Category: Drug Abuse

Program Description

The selected program for this analysis is titled, “Mitigating Drug Abuse”, and it is currently implemented in Pine View School. The implemented initiative seeks to educate learners about the problem of drug abuse, its effects on academic performance, and the best approaches to avoid the vice. Young individuals aged between 12 and 18 years of encounter external influences that can change their behaviors, engagements, and subsequent academic performance (Florida Health, n.d.). In some cases, most of these children might begin to abuse various substances, both legal and illegal, due to peer influence (Seçim, 2017). The provision of timely updates on addictive drugs, counseling, and education will ensure that more learners are informed and capable of focusing primarily on their academic goals.

The participants and leaders involved in the ongoing program are considering a number of attainable and realistic aims. The first goal of this project includes sensitizing students about drug abuse since it has become a common social issue affecting more learners in Osprey, Florida. The second one is guiding beneficiaries to learn more about some of the common drugs, their negative impacts on health, and their interference with the learning process (Seçim, 2017). The third goal entails supporting the inclusion of all stakeholders and empowering them to be involved in the fight against drugs. The major stakeholders of this program include counselors, students, parents, and educationists. The inclusion of professionals in the fields of health care, counseling, and drugs is expected to promote the delivery of desirable results.

The first activity intended to support the success of this program is the identification of students who will benefit from the proposed educational sessions. The involved staff members identify individuals with special needs and customize the presented instructions accordingly. The second initiative is that the involved counselors and rehabilitation experts provide timely insights about the problem. In this current program, the involved professionals encourage the selected beneficiaries to present their observations and ideas gained after the successful completion of the program (Seçim, 2017). Parents have been receiving timely updates and instructions on how to guide their children and ensure that they remain involved to address the major challenges associated with drug abuse. These initiatives are expected to possible for staff members to continue supporting this ongoing program.

Description of Models

Logic Model

The developed logic model gives a succinct summary of the designed counseling program. The framework outlines the major activities that key professionals are undertaking to deliver the targeted goals. The model begins by identifying students in the learning institution as the target population that will benefit from the successful completion of the program. The inclusion of teachers, counselors, drug abuse experts, and community members in Osprey, Florida, has helped increase chances of launching and implementing the project within the allocated time. Such measures are ensuring that the initiative delivers the much-needed results (Seçim, 2017). The participants are required to complete the outlined activities within the allocated period. The strategy has made it possible for the project to deliver most of the expected results.

The involvement of different professionals and stakeholders has made the outlined processes effortless. The developed model provides a step-by-step approach that is presently guiding all the participants to focus on their respective activities (see Table 1). The success of this program, as observed from the logic model, will support the replication of similar initiatives in the future to educate more students about the problematic issue of drug abuse (Seçim, 2017). This approach will encourage more learners in Osprey to get rid of the vice, thereby improving the recorded academic performance.

Table 1: Logic Model

Evaluation Plan

The developed evaluation plan is designed in such a way that it focuses on all the key aspects of the program. The ultimate aim of this initiative is to sensitize more students in Pine View School about the challenge of drug abuse and its possible impact on educational outcomes. To ensure that the project delivers the goals outlined above, the plan identifies each of the aspects associated with them. The planners will focus on all the learners involved in counseling and educational sessions (Seçim, 2017). The number of the selected beneficiaries, including those with special needs, will dictate the duration of each session. The analysis will make it possible for the involved coordinators to identify and attract an adequate number of counselors, psychologists, and teachers. The use of evidence-based methods to measure the anticipated outcomes will guide the planners to determine the overall success of the program.

The second two sessions of the evaluation plan will focus on the overall impacts of the program on the learners. The project team will analyze its implications on the community and the learning environment. The coordinators will have to consider how the presented insights trigger a paradigm shift while encouraging more students to avoid drugs (see Table 2). The program will guide all the involved participants to examine the gains recorded at the community level (Seçim, 2017). The identifiable impacts from the evaluation will guide the involved professionals to determine with finality whether the project has been successful or not. The included cost benefit analysis as part of the evaluation process is critical to gauge the plausibility of the program.

Table 2: Evaluation Plan

Challenges

Several challenges have been recorded in the development of the presented assessment tools. First, the available information regarding the number of learners in Osprey engaging in drug abuse affected the developers’ ability to formulate the most appropriate goals. This problem has affected the overall effectiveness of the developed logic and evaluation plans (Seçim, 2017). Second, the limited nature of the allocated time has compelled the involved participants to consider key areas that would support the overall success of the program. The provision of additional time in the future could make it possible for the planners to develop better, practical, and engaging tools.

Third, the participants in Pine View School have been incurring increased expenses to contact and liaise with different professionals. Such an approach is essential to ensure that the included individuals remain supportive to make the program fruitful. Unfortunately, the recorded predicament explains why it is only possible to include a sizeable number of experts to be part of the process (Seçim, 2017). Nonetheless, these issues did not undermine the overall effectiveness of the formulated tools. Consequently, the developed logic and evaluation plans are appropriate and capable of supporting the implementation and assessment of the initiative to ensure that it delivers desirable results.

References

Florida Health. (n.d.). Substance abuse. Web.

Seçim, G. (2017). A study on substance abuse prevention. EURASIA Journal of Mathematics Science and Technology Education, 13(6), 2485-2504.

Introduction

Alcoholism and drug abuse significantly affect society’s 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, Canada’s 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 child’s 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 child’s growth and development, the cognition’s response and attitude towards particular concepts depend on previous experiences. Therefore, expressiveness and personality impact the dynamic population’s 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 individual’s 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 (2010–2019). 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 today’s 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 Governor’s 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 (Governor’s 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 stigma–commonly, 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 family’s 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/Ad’s (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.

Governor’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. (2014). Confronting New Jersey’s 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., … O’Brien, C. P. (Eds.). (2017). Treating and preventing adolescent mental health disorders: What we know and what we don’t know. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Drug Court

Today’s 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 doctor’s 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 individual’s 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 one’s wellbeing (Blume, 2016). Still, this desire to get away from problems by means of substances instead of making effort to improve an individual’s 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 (“Pharmacist’s 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 individual’s 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 nation’s 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.

Pharmacist’s 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

Pregnant women who struggle with drug abuse are a common and concerning topic for discussion. This is because their addiction may result to various complications and disorders, thus motivating people to offer various policies. Although some of them seem rather interesting, perhaps even helpful to some extent, it is important to consider the consequences that may follow and whether it would deteriorate the situation or not. The following text will review the outcomes of three policies: financial support for therapy, voluntary sterilization and criminal persecution. Then, there will be an explanation regarding whether the situation would improve or become significantly worse.

Discussion

Criminal persecution is one of the three policies and is oftentimes justified as a means of protecting unborn children. However, it is very likely that it will cause more damage than help; as such policies prevent women from seeking help for prenatal care as they struggle with drug abuse cases, e. g. opioid use disorder (Goodman et al., 2019). Mothers struggling with OUD fear facing persecution from child protection services, as they believe they may lose custody over their offsprings. Besides avoiding care, they may resume using non-prescribed substances that have been notorious for increasing risks of neonatal abstinence syndrome. Thus, there are no benefits in implementing this kind of a policy, and the situation further worsens.

Voluntary sterilization is another option, albeit rather radical and filled with severe consequences as well. While this could prevent women from potentially harming their baby, as they will not have one, there is an ominous uncertainty which may complicate this decision. First, some studies state that this procedure positively affects women’s quality of life, while others claim the exact opposite (Youseflu & Sadatmahalleh, 2020). Second, drug abuse is especially common among women with depression and anxiety, which, in a way, justifies some doctors’ concerns regarding that sort of decision (Gannon, 2022). Thus, this kind of policy should be implemented with considering one’s individual circumstances, which may help clear some misconceptions.

Finally, the third and best option is supporting women financially to acquire therapy for their condition. There are many dire consequences in case there is no treatment, such as preterm labor, placental abruption and fetal convulsions (NIDA, 2021). Hence, it is crucial for them to acquire access to treatment, as it not only improves women’s health and that of their children, but motivates the entire family as well. Implementing a compassionate approach to care may help with addressing the mothers’ and children’s needs (SAMHSA, 2022). Thus, out of all the offered policies, financial support for therapy is the best one, as it motivates prevention and treatment, which, in turn, causes the improvement of this situation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are three policies offered to combat the issue of pregnant women struggling with drug abuse: voluntary sterilization, criminal persecution and financial support for therapy. The first one is rather radical and is included with contradicting information, with some studies depicting positive effects and others describing the negative ones. This policy can only improve the situation if it is implemented with individualization. Criminal persecution is the worst idea out of the three, as it prevents women from seeking the necessary care. This, in turn, increases extra risks of NAS and makes them use other substances. Finally, the last solution, financial support for therapy is the best one, as it encourages recovery and prevention. Drug abuse cases, such as OUD, are associated with serious complications, which further emphasizes the need and importance of this policy. Thus, it could help successfully combat this problem with fewer negative outcomes.

References

Gannon, J. (2022). What are the addiction treatment options for pregnant woman? Recovery First Treatment Center. Web.

Goodman, D., Whalen, B., & Hodder, L. C. (2019). It’s time to support, rather than punish, pregnant women with substance use disorder. JAMA Network Open, 2(11), e1914135. Web.

NIDA. (2021). What treatment is available for pregnant mothers and their babies? National Institute on Drug Abuse. Web.

SAMHSA. (2022). HHS announces new reports and grant program addressing the health needs of pregnant women and children affected by substance use. SAMHSA – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Web.

Youseflu, S., & Sadatmahalleh, S. J. (2020). Psycho-sexual influence of sterilization on women’s quality of life: A path model. Web.

Introduction

Alcohol is the chemical that has received the most attention from aggression researchers because it has been associated with violence and aggressive behaviors. Consumption of alcoholic drinks has been associated with the potential to increase violent behaviors. The use of abusive drugs can cause anger in people because of the effect they have on the brain. When consumed in excessive amounts, it impairs one’s judgment and ability to make decisions leading to impulsive and reckless conduct.

Application

An example of how alcohol can cause aggression in a person is that it impairs an individual’s judgment and ability to make decisions making the person act impulsively and recklessly. It also reduces inhibition, allowing one to act on aggressive impulses they would otherwise have controlled. People under the influence of drug abuse are more likely to engage in risky behaviors, such as physical confrontations and violent crimes, which can cause aggression toward each other.

Abusing drugs such as opioids and stimulants increases the levels of aggression. These drugs cause irritation, agitation, and a lack of the ability to control impulses resulting in aggressive behavior. In general, the use of alcohol and other drugs can significantly increase the possibility of the development of aggression and violent activities in people. Thus, individuals must be aware of the potential effects of these substances and avoid using them to prevent their negative effects.

Conclusion

Finally, when alcohol is consumed, it causes violence by interfering with the brain’s normal functioning. It weakens the brain mechanism that restrains impulsive behaviors such as unsuitable aggression. Impairing information processing makes one misinterpret social cues, thereby reacting excessively to a perceived threat. At the same time, narrowing of attention might result in an incorrect assessment of the future risks of acting on an immediate violent impulse.

Cocaine and drug abuse

Drug abuse has become an issue of concern in the society today. Despite of numerous education programs on drug related issues, people continue to abuse drugs and the youths are reported as the most affected group in the society. In the US, Africa-Americans turn out to be the most affected in such a case as statistics show that drug abuse among this group is relatively high.

The most commonly abused drugs in the US include marijuana, cocaine, and heroin. Uncontrollable use of these drugs can cause severe health effects. To combat drug abuse, there is a need for the government to work with other stakeholder to develop long-term strategies that will effectively address this problem.

Summary of the article

An article “Cocaine: Abuse and Addiction” by National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is the main focus in this paper. This article gives a broad spectrum of information regarding the problem of cocaine abuse in the US. The literature provides us with a report of a research that has been conducted in the US regarding the topic of cocaine and drug abuse.

The article is extensive and begins with basic information about cocaine to ensure the reader has a proper understanding of the drug. The authors of the article go a step further to provide information about cocaine abuse and addiction, which is a big problem in the modern society.

To be more elaborate, the authors of this research have developed a graphical representation and statistics, which present prevalence rates of cocaine abuse in the US for the last decade. The survey done by National Institute on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) has revealed that the abuse of cocaine has been declining at a considerable rate among the youths. Nevertheless, there is a need to make more efforts to combat the use of cocaine and other drugs in the society.

The core issues in the reading

This report by NIDA is a piece of literature that has been designed to sensitive, enlightened public to educate people on the cocaine abuse, effects related to use of cocaine, and the most appropriate treatment option that can help cocaine addicts recover.

The aim of the article is to keep the public well-informed regarding the latest scientific developments in the field of drug abuse (National Institute on Drug Abuse 2). “Cocaine: Abuse and Addiction” reveals that genetic studies have proved that there were heredity influences, which caused addiction to cocaine and to other drugs.

Moreover, the authors of this survey disclose that more recent researches on the issue of drug abuse have proven that environment is to be blamed for increased cases of cocaine abuse (National Institute on Drug Abuse 2). Such factors as parenting, nutrition, and stress can influence abuse of cocaine. Due to such issues, NIDA is committed to find a more effective solution to the issue of cocaine abuse.

Alternatively, the authors enlighten the readers that the most commonly form of cocaine that is used is powder, also known as coke. The researchers further argue that most of cocaine users as a rule combine this drug together with heroin to speed up the effect.

According National Institute on Drug Abuse, cocaine is one of the most addictive drugs because of the way it impacts on the brain (2). Due to the addictive nature of cocaine, it has both the long-term and the short-term effects on the addicts. The authors explain that cocaine is effective within the first hour, and it makes the users feel energetic, talkative, alert, and can cause a decrease of appetite.

However, the author argues that the effect can vary depending on the route of absorption. Long-term effects, according to the article, include significant weight loss due to the lack of appetite, irritation of the skin, over-sensitiveness, psychological effects (paranoia), and mental disorder, among others (National Institute on Drug Abuse 5).

In addition to this, the article reveals that HIV is easily spread among cocaine users due to sharing needles and trading sex for the drug. In relation to treatment, the authors of this article argue that because of the effects related to cocaine abuse, there is no particular treatment method that has been indentified.

However, most drug addicts undergo a comprehensive treatment program where the social, neurobiological, medical aspects are addressed depending on the condition of the patient. The authors say that there is continuing research for a pharmacological approach to address the effects of the abuse among cocaine users. The editorial concludes that the best approach that has been effective in treating patients or cocaine addict is the behavioral intervention, especially contingency management.

Analysis of the article

This article provides the reader with adequate information regarding cocaine abuse. The editorial team has been very keen in explaining and describing several ways through which cocaine drug is used/abused. With sufficient data, the authors have presented the reader(s) numerous effects of using cocaine drug.

Both short- and long-term effects of cocaine abuse, as outlined in this article, present that cocaine is a very harmful drug. The health effects caused by cocaine abuse are severe. The data and facts used by the editor of this article have been acquired through research and survey.

An investigation by National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) has been used to provide statistics on the prevalence rates of cocaine abuse in the US. The use of such forms of first hand data attests that this research report is valid. The facts have been present in a graphical presentation. Most information presented in this article, especially the facts related to effects and treatment of cocaine addicts, have been acquired from real life situations combined with extensive research from numerous research agencies.

Data have been gathered from public institutions including renowned research agencies, which include NSDUH and Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), schools, and hospitals. The data presented here is consistent with other research findings and surveys on the same topic and, therefore, very reliable.

The conclusion made by the writers of this article is reasonable. It is a fact that there is no particular method for treating cocaine addicts. Just like most researchers have recommended, this article supports the use of behavioral intervention in treating cocaine addicts as well as other drugs addicts (National Institute on Drug Abuse 6). Therefore, due to the fact NIDA is an accredited research agency, I find this report valid, practical, and valuable. This literature can be used for education and rehabilitation of drug abusers.

Critique of the article

The data and reported findings presented in this article are accurate. Based on extensive research carried out by various research bodies, the report can be deemed as valid. Information presented in this article is consistent with other findings and researches. The editorial board of this article is not biased in any way since the article has been developed with the intention of informing, educating and warning the public about the seriousness of the issue regarding cocaine and drug abuse in the society.

The data presented on prevalence of cocaine abuse among students from University of Michigan present important findings that can be used by other institutions to deal with the problem of drug abuse in the society (National Institute on Drug Abuse 4). The findings from the University of Michigan have shown that efforts by various bodies to eradicate the problem in the society have been fruitful to some extent.

However, despite of the results, the authors continue to emphasize on the need for a more effective strategy; this portrays fairness of this report. The article elucidates the dangers of cocaine abuse to the reader making it a very resourceful piece of literature. The approach, in which the author outlines the effects of cocaine abuse, is very educative and can, therefore, be incorporated in the education curriculum because of its informative nature.

This particular article can be linked to one of the resources that we used in the class. America’s first cocaine epidemic by David Musto talks about the issue of Cocaine abuse and most of the information by National Institute on Drug Abuse can be related to this article. Although this primary article or resource provides most recent data, both studies have something in common and address the same theme.

Lessons learnt

This particular article has helped me have a clear understanding on issues related to drug abuse. In particular, the report has shed more light on issues related to cocaine and drug abuse, which are big problems in the today’s society. The article has also shown that environmental and heredity factors cannot be ignored because they have a considerable influence on increase of drug abuse in the society.

The health effects of cocaine explained clearly in this article have helped me gain a deeper understanding on the negative impacts of drugs. Most importantly, the informative data on treatment techniques for cocaine drugs is relevant and has, therefore, helped me see various ways that can be used to treat such patients. If I was to provide a response to the editorial team of this article, I would advise the researchers focusing more on the effects of cocaine.

Conclusion

Without doubt, the problem of drug abuse in the society is an issue that should be addressed with a lot of concern. The effects of drug abuse are long term and very ruthless.

Cocaine is one of the most commonly abused drugs in the US, regardless the fact that it causes serious health problems. Although recent research by National Institute on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) reveals that the prevalence rate of cocaine abuse in the society is declining, there is a need for the government to develop more effective strategies to address this problem.

The authorities should establish many rehabilitation centers so that more drug addicts can be enrolled in the treatment program. In addition, the research agencies and other institutions with similar interests should carry out more researches on the issues of drug abuse so that a permanent solution can be acquired on how to manage this issue.

Works Cited

National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Cocaine: Abuse and Addiction”. Research Report Series. 2010. Web.

Theoretical analysis

Case Selection

Drug addiction is a critical topic of discussion in the prevailing society where young people under peer pressure are being subjected to their abuse. Most people who experience health problems that restrict them to enjoy life not only harbor depression, but also fail to attain the freedom of choosing the path to follow.

These drugs cause the problems at home, work, and school where personal relationships are affected severely. In this regard, the drug abuse and addiction offer a short-term solution to the health issues that an individual possesses.

Essentially, this case study will allow the evaluation of the prevailing cases of drug abuse among the youth. It will review the repercussions of drug abuse and enlighten people about their negative effects. The selected case was on Jessica’s marijuana addiction and Roberto’s drug abuse.k

Compulsive and Addictive Behavior

Drug abuse can result to depression and suicide as depicted in Jessica’s case where she loses self-control. The use of marijuana can affect the intellectual capacity and working capabilities of an individual. This is evident when the addicted person loses the vigor to work and becomes careless.

The victims of drug abuse lose the effective ability to remember where most show such behavioral features as restlessness, craving to smoke, insomnia, and loss of appetite (Gutkin, 2012). Moreover, this contributes to a feeling of depression, anxiety, and reduced self-esteem termed as personality disorders.

The people who consume marijuana heavily are usually absent minded, prone to accidents, depict tardiness, and seem lazy.

According to research, those who test positive for Marijuana usage checkups have 55% chances of being involved in industrial accidents, 85% in injuries, and 75% increase in absenteeism as compared to the non-smokers (Lyman, 2011).

The compulsive behaviors involving the use of painkillers as seen in Roberto’s case are attributes that need counseling and treatment interventions. In this regard, the pain and peer pleasure cannot be persevered to allow an explicit cure of the injuries.

Treatment

The suicide case demands counseling intervention from qualified personnel such as doctors, psychologists, or religious leaders. The patients’ problems should be understood to elevate the pressure of the healthcare practitioner in order to take the additional actions.

In cases where the person persists on committing suicide, he or she should be referred to psychiatric services and/or stored in a protective custody. Primarily, Roberto does not indicate the drug he uses to relieve pain, which implies that the first step must be to identify it before commencing treatment.

The best treatment option for his case is to perform a medical operation in order to remove the cause of pain completely.

Acceptance of the situation of life conditions subject to counseling

When an individual agrees to stop the drug abuse, the establishment of a normal life can be regained. This process commences with treatment and support from the relatives and concerned friends who understand the adverse effects of drug usage to a victim.

The most appropriate way to attain this acceptance is through subjecting patients to counseling and medication, which makes it easier to withdraw from addiction.

After withdrawal, the individuals and group counselors teach ways to accept the situation and promote strategies of preventing relapse and boosting health. (Montvilo, 2013)

Conclusion

It is vital to implement the regular screening of health in government agencies among other organizations. Furthermore, the workers should be involved in campaigns against the drug abuse, which helps in stress management and assertiveness.

Also, it is crucial to initiate vocational training programs to guide the public and reduce the abuse of drugs where rehabilitation centers can be established to cater for the addicted persons (Stevens & Smith, 2013).

References

Gutkin, B. (2012). Computational neuroscience of drug addiction. New York: Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

Lyman, M. D. (2011). Drugs in society causes, concepts and control (6th ed.). Cincinnati, Ohio: Anderson.

Montvilo, R. K. (2013). Addictions & substance abuse. Ipswich, Mass.: Salem Press.

Stevens, P., & Smith, R. (2013). Substance abuse counseling: theory and practice (5th ed.). Boston: Pearson.

Sheri Booker, the author of Nine Years Under (2013), presents her story of how she prematurely learned about misfortune when she was only under the age of 15. The book describes the personal story of a young protagonist who had to work at the Albert Wylie Funeral House after the death of girl’s Aunt Mary. However, Nine Years Under provides insights not only into the personal development of the protagonist but also in the understanding of the complex social situation around her. The book is thought provoking and important because it allows representing the difficult social situation and the problems of gang violence and drugs in the United States from the personal point of view. The intended audience of the book is persons who were teenagers during the 1990s and modern young people. This critique discusses the Nine Years Under written by Sheri Booker from the sociological perspective, analyzing how the protagonist of the story was influenced by events that occurred to her during nine years and what social environments affected the protagonist’s development.

The historical setting of the story told by Sheri Booker is Inner-City Baltimore during the controversial period of the 1990s when streets of Baltimore were full of youth gangs, and people died from AIDS and drug addiction. It is the period of Sheri’s adolescence when the girl faced many challenges and sufferings. Sheri was only 15-year-old when she had to witness the person’s sufferings and workers from nursing home passing through their small and cozy family house in Baltimore. The reason for such inconvenience and change of lifestyle was the disease of Aunt Mary, who had an inoperable tumor and was slowly dying from cancer. After Mary’s death, Sheri felt that her life was ruined, and she noted in the book: “After Aunt Mary died, the ground beneath me shifted. I expected the world to pause for my grief – and it didn’t, not even for a moment of silence” (Booker, 2013, p. 13). Under such conditions, while still recovering from the death of Aunt Mary and shaking from the grief that surrounded her, Sheri experienced more unexpected changes in her life.

One Sunday, the teenager met Al Wylie, who was an owner of a funeral house where Sheri’s parents were arranging a funeral of Aunt Mary. The meeting of Sheri and Al was entirely unexpected, and it changed the girl’s life because she expressed an intention of working in his funeral parlor. Sheri received the consent from her parents and started her job at the Albert Wylie Funeral House. The girl was only 15-year-old, and she intended to work at the funeral house for only one summer. Instead, Sheri stayed working as an employee of Albert Wylie for nine long years, and she observed and experienced a lot of painful cases during her practice. The reason was in the fact that the period during which she was working at the Albert Wylie Funeral House was rather unstable, and the population of Baltimore suffered from the spread of drugs, as well as from the intensive gang violence.

The period of the 1990s in Inner-City Baltimore is a period characterized by the gang violence and the social catastrophe. Researchers and sociologists are inclined to associate such a dramatic situation in American society with the consequences of the war on drugs started by the U.S. government in the 1970s and having its culmination in the 1990s (Benson, 2015, para. 9). However, the negative consequences of the war on drugs can be observed in Baltimore even today. According to Morhaim, “there are 60,000 to 80,000 addicts in the Baltimore metropolitan area”, and “each one might need $10 to $100 every day to maintain his or her habit” (Morhaim, 2015, para. 7). As a result, it is possible to state that the problem remains to be acute not only at the local and state levels but also at the governmental one (DiNitto, 2010). This problematic topic is discussed in Booker’s work from many perspectives.

The impact of such a policy as the war on drugs on the ordinary people’s life in Baltimore and similar cities can be discussed in detail with references to Sheri’s memories. In spite of the fact that Sheri was brought up in the family of a policeman and a school administrator, the girl had to face a lot of sufferings and the consequences of the war on drugs while working in the funeral house. Depicting Baltimore environments, Booker states: “Grit and grime tend to avoid the corner of Gilmor Street and Harlem Avenue, where the Albert P. Wylie Funeral Home stands shining like an opaque jewel in the rough” (Booker, 2013, p. 19). The teenager also notes: “Dope fiends linger in the adjacent park waiting on a fix while the neighborhood drug dealers protect their territory on the opposite street corner. The fiends are sometimes rolled through the wide basement door, packaged in a body bag” (Booker, 2013, p. 19). The focus on the role of drug dealers in the city life is vividly expressed in her sarcastic concluding words: “In a way, both groups are providing a service to the community – a steady yet unnatural way to keep the small funeral home thriving” (Booker, 2013, p. 19). Thus, in the 1990s, the city was divided into gangs, and leading parts were played by drug dealers. There were no signs that the war on drugs had positive effects. Booker states in her book that the drug culture “went too deep in the community to be rooted out easily” (Booker, 2013, p. 175). The rates of drug addiction and gang violence increased in the region.

With the help of her book, Sheri Booker discusses not only a life of a worker in a funeral home, but also a life of a teenager who observes how her young friends end their lives in the funeral house as a result of drug abuse of gang attacks. The book shows the transformation of a girl: “Soon I would become one of those people, an insider in a world foreign to the most of humankind, a world that you cannot quite prepare yourself for, a world so mysterious that you can’t envision it in your dreams” (Booker, 2013, p. 20). The protagonist becomes deeply involved in the new world full of adult problems, and the girl is able to observe how drug addiction and violence can ruin the families and relations. Sheri states in her book that some childhood friends “ended up in jail, some ended up on welfare, others ended up on drugs, and some ended up downstairs in the basement of the funeral home” (Booker, 2013, p. 91). This life scenario is mostly observed with references to the young African Americans living in Baltimore. According to Benson and provided statistics, minorities represent “a disproportionately large part of those in jail for drug offenses” (Benson, 2015, para. 11). In addition to placing many young African Americans in jails and spending more than $1.5 trillion on the war on drugs during the period of 1970-2010, there were no real outcomes of the policy, as it is stated by Benson in his article (Benson, 2015, para. 12). The problem seems to be unresolved.

Booker states that no actual social services were provided to the drug addicted persons and young people in gangs during the 1990s. The lack of the social assistance resulted in developing gangs, appearing more drug dealers, and increasing the number of prisoners among the African Americans in Baltimore (Werb, Rowell, Guyatt, Kerr, & Montaner, 2011, p. 88). Morhaim claims that “even with hundreds of police and thousands of National Guardsmen on the street and with the nation’s focus on Baltimore, the crime wave began. And it’s continuing now with a vengeance” (Morhaim, 2015, para. 6). The absence of any social support for the young people and the ineffective anti-drug policy led to more problems for the young African Americans.

Sheri Booker’s Nine Years Under discusses the social problem of drug addiction and gang violence in Baltimore during the period of 1990s with the focus on the author’s personal story and her observations of the social problems through the eyes of a worker at the Albert Wylie Funeral House. The book is important to understand what actual effects the war on drugs started in the 1970s had on the American society, and how this policy was adopted and followed in Baltimore. It is stated in the book that the policy was associated with many deaths of young people and with putting the African Americans in prisons actively. From this point, no actual positive outcomes for the American society were observed.

References

Benson, T. (2015). The real reason we started the War on Drugs. Web.

Booker, S. (2013). Nine years under: Coming of age in an inner-city funeral home. London, UK: Penguin Books.

DiNitto, D. (2010). Social welfare politics and public policy. New York, NY: Pearson.

Morhaim, D. (2015). The failed war on drugs continues to amass casualties in Baltimore and beyond. Web.

Werb, D., Rowell, G., Guyatt, G., Kerr, T., & Montaner, J. (2011). Effect of drug law enforcement on drug market violence: A systematic review. International Journal of Drug Policy, 22(2), 87-94.