable steps with its War on Drugs initiative despite the challenges. The country (in conjunction with other associated states) has managed to establish, ratify, and embrace programs that promote the fight against drug trade and abuse among the youth, adults, and other vulnerable groups in the society.

It is agreeable that USs War on Drugs has been an effective substance abuse prevention plan despite the hiccups that the program faces and its inability to attain some of its designated mandates within the specified durations among the poor (Caulkins, 2005).

Since the inception of the program, several considerable results have been realized towards the prevention of drug peddling and abuse by some sections of the society. Additionally, US have managed to jail some of the drug users and peddlers. It remarkably reduced the trade, distribution, and use of cocaine and other illicit drugs among the people.

There are remarkable results exhibited among the middle and wealthier people (in the reduction of drug use); nonetheless, there have been negligible results among the poor people who have not comprehended the disadvantages associated with drug abuse and addiction.

Major Arguments

Evidently, it is crucial to understand the importance of fighting drug abuse and addiction in the context of establishing and nurturing a healthy and productive nation. It is agreeable that USs war on drugs has registered considerable results in the fight against drug peddling, distribution, abuse, and addiction. This has been a critical substance abuse prevention plan in the USs context.

The government has managed to reduce the drug consumption rates and trading incidences by arresting and jailing drug dealers and the concerned abusers in the international context.

Nonetheless, it has been challenged to incorporate education programs that could enlighten the society about the atrocities of drug abuse, trade, and addiction. Otherwise, this program has had remarkable challenges among the poor communities as indicated earlier. It is crucial to consider such provision with regard to the efforts meant to prevent drug use.

In the USs contexts, several presidents have managed to establish and embrace varied programs meant to curb the aspects of drug use and addiction. For example, George Bush managed to reduce the abuse of cocaine with nearly 22%. This was a considerable move under the war on drugs initiative.

Despite this, it is agreeable that the initiative (war on drugs) has not eradicated drug abuse and addiction instances as mandated during its inception. This is a critical occurrence following the increasing drug abuse instances and other relevant provisions in the entire context.

Evidently, there have been several challenges faced by the war on drugs initiative as indicated earlier. This has hampered its success remarkably despite the efforts to eradicate the aspects of drug abuse, addiction, and other relevant factors. It is crucial to note such providences in the contexts of international drug trade.

Similarly, it is delightful that war on drugs has made considerable landmarks in the fight against drug use, production, trade, and distribution following its ability to reduce the instance of drug peddling mentioned earlier. Since the law prohibits any business/dealings regarding illicit drugs, it is crucial to note that the initiative has helped in establishing and embracing such laws.

It forms a critical organ in proposing, initiating, and establishing laws/policies governing drug abuse and addiction. Despite the challenges and other considerable concerns characterizing this initiative, it is agreeable that war on drugs has been an effective substance abuse prevention plan.

It is just that the public has not cooperated with the stipulations of this initiative. It is evident that such plans demand public corporation in order to realize substantial results. Nonetheless, the initiative has made considerable accomplishments as indicated earlier despite the challenges. This is a notable progress made by the initiative despite the hiccups.

Concurrently, 10-15% of prohibited heroin and 30% of illegal cocaine have been intercepted in the recent past. Higher figures have been expected although other stakeholders mandated to eradicate such drugs have not accomplished their obligations as expected. This is a critical consideration in various contexts. It is crucial to note that some efforts to fight drug abuse and addiction instances have been thwarted by none-responsiveness (Kellogg, 2003).

Additionally, the public has not cooperated fully as demanded from them. War on Drugs has favored domestic law endorsement efforts in order to eradicate drug abuse and addiction in US and internationally; nonetheless, the initiative has registered considerable resistance from drug cartels and other shipment agents who dominate the business.

This is an important observation in the context of fighting drug abuse, trade, and the alleged addiction. Importantly, it is censurable that USs war on drugs has been an effective substance abuse prevention plan despite challenges. It only needs a critical restructure in its entire frameworks in order to realize any considerable result in its endeavors.

Some of the policies governing the initiative have become obsolete, a fact that has rendered the war on drugs ineffective at some points. Nevertheless, the initiative has made remarkable accomplishments in its era. It is arguable that there are some difficulties in eradicating the aspects of drug abuse, peddling, and addiction as indicated earlier.

This has made some organizations, individuals, activists, and other relevant entities to declare war on drugs as a failure in its mandates (Williams, 2012). It is important to understand the entire aspects of this provision. Several sources have indicated that war on drugs has failed to accomplish most of its obligations especially in the societies of low class (poor people).

This is agreeable; however, it is crucial to consider several factors regarding this issue as well as some of the accomplishments already achieved by the program. Based on these arguments, it is important to agree that USs war on drugs has been an effective substance abuse prevention plan despite the challenges as indicated earlier. Its formulation and other relevant obligations have ensured that the abuse, sale, and illegal trading in drugs are minimized.

It is crucial to agree that US established the initiative majorly to eradicate consumption and trade on illegal drugs. This is a crucial provision due to its ability to discern the issues related to drug use and addiction. The increase in violence and crimes associated with drug abuse has become a massive concern in US and beyond.

There are critical factors regarding this factor. Additionally, war on drugs has endeavored to fight these problems regardless of the situation. Since drug peddlers, users, and other cartels have been formulating new trends in order to counter the efforts put by the government, the program has not accomplished its full mandates as expected (Blair, 2011). Nevertheless, what it has attained is quite substantial when considered critically.

There are claims that the use of cocaine, heroin, and crack increased considerably during the war on drugs era. Additionally, the aspects of crime and other related atrocities escalated remarkably; however, these cannot thwart the entire accomplishments of this initiative.

Despite the challenges, the achievements of this substance abuse prevention plan have been considerable. At least it has restricted trade on illicit drugs, enlightened masses on the problems associated with drug abuse and addiction, initiated the prosecution of drug peddlers/cartels, and prohibited the prevalence on drug abuse.

Conclusion

It is vital to agrees that USs war on drugs has been an effective substance abuse prevention plan despite the drawbacks and its inability to accomplish some of its mandates. Since its inception, the initiative has mandated to eradicate trades on illicit drugs, discourage drug consumption and addiction, and prosecute drug dealers in order to avoid shipments and trafficking of illegal drugs including cocaine, heroin, crack, and other addictive substances.

Although there are considerable claims that war on drugs has not managed to eliminate drug use, trafficking, and associated addictions, it is still agreeable that its plans have made some remarkable achievements. By endeavoring to prohibit trade on illicit drugs, the initiative, war on drugs, forms substantial drug abuse prevention machinery.

It is crucial to consider this provision in various contexts including drug abuse and addiction phenomena. Another prominent consideration in this context is the obligations bestowed on the organ. Nonetheless, fighting drug use, trade, and addiction has been a challenging task both to the government and other relevant/concerned organizations.

References

Blair, E. (2011). 10 Ways the War on Drugs is a Wild Success. Web.

Caulkins, J. (2005). How goes the war on drugs?: An assessment of US drug problems and policy. Santa Monica, CA: Rand Corp.

Kellogg, W. (2003). American history: The easy way. Hauppauge, NY: Barrons.

Williams, R. (2012). Why The War on Drugs Has Failed. Web.

Abstract

In the recent past, statistics have shown that as the government increases efforts to curb the use of various illegal drugs, people have turned to prescription drugs, which are increasingly becoming the new forms of drug abuse. Among the most commonly abused prescription drugs are prescription painkillers since they are readily available through various illegitimate online drug stores with or without a formal prescription.

But owing to the increase in the number of people visiting emergency departments with complications related to prescription painkiller abuse or overdoses, there is the imperative need for the government and other key stakeholders to address this public health problem speedily. This can be achieved through law enforcement and public education about the correct uses of such medications, which can cause fatal complications if misused.

As policy-makers move to curb the use of street drugs such as cocaine, marijuana, and heroin, shocking statistics show that there has been a sharp increase in the misuse of prescription drugs in the United States. According to McCarthy (2007), the number of cases related to the misuse of prescription drugs increased by 21% in 2004-2005. More specifically, the number of visits to the emergency departments as a result of non-medical use of prescription drugs rose from 495,732 in 2004 to about 598,542 cases in 2005.

Moreover, the Drug Abuse Warning Network reported that there were more than 1.4 million emergency department visits in 2005 that were related to the misuse of drugs (McCarthy, 2007). Out of these cases, about 27% were related to the misuse of prescription drugs. Among the most commonly abused drugs in 2004-2005 were benzodiazepines (19%), opiates and opioids (24%), and methadone (29%).

Studies attribute the recent increase in the misuse of prescription drugs to an increase in the use of the Internet, which facilitates the growth of illegitimate online drug stores and uncontrolled online prescription drug sales. One study has examined the effect of growth in the use of high-speed Internet on the availability of commonly misused prescription drugs in the United States.

The study findings demonstrate that for each 10% increase in the use of high-speed Internet in different parts of the United States, the number of emergency department visits related to misuse of prescription drugs increases by 1%. Based on these results, the researchers recommend that the government should monitor the possible threat posed by the rising number of illegitimate online drug stores that could be encouraging the misuse of prescription drugs (Jena & Goldman, 2011).

On the other hand, considering that prescription painkillers are among the most commonly abused prescription drugs, this paper examines the most recent statistics regarding the misuse of prescription painkillers with the aim of outlining possible solutions to this public health problem.

Prescription Painkiller Abuse

For many years, a variety of opioid analgesics such as oxycodone, methadone, oxymorphine, and hydrocodone have been used in the management of pain. However, in the recent past, different types of these drugs have been availed in the market and the number of prescriptions for opioids has increased considerably. Therefore, as the medical use of opioids continues to increase, so does the nonmedical uses.

In fact, McCarthy (2007) indicates that the non-medical use of prescription painkillers is estimated to cost the health care sector about US$72.5 billion annually. On the other hand, according to statistics released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2009, there were about 500,000 visits to the emergency department as a result of prescription painkiller overdoses. Of these cases, more than 15,500 people died as a result of prescription painkiller poisoning.

These cases of prescription painkiller overdoses can be attributed to all types of opioids, but methadone has contributed to at least 30% of such cases. As a result, it is surprising that methadone is the leading cause of prescription painkiller deaths even though its total prescriptions are no more than 2% of all painkiller prescriptions written in the United States (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2012).

For decades, methadone has been medically prescribed for the management of drug addiction. Moreover, it is an effective painkiller, which provides long-lasting effects for pain relief.

However, it is imperative to note that as the medical uses of methadone increase, so does the nonmedical uses owing to its widespread availability in most pharmacies and online drug stores. Shockingly, studies by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have warned against the indiscriminate use of methadone owing to several risks associated with the drug.

The major risks associated with methadone include increased toxicity at low doses, drug build up that can cause slowed breathing, and disruption of the hearts rhythm. Nonetheless, different pharmacies across the United States received more than four million prescriptions for this drug in 2009.

Moreover, methadone is readily available to many people considering that it is a low-cost generic drug recommended by many physicians and insurance companies. However, the major problem with this drug is that many cases of methadone-related deaths involve people who purchase the drug without a formal prescription. Accordingly, studies indicate that most people obtain methadone using illegal prescriptions or through other means such as drug diversion (CDC, 2012).

Recommendations

From the foregoing discussions, it is evident that the risk of prescription painkiller abuse has increased considerably in the last decade. This has been attributed to an increase in the availability of prescription painkillers through illegitimate online drug stores and other illegal means such as drug diversion.

As a result, there is the immediate need for the United States government to engage other stakeholders in ensuring that federal laws prohibiting the non-medical use and possession of prescription painkillers are enforced to the letter. On the other hand, health care providers should ensure that they follow the correct guidelines that govern the use of different prescription painkillers including methadone.

Moreover, health care providers should design proper prescription drug monitoring systems in order to ensure that their patients do not misuse prescription painkillers (CDC, 2012). Overall, a close collaboration between the government, healthcare providers, and health insurance providers can go a long way in terms of preventing or reducing prescription drug abuse and overdoses.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]. (2012). Prescription painkiller overdoses: Use and abuse of methadone as a painkiller. Web.

Jena, A. B., & Goldman, D. P. (2011). Growing Internet use may help explain the rise in prescription drug abuse in the United States. Health Affairs, 30(6), 1192-1199.

McCarthy, M. (2007). Prescription drug abuse up sharply in the USA. The Lancet, 369(9572), 1505-1506.

Six Key Features of Success for Community-Based Drug Education Programs

The key features that result in successful community-based intervention on drug abuse are integrated for effectiveness and efficiency. Collaboration, teamwork, availability, reliability, time discipline, and consistency are size key features that ensure success for the intervention programs. Through the availability and reliability of involved stakeholders, the initiatives advance stipulated goals-against drug abuse (Edalati & Conrod, 2019). Regions that record a high prevalence of substance use require collaboration and teamwork among community members, the authorities, and academic administrators for overcoming rising cases among teenagers. Most notably, the six key features are integrated strategically and coherently to achieve time discipline when implementing community intervention programs.

Community Consequences of Drug Abuse

Drug abuse results in significant consequences on communities experiencing high prevalence among teenagers and young adults. For example, affected areas record many incidences of insecurity as abusers seek funds for buying the drugs. Incidences of street mugging and public violence also rise exponentially around residential areas without proactive intervention programs (Edalati & Conrod, 2019). Communities also experience increased homelessness as drug addicts sell household items and assets to cater for the drugs. This is common when abuses advance to addiction levels which require drugs consistently without failure. Furthermore, drug abuse results in immorality among community members who engage in economic practices found unethical and inconsistent with outline societal or religious values.

Difference between Drug Abuse and Drug Misuse

In addition, several differences exist between the acts of substance misuse and drug abuse. On the one hand, drug misuse refers to individuals who take drugs for treating a specific condition without consulting an expert. In this context, the intention justifies drug misuse since the act occurs periodically (Edalati & Conrod, 2019). On the other hand, drug abuse refers to the consumption of substances that elicit particular feelings and emotions. This is common among teenagers and young adults exposed to negative peer pressure from friends and classmates. Essentially, the act occurs as abusers seek to maintain the excitement, feeling, or emotions from taking the drug.

Reference

Edalati, H., & Conrod, P. J. (2019). A review of personality-targeted interventions for prevention of substance misuse and related harm in community samples of adolescents. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9, 770-779. Web.