Drugs abuse has been on the rise with five drugs being noted as the most abused among the abusers. These drugs include alcohol, heroin, cocaine, tobacco and marijuana. In addition, methamphetamine use and abuse has risen especially among the athletes in order to increase their muscles performance. These drugs have health hazards on their users, which differ from one drug to another.
Ranking of the drugs
Heroin is the most dangerous drug of all due to its negative health effects that include lethal overdose, impulsive abortion, malformed veins and the users contracting contagious diseases such as HIV/AIDS due to sharing injecting needles. In addition, the heart lining may become infected among the heavy users as well as causing liver diseases and respiratory diseases such as pneumonia etc. Heroin affects its users immediately after its injection to the body with many reporting dry mouth, warm swill out of the body skin and intense extremity.
On the other hand, cocaine causes marginal blood vessels to contract, pupils to enlarge as well as rise in body temperature, heart beats and body pressure. Once a person uses the drug, they immediately become addicted as they cannot control the amount and the number of times to use the drug. The use of the cocaine with alcohol has been known to cause sudden death as the liver tends to produce dangerous chemical components from the two drugs.
Marijuana causes learning and memory problems as it affects the sensory organs that send impulses to the brain hence the response of the brain to impulses becomes slow. In addition, the person becomes anxious and panics every time they take the drug. The marijuana users suffer from respiratory problems such as coughing on daily basis, persistent bronchitis and recurrent chest colds because the drug contains high levels of tar and the smokers tend to inhale the smoke deep in the lungs that has carbon monoxide.
Methamphetamine is known for brain stimulation to enhance movement and mood mostly used by athletes. Continued use of the drug causes brain damage as it destroys the brain cells especially the ones that hold dopamine and serotonin. Due to its action on the body nervous system, the users are known to suffer from increased insomnia, rise in bodily action, reduced appetite, rise in respiratory activities and excitements. Further, the user suffers from anxiety, nervousness, confusion and aggressiveness, with hypothermia and paroxysm being known to cause death to the users.
On the other hand, tobacco is known to cause lung cancer among the users due to the carbon monoxide inhaled and the tar in the cigars. In general, it causes respiratory problems to the users such as pneumonia and bronchitis. In addition, tobacco causes anxiety, depression and brain slow performance. Addicts find it difficult to quit smoking with many restraining for some days only to drift back to smoking. Depression and feeling of withdrawal are major effects of the drug to addicts attempting to quit smoking.
Alcohol is known to cause dizziness and lack of soberness among the users. More so, some become aggressive and violent after taking alcohol. Major health hazards occur when a person becomes addicted and their nervous system collapses such that their brain response to impulses becomes slow and altered.
Conclusion
In terms of the psychosocial hazards of the drugs, the most hazardous would be heroin as effects start immediately and the person has little contact with the reality hence most of their actions are out of control. Followed by the cocaine, which has almost similar characteristics as the heroin, where it makes the user behave abnormally. The third drug would be marijuana as it is known to affect the brain functioning and causes the user to be aggressive hence they perform their activities out of the drug influence.
Fourthly, Alcohol has the effects of making users feel and behave differently however for a given period of time then its effects eases or furnishes. Methamphetamine has the effects of killing brain cells hence the person becomes unstable however the user has the contact with reality hence they can control most of their actions. Lastly, tobacco has very little effect on the person behavior hence has little psychosocial hazards.
References
Pinel &John P. J. (2008) (7th Ed.), Boston: Allyn and Bacon publishers.
The population of South Asia accounts for almost 60% of the worlds total population, therefore if the negative effects brought about by misuse of drugs and sexual abuse are not watched, then we will see a general major decline in the worlds overall population. The country is therefore being urged to combat the exclusion of commercial sex workers and Injecting Drug Users (IDUs) to reverse the surging trend of the vice. The term sexual exploitation takes several forms, it simply does not stop at pornography, or rape, bride trade, FGM, sexual harassment, incest, or even sex terrorism, but, includes all those acts which tend to dehumanize or commodifies bodies of either men or women. Any activity that is considered a violation of womens rights particularly regarding sex is classified under sexual exploitation. Such acts are very much alive in South East Asia.
This vice, coupled with drug abuse has become not only an Asian affair but a Global concern. The two activities mentioned above are the major contributors to the escalating cases of the spread of the deadly HIV&the foreign mens involvement is not making things any easier for the STOP AIDS advocates in Southern Asia. This essay paper will highlight the reported effects of the menace in South Asia as well as its diverse impacts on the rest of the world and the necessary steps that can be taken to reverse the upsurge.
The State of the Matter
The World Health Organization (WHO: Vol, 79, 2008) report has it that, the situation of the HIV/AIDS is worrying. The epidemic is gaining ground and spreading at an alarming rate, thanks to the sex workers and the IDUs. The idea by the commercial sex workers to engage in sex without using condoms or oral sex is a major huddle in the fight against the menace. It is an open secret to say that the foreign sex industries have been implicated in the HIV spread and that the Effect of Western Dominance, Masculine Oppression, Female Subordination, and Male Power in Southeast Asia are marginalizing the voices of the sex workers. These women, due to their low bargaining power, are therefore not able to fight for their rights and will only go for whatever has been demanded of them (Lisa Law, 2000, Pg. 1).
Alcohol and other substance abuse can take numerous forms among which are: Miss use of legal products (for example alcohol and medication), use of illegal drugs (for example bang-marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and so on). Smoking, because its ability to lead to addiction has been classified under drug abuse. In Asia as well as the rest of the world, millions of people are injecting drug users (IDUs) and blood transfer through sharing of infected needles is a major ingredient in the spread of the deadly virus (Open Society Institute, 2004, July). Because the act is illegal, few or none of the IDUs will seek treatment in hospitals making them more vulnerable to HIV and its effects, this alone is scary without mentioning the role that their crossover with the prostitutes plays in the spread.
Apart from the IDUs, those who smoke (crack and Cigarettes) stand high chances of exposing themselves to HIV/AIDS. The burns, cuts, and blisters that they suffer from on their lips while smoking due to the intense heat from the vaporizing smoke create open wounds that end up contaminating the stem of the metal pipe, which in turn is passed to the next smoker. If either of the persons happens to have sores or wounds on his lips on top of being HIV +ve, then that would just do it&he will comfortably get the deadly virus (McCoy C.B. et al, 2004).
Reasons for Abuse
Several reasons have been put forward to be behind the use of drug abuse. Drugs include both legal and illegal ones and the reasons differ from person to person and from drug to drug. Some drugs bring upon to their users that feeling of euphoria and detachment, relaxation, or the energy-inducing property; that is what the consumers (abusers) may like from such drugs. To some, they say drugs make them more alert and sensitive&and that they can not do without a single dosage. Peer pressure is another contributing factor (The NSDUH Report, 2007).
Probable Measures to prevent it
Even after declaring commercial sex and drug abuse illegal, very little has changed to reverse the trend, efforts to minimize people with such practices are failing and the spread rate in most countries has remained stable. In the (WHO Report, 2004), one Dr. Neff Walker (an epidemiologist with UNAIDS) was quoted saying that since this group of individuals (IDUs) can not be convinced to stop overnight, we have to learn how to build bridges and let this population access HIV prevention drug& . At some rate the efforts to fight the epidemic have borne some fruits, for instance in August, the UNAIDS researchers indicated that the prevalence has subsided, the reasons being the Asians Social Norm that prohibits women from engaging in neither premarital sex nor extramarital sex.
Countries, not only in the Asian region but all over the world need to go the Thailand and Cambodian way. The two countries implemented the 100% condom policy in the whole sex industry and complete declaration of prostitution to be illegal (WHO Report, 2008). Further implementation of the HIV prevention program targeting injecting drug uses has to be put in place. The IDUs should be provided with sterilized needles for their safe injection. Active awareness programs should target to enlighten or educate the IDUs on the dangers that sharing of needles exposes them to.
Treatment for substance abuse ranges from detoxification, simple medication up to psychotherapy. The major problem that drug abuse (injectors) and unsafe sex practices cause is the spread of HIV AIDS and unwanted pregnancy/children. With the promotion of condom use, minimize the visits to brothels, and availability of Anti-retroviral Drugs every country will go a long way in the successful fight against the vice (Mathers, B.M. et al, 2008).
Conclusion
The fight has recent faced a new challenge which is threatening to render the prevention efforts useless. Latest reports indicate that the spread has gone beyond the traditional borders into the suburbs and highways. That is why it now calls for Global Policy Challenge to tackle the issue as a worldly common problem. IDUs on their own is a risky group; the situation gets worse and more complicated when they overlap between drug addiction and prostitution. Those who fall in both categories, are double stigmatized and equally have doubled their chances of contracting HIV. The line between IDUs and sex workers is very thin and its very hard to pinpoint one from the other since they have several factors common to both to them; for example, unstable families, homelessness, disrupted schooling, and socio-economic challenges among others (Tiggey & Gillian 2006). To sum up, I would like to add that stigma and discrimination should be put to a halt if in any case, we want to see the campaign programs achieve their objectives.
References
Lisa Law: Sex Work in Southeast Asia: The Place of Desire in a Time of AIDS. Contributors: Routledge, London. Publication Year: 2000. Pg 1.
Mathers, B.M. et al, (2008): Global epidemiology of injecting drug use and HIV among people who inject drugs: a systematic review : The Lancet,2008. Pg 134-188.
McCoy C.B. et al (2004), Injection Drug Use and Crack Cocaine Smoking: Independent and Dual Risk Behaviors for HIV Infection, Annals of Epidemiology 14(8)
Open Society Institute (2004), Breaking Down Barriers: Lessons on Providing HIV Treatment to Injection Drug Users
Sheila Davey, Geneva, Switzerland& Bulletin of the World Health Organization : Vol: 79, No?10: Genebra 2001&.2008 Report.
The NSDUH Report: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2007), Demographic and Geographic Variations in Injection Drug Use.
Tiggey May and Gillian Hunter (2006), Sex work and problem drug use in the UK: the links, problems and possible solutions in Sex Work Now , Editors-Rosie Campbell and Maggie ONeill: Publisher-Willan.
World Health Organization and UNAIDS (2004), HIV/AIDS prevention among injecting users (PDF).
Today, among the topical issues that are faced by Newarks community and require an early solution, there is a severe problem of the growth of drug addiction as a threat to the health of the citys population and local interests in general. The city is currently undergoing a continuous expansion of drugs of various types and forms of origin.
For Newark, in the short and medium term, the problem of drug trafficking and the growth of drug addiction can seriously affect the following important areas of society. In the social sphere, it is a threat to the preservation of the nations healthy gene pool. Of particular concern is the fact that the number of drug addicts among women and minors is growing. In the political sphere, there is a danger that the drug mafia is not interested in regional and national stability. The profits received from drugs go to support the forces seeking to influence the states (Abdel-Salam et al., 2017). The drug problem is closely linked to the financing of international terrorism and religious extremism. In other words, the source argues that there are more than public healthcare implications of mass drug addiction, which is why the prioritization of effective and well-equipped outpatient drug rehab centers is of paramount importance for the city.
In the economic sphere, this is the aggravation of economic problems during the transition period, creating conditions for the development of the drug business and the growth of drug addiction (Akyar et al., 2016). Among the factors contributing to the deterioration of the drug situation in the county, one should mention the persistence of a notable level of poverty, unemployment and the development of shadow economic activity. In other words, the second source argues that the general environment of mass-scale drug addiction promotes a criminal environment in regards to drug relocation activities as well as economically damages the city through public deterioration.
Today, in Newark there is an intensive restructuring of the drug market, as well as an active process of replacing traditional drugs of plant origin (marijuana) with heavy drugs (primarily heroin). Consumption of highly active, expensive and most hazardous to health synthetic narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances (LSD, ecstasy, amphetamines) is increasing (Peckham et al., 2018). The analysis of the results of the previous attempts and program documents adopted within the given scope indicates that there have been many activities dedicated to the issue, including the development of drug rehab centers. In Newark, a unified and balanced state policy in the field of drug trafficking has been formed and is being implemented, state and social control over the development of the drug situation has been established (Abdel-Salam et al., 2017). It was possible to achieve its stabilization and limit the negative impact on the state of internal and external security of Newark, health and well-being of the people.
All three sources highly influenced the design of the program by increasing the general need for higher funding in order to ensure that the rehab center will both effective and efficient. Therefore, it will require a consistent level of top performance of the center, which is mainly driven by the work done by professionals specializing in the given field alongside a necessary lab equipment and data collection tools to enhance the number of strategic approaches, which could be taken to both monitor the drug addiction rates in the city and improve the chances for recovery. The conclusions and findings from the presented sources are clear in regards to severe damaging effects of mass scale drug addiction in the city, which can manifest themselves in economic, public health, and environmental as well as social deterioration, and thus, countering the current increase in drug addiction cases through effective rehabilitation is critical and requires prioritization.
At the same time, the severity of the problem does not subside, which is facilitated by a number of interrelated factors, one of which is the increased traffic of drugs. The implementation of a complex of law enforcement measures to create anti-drug activities is becoming more and more urgent. Then, the measures taken by the authorized state bodies to comprehensively counter the drug business are not fully adequate to the current situation, the problem of prevention, treatment and subsequent rehabilitation of drug addicts is being solved at an insufficient level (Peckham, Aet al., 2018). Proceeding from this and in order to promptly respond to the current situation and take the necessary measures for the primary prevention of drug addiction, special attention should be paid to the development and improvement of AGAPE.
The fundamental factors influencing the achievement of the designated goal of AGAPE are:
Coordination, professionalism and consolidation of interested competent authorities of the state;
Support of the general population and non-governmental organizations, including youth;
Sufficient financial and technical equipment;
Phased and systematic implementation of AGAPEs initiatives (development and implementation of sectoral programs for the prevention of drug addiction and the fight against drug trafficking).
Taking into account the world experience and the peculiarities of the development of the situation in the region, the fight against drug addiction and drug trafficking in Newark is carried out in the following main directions:
Primary prevention of drug addiction;
Treatment and social rehabilitation of drug abusers;
Suppression of illegal traffic in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors;
Ensuring effective control over the circulation of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors, established by the state.
Effectiveness in achieving the goals of AGAPE depends on the conditions for maximum consolidation of all interested state bodies, non-governmental organizations and the general public in the development on its basis of sectoral programs to combat drug addiction and drug trafficking in the state at all levels.
The analysis of the activity of the centers of complex help allows one to state that this type of center is the most suitable for the realization of social and pedagogical activity. The purpose, content, directions, forms and methods of work most fully, in our opinion, meet the needs of the addicted person in professional help. Although most of them are also created by people who have been addicted, it is this fact that allows such actors to interact effectively with drug addicts based on their own experience. This type of center implements a unique socio-pedagogical method of peer-to-peer , which in essence cannot be used by a specialist who has no experience in the use of psychoactive substances (Fletcher, 2013). Therefore, realizing this potential, the staff of the center gradually masters the profession of psychologist, social educator, social worker and provides high-quality professional assistance. The positive results of such centers are that graduates have the skills to function independently in society, lead a healthy lifestyle, have a high level of social values.
The purpose of the centers is to re-socialize drug-addicted youth by providing a range of social rehabilitation and other services, as well as preventive work with clients. Highlighting the specifics of the rehabilitation centers of comprehensive care, we note that such services are essentially social. Rehabilitation centers perform a number of tasks, including the tasks of social and pedagogical direction are singled out: development of skills of independent living in a society and socially tested models of behavior at drug addicts; promoting the formation of individuality and development of the personal potential of rehabilitators; development of abilities and formation of personal goals in young people; ousting drugs from the value system of the individual, the formation of new values; formation of sustainable drug intolerance; acquisition of work skills; the revival of moral and ethical and family values; restoration of physical activity; promotion of a healthy lifestyle (Fletcher, 2013).
The activities of the centers are based on universal principles, which are reflected through the principles of socio-pedagogical activities, which include the principles of voluntariness, confidentiality, tolerance. The principle of monitoring and evaluation of the quality of services provided characterizes the activities of rehabilitation centers in terms of their effectiveness and efficiency. The analysis of scientific and methodological literature, as well as the experience of practical activities of rehabilitation centers, leads to the conclusion that the effectiveness of measures related to the provision of assistance to drug addicts depends primarily on its system and complexity.
The resocialization program should be aimed at developing and mastering problem-solving skills, abstinence from alcohol and drugs, self-affirmation skills, cognitive restructuring skills, relaxation, behavioral self-management, family interaction, etc. In order to master these skills, various training and educational activities will be used, which include individual and group consultations on information and motivation, individual consultations of a social educator or consultant, group training sessions, self-study, application of different therapies (art therapy, body-oriented therapy, employment therapy, etc.) (Fletcher, 2013). The formation of such skills is a long process; each problem and life situation is understood in different aspects. Appropriate and effective forms of work at the initial stages are training, which in the centers are supported by communication in non-rehabilitation time. At the end of the rehabilitation period, these skills are practiced in real life.
The environment of the rehabilitation center is a necessary and appropriate environment for the resocialization of drug addicts. Based on the socio-pedagogical positions, the positive and negative features of the environment of rehabilitation centers are highlighted (Fletcher, 2013). The positives include isolation of rehabilitators from the negative natural influences of society (agents of de-socialization, interdependent family members), the ability to improve health, the acquisition of lost socially positive knowledge, skills and abilities, including and motivation to make a professional choice of work in the field of rehabilitation services, the organization of positive, socially useful leisure.
Analysis of the structural components of rehabilitation centers indicates the need to strengthen the socio-pedagogical component in rehabilitation centers in the direction of creating a special environment for resocialization, which will be filled with socially positive influences. There is also a need to develop a system of social and pedagogical assistance to drug addicts in such an environment, with a justification of technological aspects for the possibility of such work. The grant support from Essex county is also a major factor, which makes the case a valid and relevant one, since there is a great deal of support from Improving Reentry for Adults with Substance Use Disorders Program in collaboration with Essex County Human Resources (Essex County Human Resources, 2021).
The key definition of resocialization of drug addicts will be understood as the restoration, preservation and development of socially useful connections and relations of drug addicts with the social environment, the formation of new socially approved patterns of behavior, norms and values, positive social experience and subjectivity for full functioning in society. The purpose of resocialization of drug addicts will be to change the norms and values, patterns of behavior of drug addicts, gaining positive social experience and subjectivity to realize the possibility of fully functioning in society (Fletcher, 2013). By preventing a return to chemical addiction, shaping the experience of dealing with risky, in terms of returning to drug use situations, the goal can be achieved. Resocialization will be considered the result of resocialization, which means re-social formation, development, mastery and reproduction of socially positive life experiences in society.
The analysis of the general theory of systems and selection of the most expedient and exact from the point of view of the investigated system of theoretical positions allowed to describe the system of social and pedagogical work on resocialization of drug addicts in rehabilitation centers. In particular, the theoretical study of the main approaches to understanding the concept of system led to the selection of its features, properties, components (Fletcher, 2013). The features of the studied system are structure, purposefulness, integration properties, functional characteristics of the system (both its individual elements and the system as a whole), properties of exchange (both internal and external relations), historicity and predictability, management. The properties of the system of socio-pedagogical work on resocialization of drug addicts in rehabilitation centers will be considered integrity, emergence, purposefulness and expediency, structure, hierarchy, synergy, information, openness, balance, stability, dynamism, reliability, conceptuality. Without sufficient funding, the mentioned complexity and advancement of AGAPE cannot be achieved.
Goals and Objectives
The goals of AGAPE is to create a system of effective rehabilitation for people exposed to the negative effects of the use of narcotic drugs through cooperation with experts and the development of comfortable conditions for patients. The goals of the project also include creating a system within which patients can receive care, working to create a more supportive social environment, and collecting statistics and data to assess the state of the population and the dynamics of change.
researching the negative consequences of drug misuse to determine the size of the population that needs help and identify therapy targets;
cooperation with experts to assess existing conditions and develop a program of the most effective potential therapeutic interventions;
liaising with local authorities to obtain legal support;
development of a program to inform the target population about the possibilities of rehabilitation and the positive effects that it can have on their lives;
creating a suitable comfortable space within which patients can participate in rehabilitation activities;
direct work of experts with people susceptible to the negative influence of drugs, providing them with the most timely and appropriate treatment programs;
interacting with families and relatives of drug misuse sufferers to prepare social environment nessessary to recovery;
continuous work on collecting statistics, tracking the dynamics of changes in the situation, as well as informing the population about the available treatment options.
Methods and Design
The implementation of this program will be founded on the following:
Creation of a center where drug addiction patients can receive the necessary treatment;
Development of the most effective rehabilitation programs depending on the type of drug addiction, the severity and characteristics of the patient;
Creation of an environment in which patients can communicate with each other and with experts to develop social skills;
Implementation of social rehabilitation assistance programs including work with the patients family, assistance in finding job opportunities, and training in communication skills;
Involvement of patients of the rehabilitation program in activities to increase the awareness of the population about the existing problem and treatment options;
Attracting patients to the development and implementation of anti-drug campaigns;
Interaction with various public and private communities and centers for the exchange of experience and joint activities;
Interaction with government agencies and non-profit organizations to develop funding programs for the center;
Development of programs to work with the wider population to provide information about the problem.
Strengths
isolation of rehabilitators from the negative natural influences of society;
the opportunity to improve health, gain lost socially positive knowledge, skills and abilities;
motivation to make a professional choice of work in the field of rehabilitation services, the organization of positive, socially useful leisure;
anti-drug campaign.
Weaknesses
partial loss of social interaction skills;
impossibility of professional self-realization;
social deprivation of drug addicts.
Opportunities
cooperation with other centers across the state and the country;
diversification of anti-drug activities.
Threats
the return of patients to the same social environment that can negatively affect the long-term consequences of rehabilitation and contribute to the resumption of drug misuse;
lack of funding.
Table 1. The SWOT Analysis
The SWOT analysis above demonstrated that AGAPE has more critical advantages than weaknesses (Table 1). This allows assuming that the center can take all the benefits of the opportunities. However, it should be mentioned that the threat of the enhancement of the return of patients to the same social environment that can negatively affect the long-term consequences of rehabilitation require flexible policy, appropriate organization, and stable funding. The Logic Model (Table 2) shows the AGAPEs essentials in detail.
Inputs
Activities
Outputs
Outcomes
Public funding
Private funding
Human resources
Time
Expertise
Cooperation with local authorities
Launch of the center
Development of the center
Provision of help to drug-affected people
Anti-drug campaign
Healthy relationships with the local government in terms of anti-drug activities
The occurrence of the modern outpatient drug rehab center
Obtained help of drug-addicted people
Advertisements and strong social media presence and impact
Short term (12 weeks)
Medium term (6 months)
Long-term (12 months)
Significant impact of the anti-drug campaign
Becoming a primary help-provider for those affected by drugs in the state
Reduced drug traffic and the decreased numbers of those who need help in terms of drug addiction
Process Evaluation
Outcome Evaluation
Responsible departments reports
Supervision and constant monitoring
Surveys and primary research
Table 2. The Logic Model
Evaluation
Given the fact that there will be public investments, the program can be constantly evaluated by surveys and primary research. In this vein, cooperation with a number of local universities and scholars is implied. Governmental assistance in the given framework, as well as the issue itself, will encourage them to assist us in this regard.
Other Funding/Sustainability
It was mentioned that there would be investments from the governmental sector from Newarks Department of Health and Department of Human Services. It is expected that they will allocate $250 000 each, which equals your potential financial part in this start-up. We are not planning to involve any other private investor so that an exclusive opportunity could be provided to you. The combination of public and private funding implies constant reporting, long-term goals, and sustainability.
Point Information About AGAPE
AGAPE is a significant project that will improve the state of affairs in Newark within the scope of drug addiction and the related help. It is a start-up that does not have its own history and accomplishments yet. However, with your support, I believe that our attainments will be great.
I, as a CEO, strictly follow the NASW Code of Ethics so that the organization would be appropriate and recognized. In particular, I value dignity and worth of a person to a great extent, which contributes to my healthy relationships with colleagues and others. I understand that serving to those in need especially as a leader of such a program is essential as well. I also consider myself a competent specialist, given my notable academic and practical background.
Budget
The Thompson Foundations funding will be primarily utilized for administrative and overhead expenses, including data collection, equipment of the rehab center, as well as competent salaries for the professionals in order to run the rehabilitation effectively. Although the general construction and operating costs will be covered by the public funding sources, the Thompson Foundation funds will be used to hire the top professionals in the field and to run the rehab with a high degree of functional efficiency. The more detailed income and expense allocations can be accessed in Table 5 below. The data will be collected on the basis of a wide range data collection instruments, such as program data on training sessions, demographic information about participants, data from emergency medical centers regarding overdoses, data from social service agency data on referrals, data from mental healthcare providers, data from healthcare systems on patients, and data from police reports. The data will be used to build a comprehensive background for each rehab patient with an emphasis put on a selection of proper treatment procedures.
Funding
Activities
Cost
Public Funding (Essex County Human Resources ($250 000) and Department of Health ($250 000) $500 000
Direct Project Costs Operational Costs
$350 000 $150 000
Private Funding (The Thompson Foundation) $500 000
Narcotics are classified under criminal law as a variety of substance that induces sleep. In terms of law, narcotic refers to opium, derivatives of opium, and or its synthetic or semi-synthetic substitutes. So according to the Controlled Substance Act (CSA), cocaine, coca leaves, etc. are classified as narcotics (Tilstone et al, 2006). These are categorized a controlled substance which means that the use, sale, or distribution of such drugs are regulated either by the federal or state government. These items are listed specifically or by classification under CSA or under Part 1308 of the Code of Federal Regulations. CSA acts as a regulatory body which controls the usability of these restricted drugs to those who are likely to abuse them. Given this definition of narcotics and its abuse, we now consider how narcotics abuse can be tested in order to convict the abuser.
There are different forms of tests that can be employed to provide substantial evidentiary proof to support and convict a drug abuse. They can be tested through urine, hair, saliva, etc. here in this paper we will discuss a few. We will consider each one at a time.
Discussion
First is blood sample. Studies have shown that excessive intake of drug produces huge amount of EE in blood. Thus, occurrence of EE in blood shows that this is due to abnormal concentration of yeast infection in blood (Karch, 2007). But this test may not be able to provide substantial evidence to convict a person for drug abuse as this concentration of yeast in the stomach may take place due to excess of glucose content in body. Further, this test provides small evidence and thus lacks any forensic significance. Recent study reveals that drug content in urine can be detected by measuring the content of 5-Hydroxytryptophol (5HTOL) (Karch, 2007). With the increase in drug intake, the presence of 5HTOL increases in blood and urine due to hepatic oxidation of ethanol. Thus, this proof can be passed on as a substantive evidence to convict for drug abuse as this test negates the possibility of yeast formation due to excess intake of any other form of carbohydrate. Another method which has been adopted for narcotics test is urine sample test even though it has a very small fraction of undiluted or transformed drugs in urine (about 1 2 percent). Urine analysis indicates drug use which has occurred within a time period of 2-3 days (DuPont & Baumgartner, 1995).
Testing the saliva of a drug abuser is also an accepted method of proving drug abuse. Saliva is presented as an alternative matrix in the establishment of drug abuse (Samyn et al, 1999). The definitive salivary concentration is confirmed by three processes viz. the salivary pH, administration, the degree of binding of plasma protein, and the physico-chemical properties of the drug that has been abused. According to Samyn et al. due to saliva-plasma ratio exceeding 1, saliva can be considered as a better analytical tool than blood while testing drug abuse in the roadside. Moreover saliva can be obtained from the suspect under supervision and non-invasively. Even though saliva testing provides substantial and extensive proof for drug abuse, its use is limited. Even though saliva testing is apparently a useful method for drug testing, it is not devoid of problems: (1) due to existence of differences in the process of collecting procedure of saliva, the outcome of the tests varies considerably, for instance in case of roadside abuse testing only a small fraction of saliva can be obtained; (2) the concentration of drug in saliva is much lower than in urine; and (3) saliva by principal has the parent drug and so far, no appropriate immunoassays has become successful. Samyn et al. further states that even though saliva is a potent sample for proving drug abuse research is yet to prove of some drugs like cocaine are a suitable matrix to display the drug under which a roadside abuse taking place.
Another contemporary method of analyzing drug abuse is hair analysis (DuPont & Baumgartner, 1995). Thus, hair analysis is the forensic test that is employed to understand the mode, pattern, and the degree of drug abuse for a long period of time. According to DuPont and Baumgartner hair analysis is a more effective method of drug abuse testing than urine analysis. This is due ot the authenticity of sample collection in case of hair analysis and evasiveness in case of urine analysis. Another problem with urine analysis is positive drug abuse when the case is otherwise, for instance in case of ingestion of poppy seed. The reason behind this problem is hypersensitivity of the urine test, i.e. to set low-cutoffs to recompense for the temporary drug use (DuPont & Baumgartner, 1995). This problem can be avoided in hair analysis, as because there is a wide range of samples in this case which ensures that there is efficient detection of the test is not hindered due to the use of more effective cut-off levels to detect exposure to inert endogenous drug. One concern for wrong detection of hair analysis is endogenous exposure of hair to drugs such as through smoke, is a valid concern for hair analysis for drug abuse. This drawback can be taken care of by carefully washing the hair before conducting the test, by kinetic analyses of the hair that is washed, and by measuring the metabolites (DuPont & Baumgartner, 1995). The problem that may arises due to race or hair color which is avoided by eliminating melanin from analysis of hair.
Conclusion
Thus, we see that drug abuse analysis can be done through saliva, blood, urine, or hair testing. If these are found positive then the person can be convicted of drug abuse. Further, we have seen that these tests each have some drawbacks, so conducting one or two tests simultaneously may confirm the results.
Bibliography
DuPont, R. & Baumgartner, W., 1995. Drug testing by urine and hair analysis: complementary features and scientific issues., Forensic Science International Volume 70 (1-3), p. 63 76.
In a 2002 landmark ruling, the Supreme Court broadened the use of randBefore drug testing for students participating in sports and extra-curricular activities. Prior to that, the Supreme Court had in 1995 passed a constitutional amendment that legalized the testing of students taking part in extra-curricular activities for drugs, even in the absence of any doubt of drug abuse. Schools were allowed to conduct random tests on the basis that school officials refrained from punishing students who tested positive, and that, drug results were to be made private and confidential (Planas, 2007). Since 2003, the federal government has handled $ 35 million in grants to schools that have embraced random drug testing for students participating in extra-curricular activities. But due to increased cases of drug and substance abuse reported in US schools, the debate has been ongoing over whether drug testing should be made compulsory to students, especially those participating in extra-curricular activities.
Random drug testing is done by analyzing urine samples for traces of heroin, marijuana, cocaine, and other prescription drugs. According to Sadlouskos (2008), alcohol is not considered for analysis in many schools that are already benefiting from the federal-funded program.
Those who are in favor of the federal program argue that mandatory drug testing should be introduced as it focuses on the treatment of the students (Planas, 2007). To them, such a program must be encouraged at all costs since it will help the students tackle the drug problem while it is still in its initial stages, thereby saving their lives. Another school of thought argues that requiring students to surrender their urine for analysis as a condition for participating in extra-curricular activities would deter students from engaging in drugs (News-Medical, 2008). When students who wish to participate in sports know that their urine will be tested, they will be automatically dissuaded from using drugs.
The above arguments are valid in their rights. But in all due respect, the Supreme Courts ruling that authorized random drug testing for all senior and junior high school students who wish to participate in extra-curricular activities went a little overboard in curtailing individual freedoms. To many, this federal program goes against the fourth amendment of the American constitution which is supposed to protect the constitutional freedoms of all American citizens (Boire, 2002). Embracing mandatory testing of drugs in American schools would therefore be viewed as a replacement of respect and trust with a generalized distrust and an authoritarian mentality that requires students to prove their innocence of drug use at the whims of school administrators. Apart from the program going against the fourth amendment of the American constitution, it is also viewed as an invasion of students privacy (Bosher et al., 2004).
Treating American students like suspects in the fight against drug abuse may not necessarily deter the students from taking drugs. The program is capable of doing more harm than good if it is made compulsory. Despite being an invasion of the privacy of students, the program is sometimes inaccurate and expensive (Planas, 2007). It is capable of causing untold psychological suffering and moral corruption to students whose results indicate that they abuse alcohol while they dont. Available studies reveal that the wrong diagnosis of drug use is capable of introducing the students to drugs. Whats more, the program is quite expensive considering that it has never been able to achieve tangible results other than the bills that are sent by testing professionals (Boire, 2002). By last year, the ambitious program had cost the taxpayers a cool $ 35 million in grants.
In all civilizations around the world, students who are active in sports and extra-curricular activities are less likely to abuse drugs. Physicians and psychologists have therefore rallied against this form of thinking, arguing that no empirical data exists to show that students athletes are more likely to abuse drugs and other substances than their non-athlete friends (Taylor, 1997). It beats logic to use this category of students as bait to arrest the problem of drug abuse in American schools. It is on this premise that several American judges, including Justices Ginsburg, Souter, and OConnor have rubbished the random testing program as perverse, unreasonable, and unpredictable (Boire, 2007). When the federal government, through the ruling of the Supreme Court attaches random drug testing to sports and extra-curricular activities, not only does it fail to net the real culprits, but it also ignores many students who might be at the highest risk of abusing drugs but do not engage themselves in extra-curricular activities. There is therefore no justification whatsoever for tying random testing to extra-curricular activities.
Furthermore, this program has dissuaded students from engaging in sports and extra-curricular activities. For instance, students who view the urine test as a gross violation of their privacy will automatically be dissuaded from participating in sports (Bosher et al., 2004). Likewise, students who engage in drugs, and those who decide to miss out on the test for fear of what the test might divulge will automatically be banned from participating in extra-curricular activities (Boire, 2002). A senior researcher with Drug Policy Alliance (New York), Jennifer Kern, is of the view that drug testing in schools will bring undesired effects by deterring students from taking part in extra-curricular activities because such tests can be invasive and humiliating to the students (Sadlouskos, 2008).
According to Boire (2002), deterring students from taking part in extra-curricular activities through drug testing would have a multi-prier effect in that the activities are crucial in the individual development of the youngsters. Extra-curricular activities have been credited for developing well-rounded students if mixed well with educational activities. Some extra-curricular activities are most enriching, educational, and are capable of shaping citizenship in the youngsters. It doesnt make any sense to bar students from participating in extra-curricular activities on the justification that the students are abusing drugs. When this is done, it denies the students the very activities that help them to prepare for future leadership roles. The policy of enforcing drug testing as a prerequisite for participation in extra-curricular activities is not just bad for the students; its terrible for society in general.
It has been a worry for many parents that information about the urine tests may not be kept confidential, not to mention the fact that the tests are far from being reliable (Clayton, 2007). This can work backward for the students that the piece of legislation is supposed to protect. Many tests condemn the students as drug abusers while in fact, they are free from drugs. In such instances, the unreliability of the tests may cause clean students to start engaging in drugs. Lack of confidentiality is destructive for the individual development of the students, and may increase drug dependency.
It is unacceptable not to protect youngsters from drug use in American learning institutions. Policymakers must not responsibly withhold measures that can effectively curtail the vice. In that respect, screening students can give parents some sense of security (Clayton, 2007). Most learning institutions are starting to regard this policy as a feasible methodology in the fight against drug use. Numerous public schools are now engaging in testing students involved in sporting activities for drug use, while many private schools are performing tests on entire student populations.
This should however not be construed to mean that the justification of the policy is good. Not only has this policy invaded the privacy of students who are comparatively unlikely to abuse drugs, but it has also discouraged students from active participation in extra-curricular activities. The policy may lead to an increase in general drug consumption in American schools (Walters, 2005).
It is therefore time that American policymakers rethink the wisdom of drug testing among high school students and adopt a more effective and realistic policy. The policymakers should bear in mind that some students in high schools will fall prey to drug use before completing high school, just like some students will engage in sex before graduating. It is, therefore, crucial for policymakers to come up with the skills necessary to make the students endure the drug experimentation period rather than introducing mandatory testing for drug use (Louria, 2004). Such skills are bound to cause minimal damage to individual students as well as to their parents.
The threat posed by mandatory drug testing backfiring in the face of policymakers and education administrators is quite real and should not be fancied any longer. Notwithstanding the issues of civil liberties, mandatory drug testing for students engaging in extra-curricular activities is a very hazardous policy innovation (Louria, 2004). Caution must be exercised on all fronts as schools implement the random drug-testing policy for students engaging in extra-curricular activities if indeed it has to be implemented. If wrongly implemented, the policy is bound to bring more problems than solutions in the fight against drug use in US public and private schools. Drug testing should not in any way be made mandatory in American schools. It should be mutually consented to and done on an individual basis.
References
Boire, R.G. Dangerous Lesson: Drug Testing in Public Schools. 2002.
Bosher, W.C., Kate, R., Vacca, R.S. The School Law Handbook: What every Leader Needs to Know. ASCD. 2004. ISBN: 978087120841
Clayton, V. Parents, Experts Divided on School Drug Testing. 2007.
Louria, D.B. Mandatory Drug Testing of High School Athletes. The American Journal of Bioethics, vol. 1, no. 1, pp 35-36. (2004).
Many prominent musicians have relied on substances in the process of making great songs and compositions. However, it is highly debatable whether these practices are worthy of benefits. In the article presented by Ultimate Guitar, LSD use is explored from the perspective of an advantage, stating the impact it had on the music in the 1960s. However, comments under the article spark the discussion on whether LSD is as beneficial as the report states. This paper examines the comment section related to the article, involving positive and negative aspects of drug use, exploring the extent to which substances may be used and the consequences of consumption.
Positive Sides of LSD Use
As one of the commenters stated under the nickname ATL_420, some of the great songs were written by him under the influence of acid. He says that he has been the most talented at times when he was using LSD. In this circumstance, it would be crucial for his band manager to provide him with the drug to play well and create great songs. Therefore, the manager decided to supply ATL_420 with as much LSD as needed at times when he was at the recording studio. That way, no conflict was generated, the manager did not raise questions about the musicians health, and their partnership has gone well as long as it lasted.
Moderation Aspect
The other commenter under the nickname of Strat_Monkey stated that despite drugs can be beneficial for the creation of solid compositions, they can also harm people significantly if not used under moderation. According to the utilitarian ethical theory, restraint in drug use could be defined by the subscribers as keep doing it until it gives you benefit. Therefore, as long as the drug starts harming the person more significantly than helping the use should be stopped. However, the fear from the standpoint of this theory might be the measuring of moderate amounts. It is difficult to analyze how much is too much, especially for the person under the influence.
Negative Sides of LSD Use
The commenter Ramco shared the view concerning the harmful factor of LSD use and stated that the encouragement of drug use is terrible. LSD is a fungus that degenerates the brain stem and stays there for a long time after use. This may cause acid flashbacks to occur in later years of life without substance use. LSD has proven to have the most long-lasting effects of all drugs, excluding heroin. According to the comment author, the music written under the influence of drugs is not exceptional and can only be appreciated by those using it. The use of LSD is also illegal and should not be advertised.
Where to Draw the Line?
There are contradicting opinions on drug use, and there is a need to evaluate the positive and negative impacts of writing music under the influence. The extraordinary compositions were produced by musicians that used LSD; however, they also suffered harsh consequences for their choice. Personal safety is a crucial factor in every humans existence. The willingness to be healthy and function well is a typical component of a persons life. However, with the appearance of ethical needs, such as art and music, people started needing more than just that. Care for innovative and outstanding music compositions prevailed the basic human need for safety, which should not be forgotten. Thus, everything used to create art should not put the artist himself in danger.
Do Not Ask Do Not Tell Approach
Some music companies tend to deal with the drug issue in the following way they implement a do not ask, do not tell strategy. Such an approach implies that drug use will not be encouraged or forced onto musicians; however, the testing for drug use will also not be present. Company executives most likely choose this approach because of their willingness to avoid conflicts with artists under the influence and, at the same time, avoid being notorious for drug use encouragement. Thus, a clear ethical advantage of such a method would be that companies will not interfere with a musicians personal life and instead focus on their production values. However, the disadvantage of this policy is that drug use is illegal. Even though the encouragement of use is absent, the testing is missing too, which means it is not regulated well enough. Therefore, such a policy should not be considered an ultimate solution for LSD use in the music industry.
Ethical Aspects of Drug Use
The other effects that drugs have on people have been discovered, and it is debatable whether their use is ethical. One of the commenters, korarsosar, writes about some hallucinogenic drug that caused his girlfriend to have unusual behavior: running around the house and pretending to fly like a bird. The side effects that are harmless from the standpoint of health conditions may be debatable from the perspective of the appearance of such. The human being as a social creature is viewed as conscious and aware of his actions. If awareness is taken away, this quality vanishes and makes the person appear unconscious and disadvantaged. Therefore, it is not ethically correct to consume drugs that cause people to behave strangely.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the positive and negative effects of LSD use have been explored in this paper. Positive effects include creativity, lack of conflict in the organization, and adverse effects include health issues and dangerous outcomes. However, the extent to which it is ethical to use drugs remains under-researched, as it is a complex problem that requires an in-depth solution. Therefore, the possible risks should be evaluated before substance use.
Narcotics have always been a part of human society. Since ancient times people had used them for various purposes. They were integral parts of some religious rituals, medicine, source of pleasure. With the development of science and human thought, the sphere of their usage and attitude to them altered. These substances became an essential component of medicines as an effective way to alleviate pain and treat some illnesses, while the perspective on their use for pleasure and addition started to alter and shifted to negative.
The discovery of the direct correlation between the abuse and adverse effects on health preconditioned the appearance of the need to control the spread of these substances; however, the majority of attempts were not effective. Today, drugs remain one of the important issues for a coherent society as they are vital for people in acute states or chronic pain, but the tendency towards the growing number of addicted people stipulates the need for some intervention.
The topicality of drugs and various forms of addiction is not a new topic for society. For decades, multiple authorities and regulatory agencies had been trying to create a sufficient approach to guarantee the safe use of narcotics and avoid problems associated with their distribution for illegal purposes. The second half of the 20th century and was characterized by fast growth in the number of addicted people and the increasing relevance of the problem (Kantor et al. 1818). At the same time, the need for drugs in healthcare also increased.
In the 21st century, there is still no practical solution that can help to improve the situation. Statistics show that about 31 million persons have disorders associated with drug use, and 11.8 million people die from addictive substances every year (Ritchie and Roser). The growing demand for narcotics preconditions the growth in its production as the manufacture of illicit cocaine grew by 25% (Ritchie and Roser). The given numbers demonstrate the scope of the problem and its topicality for society.
Another factor that should be mentioned regarding the problem of drugs is a strong connection with crime. The addictive character of substances and peoples inability to stop using them create the basis for the development of illicit drug business. Organized crime tries to control the manufacturing and distribution of abusive substances as they serve as a stable source of high income and power to affect people and compete with other structures.
Reports show that the drug business remains one of the most criminalized spheres characterized by a high level of violence and numerous deaths (Alexandris Polomarkakis 400). For some Latin American countries, the problem acquires a national character as criminal clans oppose the government and the police (Thompson and Jeffords 180). These facts demonstrate that drugs transform into one of the main social stigmas today.
Finally, the problem of drugs becomes even worse because of the massive involvement of the younger generation and children. By statistics, people under 50 comprise the bigger part of deaths from narcotics (Ritchie and Roser). It is explained by the peculiarities of this age group, such as the desire for pleasure, joy, and the significant impact of peers.
Additionally, regardless of all attempts to stop the spread and popularization of drugs, there is a tendency towards the growth in the number of teenagers who use these substances and acquire an addiction (Ritchie and Roser). It means that drugs transform into a serious threat to the future of nations as they deteriorate the health of the younger generation and precondition the appearance of multiple diseases and chronic problems.
Nevertheless, the role of drugs in modern medicine cannot be overestimated. They are a critical element of multiple medications and pain killers that help people with acute or chronic pain and improve their states. Therapeutic use of addictive substances remains high as about 73.9% of physician office visits involve drug therapy, and 12.6% of persons used five or more drugs during the past month by their prescriptions (Kantor et al. 1819).
It means that society needs narcotics as one of the integral elements of healthcare, and the complete prohibition of their manufacturing is impossible because of the growing need for analgesics and anesthesia. The existence of this requirement preconditions the appearance of the dilemma as the increased production of drugs might exacerbate the situation and introduce new issues.
Altogether, the factors mentioned above show that drugs remain one of the most important concerns of contemporary society. Addictive substances have always been a part of peoples lives; however, today, with the growing need for medicines containing these substances and the increase in the number of addicted people along with the criminalization of the sphere introduce a disputable and complex dilemma regarding the future of this question. There is still no effective solution that might help to control the spread of drugs effectively and provide patients with the painkillers they require. For this reason, there is a need for future investigation and discussion of the problem with the primary goal to outline all factors that should be considered and elaborate on a practical approach.
Works Cited
Alexandris Polomarkakis, Konstantinos. Drug Law Enforcement Revisited: The War Against the War on Drugs. Journal of Drug Issues, vol. 47, no. 3, 2017, pp. 396404. Web.
Kantor, Elizabeth, et al. Trends in Prescription Drug Use among Adults in the United States from 19992012. Journal of the American Medical Association, vol. 314, no. 17, 2017, pp. 1818-1831. Web.
Ritchie, Hannah, and Max Roser. Drug Use. Our World in Data, 2019. Web.
Thompson, Alexi, and Chris Jeffords. Retail Margins in Illegal Drug Markets. Economic Analysis and Policy, vol. 62, pp. 187-191. Web.
The use of prescription drugs has become a major issue for both governors and residents of the US due to the drugs increasing price rates. In order to combat the matter, the US Congress issued the Prescription Drug Affordability and Access Act on January 8, 2020 (S.3166, 2020). The main goal of the proposed law is to reconsider the prices and the patterns of prescribing drugs to the US residents. The following paper is aimed at justifying the positive aspects of the proposed law as well as at analyzing the current situation with prescription drugs in the country.
The proposed law should be supported because of the critical increase in prescription drug prices over the years. According to the latest data, the costs for the medications have been rapidly increasing since 2001 (PGPF, 2019). Such an increase can be explained by one and most important reason. The market for prescription drugs in the US is monopolistic, so people have no other option but to pay the required sum of money to get proper treatment. Hence, if approved, the bill would take control over the market in order to establish a justified correlation of prices and patients average income rates.
Furthermore, the Act should be supported due to the increasing peoples dissatisfaction with the current issue states. According to the latest research, more than 70% of US residents who take prescription medications believe the prices to be unreasonable (Ways and Means Committee, 2019). In a study, the prices were also compared to the ones of the UK, Japan, Australia, and major European countries. As a result, the US prices were, on average, four times higher than the ones in the aforementioned countries (Ways and Means Committee, 2019). Thus, the Prescription Drug Affordability and Access Act would be able to stop the universal resonance.
Taking everything into consideration, the proposed bill, known as the Prescription Drug Affordability and Access Act, should be supported by both the government and the US residents for a number of reasons. The law submission will encourage reconsideration of the prices now existing on the monopolistic drug market. Moreover, the law will help establish the proper interconnection between the average income and price for the prescription.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, commonly known as the DEA, is a defense agency under the Department of Defense that addresses issues of drugs and drug smuggling. The DEA is one of the most successful law enforcement bodies in the United States of America. The DEA, however, has experienced several challenges that make its job description difficult. The Drug Enforcement Administration consists of approximately 10,000 employees. All these employees are situated in different branches of the force (Office of Law Revision Counsel, 2000).
Organizational Structure of the DEA
The organizational structure of the DEA is very complex. The department is headed by the administrator. Below the administrator is the deputy administrator who is in charge of all the other departments that are in the agency. This means that the administrator oversees the enrollment of the DEA agents, the promotion of the agents, the financial operations of the agency, and the general operations of the agency, among other things. The deputy administrator oversees the operations division (Office of the Federal Register (US), 2001). The operations division is composed of the aviation division, the operations management, and the financial operations division. In terms of hierarchy, the human resource division is after the deputy administrator, which is followed by the operations division, intelligence division, financial management division, operational support division, inspection division, and finally the field division in that order. All these divisions have their own responsibilities, which the deputy administrator oversees. The deputy administrator then answers to the administrator. The deputy administrator is also the head of the state DEA (Office of the Federal Register (US), 2001).
According to Schultz (2004), the purpose of this law enforcement agency is to ensure that there is minimal smuggling of drugs into the United States of America. This means that the work of the DEA is to avoid any form of illegal drug intake and manufacturing in the state. This is very challenging due to the fact that the US is very big geographically. However, every state has its own DEA branch that controls and tries to prevent drug trafficking.
Recruitment and training process
Just like any other law enforcement agency, the DEA gets its field agents through a thorough recruitment process. Those who qualify in the recruitment process go for special training. The individual in question must have a few necessary requirements to qualify for a position in the DEA department. Some of the things that are required from the interested party include an age limit of between 21 and 36 years of age. One must also have a college degree with a GPA of 2.95 or higher (Schultz, 2004). Although it is not mandatory, students who can speak other languages, for example Spanish and Russian, have a higher advantage. The applicant should also be of good health and have a lot of physical endurance. They must also have good eye vision if they are applying to be field or special agents. A person is required to take a physical task test in case they exceed the needed requirements. This is an 84 hour long training program that spreads out within 16 weeks. During this training, they focus mainly on building strength and agility through physical exercises (Schultz, 2004).
Office of the Federal Register (US) (2001) shows that the applicants of the DEA special agent position will then have to complete several trainings to qualify for the job. They will have to go ahead and receive firearm training after the 16 weeks of physical exercises. This is an important requirement for the job in question. It is a necessity for all the special agents to have this training in a 122 hour program. They not only learn how to fire a gun, but they also learn how to protect themselves if they are in trouble and how to work as a team. Other qualifications might include a polygraph test and a background search.
Job description
According to the Office of the Federal Register (US), (2012), the job description of the Drug Enforcement Administration surpasses the common belief that they are only allowed to arrest drug dealers. There is a lot more that these special agents can do. Overall, it can be argued that there are four types of special agents in the DEA. The first is the field officer who makes arrests. Field officers arrest people who smuggle, use, or sell drugs in the society. The second category of agents is comprised of the forensic chemists who analyze the drugs for the DEA. Apart from the mentioned description, the DEA field agents also have some forensic chemistry lessons. There are those DEA special agents who specialize as forensic chemists, but many of the agents also have some knowledge in this area. Forensic chemists are able to tell the chemicals that made up the drugs and where the drugs came from. They are also very useful in case of homicides that have been caused by the intake of drugs. The third category of DEA agents is made of research specialists. These are agents who conduct all the research that helps the DEA know more about drug trafficking. These agents are in the intelligence department, even though they are usually hired as a separate unit (Office of the Federal Register (US), 2012). The research helps the field officers make arrests and win cases in courts. The last category of people who work at the DEA is comprised of diversion investigators. These are investigators whose focus is on pharmaceuticals. The other mentioned agents focus mainly on illegal drugs, while the diversion investigators track those who take medicines or prescription drugs illegally. The DEA also has accountants, secretaries, and other staff members whose job descriptions might be different, but who work to achieve the same goals.
There are a lot of challenges that the DEA faces during the recruitment process. Many people are ignorant of the fact that for one to be a special DEA agent, they have to have a college degree. This has caused a lot of problems during the recruitment process. It is also very common to find that many of those who have the needed college degrees do not want to be field agents. Instead, they settle for doing office work such as accounting and auditing because they are afraid of getting hurt. This has called for exceptions in the recruiting process. There are people who have been hired as special DEA agents because they have experience in a related field. For example, if one has special experience, helped in conducting investigations for the DEA, or has other special skills, then that is viewed as a benefit to the organization (U.S. Dept. of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, Office of Diversion Control, 2000).
Challenges
As mentioned earlier, there are some challenges that the DEA agency faces. According to Fine (2010) some of these problems relate to the entire organization, while others involve only some of the members of the organization. One such problem is the mediocre pay for the field agents. According to the job description provided, the field agents are the people who make arrests and capture drugs that are meant for trafficking. Even though they use the help of the other DEA agents to capture the culprits, field agents use a lot of money. At the same time, they put their lives in danger. Another problem that has been voiced by the agency over the years is the strict requirements of recruitment. Other law enforcement agencies, apart from the FBI, have more lenient requirements. In some states, the DEA agents have to have a masters degree. This limits the number of people who can apply for the jobs.
Another challenge is observed in the smuggling of pharmaceutical drugs. This is challenging because many of the smugglers either make deals with a genuine pharmaceutical seller or they get the drugs from the patients themselves. There have been cases where patients sell their drugs so that they can earn more money to pay hospital bills. Such a case creates a dilemma due to ethical reasons. It is also easier to catch a core drug dealer than an individual person who is selling their prescriptions. This has caused the rise in pharmaceutical drug smuggling in the country (Fine, 2010).
In the case of crystal meth, which is one of the most common drugs in the country, the DEA agents have a hard time capturing those who make it because the drug uses chemicals that can be bought without any limitations. Some of the chemicals that are used to make crystal meth can even be derived from harmless substances. This has made it harder for the forensic chemists who work with the DEA to establish where the drugs come from. These are just some of the common challenges that the DEA agency faces (U.S. Dept. of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, Office of Diversion Control, 2000).
Best practices
Shiffman (2013) argues that it is advisable for the DEA to take time to train its agents well before they are sent to execute their tasks. This is important because drug cartels have been known to be some of the worst criminals in America. The fact that the cartels run their drug smuggling business as a family makes it harder to do away with them completely. It is, therefore, possible that one special DEA agent can arrest almost an entire family that deals in drug smuggling.
The DEA has also used community policing to help catch the drug smugglers. The community in South Florida has responded well to community policing by informing the DEA of suspects who reside in the community. This has, in turn, helped the DEA capture a lot of drug smugglers in the region (Shiffman, 2013)
It is also advisable for the DEA to take authority seriously. The fact that the DEAs structure is very complex and elaborate shows that authority is held with high regard in this law enforcement agency. There are other techniques that the DEA uses to make its work easier. For example, the agency uses drug traffickers to get other drug traffickers. It has been evident that drug smugglers value territories, thus the DEA special agents have realized that when one smuggler crosses into anothers territory, they can easily inform the DEA. This has made it easier to capture hard core drug smugglers (Schultz, 2004).
Conclusion
To conclude, the Drug Enforcement Administration has done a lot to ensure that there is a reduction in drug smuggling in the country. Despite the challenges it faces, the DEA agents have put behind bars very many criminals with the help of community policing. This is policing where the community identifies and calls the police whenever there is wrongdoing in the community. An applicant must first present all the needed documents before undergoing a series of tests and trainings in the process of joining the DEA. These trainings are essential because they teach the DEA agents how to be safe in case they are caught in a bad situation as they conduct their duties.
References
Fine, G. A. (2010). Audit of the Drug Enforcement Administrations (DEA) Mobile Enforcement Team program. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.
Office of Law Revision Counsel (2000). United States Code, 2000 edition, V. 16, Title 27, Intoxicating liquors, to Title 28, judiciary and judicial procedure. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.
Office of the Federal Register (US) (2012). Code of federal regulations, Title 28, judicial administration. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.
Office of the Federal Register (US) (2001). Government organization and employees. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.
Shiffman, J. (2013). How DEA program differs from recent NSA revelations. Reuters. Web.
Schultz, D. A., (2004). Encyclopedia of Public Administration and Public Policy. New York, NY: Facts on File Inc.
U.S. Dept. of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, Office of Diversion Control, (2000). Narcotic treatment programs: best practice guideline. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office.
People take drugs for different reasons. The drugs are different and have different strength in effect on the user. As the person continues using the drug or alcohol they develop dependency and hence they develop a problem. The society as a result has to deal with the people who develop the problematic use of drugs and alcohol to help them. This essay will discuss the reasons why people take drugs and also recommend ways the society can deal with those who develop problematic use with drugs and alcohol.
Reasons why people take drugs
According to Health Canada (2009, p. 4) People do not start taking drugs as an accident. Usually, they have little information about a drug and then they choose to pursue tasting it. People may learn about using drugs and alcohol from the media advertisements. They are portrayed as good products that enhance feelings and that when used one is gain certain positive qualities. Additionally, a lot of information about specific drugs is available from the web pages.
There are benefits that are attached to drug use by the users. Drugs are taken so that one can relieve tension form stressful situations. Others take drugs to stay awake while others take so that they can get sleep. Enjoyment that one gets from use of drugs encourage the users to get the contentment it brings after using the drug.
The use alcohol is widely used across many societies and is often used in many occasions. When there are festivities alcohol is used. Other drugs that are smoked are used by peers whenever they want to celebrate and during a social gathering.
Drugs have been used to modify one feelings and mood. Drugs are used to improve low self esteem and nervousness. Others use drugs to divert their emotions from reality.
People take drugs in order to fit in their surrounding society. Parent may introduce use of drugs alcohol to children especially during parties and holidays. Peers encourage one another to use drugs and when one refuses they are rejected from the group.
Drug users become vulnerable to use other drugs. After tying the simple drugs they move to the more powerful drugs with time and end up being addict. Once one becomes addicted, they need to use the drug to get satisfaction.
How the society can deal with those who develop problematic use with drugs and alcohol
People who develop problematic use of the drug and alcohol may need health because their health and social life is affected. They can be encouraged through negotiate dialogues to accept treatment. They should not be forced to go for treatment (Health Canada, 2009, p. 8).
The society through the government can use the legislative laws to deal with people with the drug problem. Instead of being taken to correctional institutions by the government, they can be taken to organizations where they will receive treatment.
The society should be accommodative and avoid segregating the social groups. They can show concern and love for the addicts. Being gentle and listening to them can help in that they can admit the use of drugs and accept to get help.
They can be assisted to overcome the behavior by engaging them in activities that engage them. They can also be supported in getting counseling for individual problem that led to the drug use. They get help to boost their confidence and self esteem and learn ways of dealing with nervousness and other challenges like stress.
The society can form support groups where the people with problematic use of drugs and alcohol can get support. This support groups can be composed of those who have had similar problems and were able to overcome who can give encouragement.
Conclusion
Reasons that make people take drugs include availability of information, culture practice of celebration, peer groups, enjoyment and to deal with emotional needs. When they develop the problem of drug use and alcohol, the society should support them to get treatment and enable them get the treatment.
Reference List
Health Canada. (2009). Straight Facts about Drugs and Drug abuse. Web.