Category: War On Drugs

War on Drugs in America: The Evolution and Impact

Introduction

Drug abuse in America started around the 1890s and has evolved greatly since then. The first signs of drug abuse date back to the 1890s when cocaine was sold in a Sears catalog in a small needle. Drug abuse started to take a toll in the 1800s when opium and morphine were heavily used and starting addictions. By 1890, the first congressional act was made to tax drugs.

Historical Context of Drug Abuse in America

In 1909, using and possessing opium was illegal, but it was still allowed to be used medically. By the time Prohibition came around, all liquor was illegal, along with cocaine and the production of opioids. The Cannabis Act of 1937 did not ban cannabis but taxed it heavily, and if taxes weren’t paid, you could spend up to 5 years in jail. When Richard Nixon took office in the 1970s, he had enough of drug abuse. He passed the Controlled Substance Act, which regulated laws on certain drugs and substances. He then created drug schedules that tell how highly addictive it is and how dangerous it is. Drug abuse in America went on for decades, which created many laws and acts to be passed.

Nixon’s Declaration of the War on Drugs

In 1971, Richard Nixon declared a War on Drugs, stating that “they are public enemy number one.” The rise in the use of recreational drugs in the ’60s is most likely what led to Nixon declaring War. Part of the War’s actions was to create additional funding for federal drug agencies and create mandatory prison sentences and consequences for those who committed crimes involving drugs. During the War on Drugs, Nixon created the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), which is still in effect today. They are responsible for taking on drug smuggling and drug use in the United States. Originally, the DEA only consisted of 1,470 members and a 75 million dollar budget, but today, they have over 5,000 members and a 2.03 billion dollar budget. The War on Drugs is still in effect today and has had its good and bad impacts on society.

Societal Implications and Controversies

In the 1980’s President Ronald Reagan started the “Just Say No” campaign. Its intentions were to educate children on drugs and the effects of drug abuse. In 1986, Congress passed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act, which set minimum sentences for drug offenses. The law was considered “racist” because many African Americans used crack cocaine, which led to them being sentenced to prison, while white Americans who used powder cocaine were sentenced to a shorter sentence.

Critics also claimed that blacks were being racially profiled because many of them were sent to prison for drug suspicion. By the 21st century, the War on Drugs is an unknown thing. Most people consider it to have created a racial divide in the country. However, there is a slim amount of people who still share support. One of the most recent acts that have degraded the War on Drugs is the Fair Sentencing Act, which reduced the sentences on crack cocaine and powder cocaine from 100:1 to 18:1. Also, the recent legalization of the recreational use of marijuana has taken its toll on the War. The “Just Say No” campaign is a thing of the past, along with the War on Drugs, as they are fought with less intensity.

Conclusion

The schedules of drugs are based on how they are used medically, how addictive they are, and the laws on the drug in other countries. Schedule I drugs are known to be highly addictive and provide no medical use. Drugs in Schedule One consist of things like ecstasy and heroin. While schedule two are still highly addictive and provide minimal medical use, they consist of drugs like morphine and methamphetamine. Schedule three, however, is not that addictive and widely used in the medical field.

Drugs in the schedule consist of ketamine and testosterone. ScheduleSchedule four drugs have a low abuse rate and are widely used in the medical field and widely accepted. Last of all, the schedules are in number five. The drugs in this schedule have little to no abuse and are accepted into the medical field; some of these drugs are Robitussin and Lyrica. The schedules of drugs helped declare how addictive they are and their purpose of them.

References

1. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). (n.d.). Drug Scheduling. https://www.dea.gov/drug-scheduling
2. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). (2021, May). Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction
3. Office of National Drug Control Policy. (2021, January 14). The National Drug Control Strategy. https://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/national-drug-control-strategy-2021/
4. PBS. (2000). Nixon Declares War on Drugs. American Experience: The Presidents. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/presidents-nixon-war-on-drugs/

Examining the Ineffectiveness of the War on Drugs: The Failed Crusade

For centuries, the human mind has been enamored with the mind-blowing effects of substances that they can put into their bodies. Never before, however, has this drug use become more prevalent than now. The War on Drugs has been an ongoing and ineffective tactic meant to steer U.S. citizens away from drug use, but instead, it only leaves them misinformed and more likely to try drugs, filling up our prisons in the process and putting drug use on the same platform as murder or theft.

Misinformation and its Implications

The official “War on Drugs” was a process that started in 1971 by the U.S. government to combat drug use and has been largely deemed as a failure. The War on Drugs is defined as “a comprehensive domestic and foreign campaign by the U.S. government to stop the production, distribution, and use of illegal drugs.” The campaign reached an official end in 2009 due to its counterproductivity and unsuccessfulness, but a substantial amount of its policies remain.

Overpopulated Prisons: A Consequence of the War on Drugs

One downfall of the War on Drugs is that it misinforms people and leaves them more likely to experiment and/or become addicted to drugs. Citizens are not properly educated on the topic of drug use and what it can do to you. More specifically, they aren’t taught the differences between hard drugs and drugs like marijuana. The War on Drugs curriculum makes marijuana seem just as bad and consequential as substances like cocaine or heroin.

One woman interviewed by Marsha Rosenbaum said, “They told us if we[she and her classmates] used marijuana, we would become addicted. They told us if we used heroin, we would become addicted. Well, we all tried marijuana and found we did not become addicted. We figured the entire message must be B.S. So I tried heroin, used it again and again, got strung out, and here I am.” This is just one example of a teen who was taught to abstain from and demonize all drugs, being misinformed in the process of it, and deciding to make their own uninformed conclusions based on little experience.

Another prime example of the ineffectiveness of the War on Drugs is how overpopulated our prisons have become. Lauren Carrol states, “The state and federal prison population grew from 218,466 in 1974 to 1,508,636 in 2014, which is a nearly 600 percent increase. For comparison, the overall United States population has increased just 51 percent since 1974”(Carrol). These dates and numbers line up with the timeline of the War on Drugs and are an exact result of it. This is a travesty, considering that drugs are not a good reason to lock somebody up for a substantial period of their life. This wastes space that could be used for much more dangerous criminals and leads to a less happy and productive society.

Ethical Considerations in Criminalization

This leads to the third reason why the War on Drugs is a failure. Drug users are put on the same platform as murderers or thieves. This is unfair because drug users are not nearly as ethically immoral as others who commit actual crimes. “Drug use, unlike any of these real crimes, does not involve a trespass against anyone’s right to life, liberty, or property.” In other words, drug use does not violate any of the constitutional and unalienable rights. Good citizens are being put in jail alongside people who actually rape, murder, and kidnap simply because they put harmful substances in their own bodies. “The overwhelming majority of drug users are nonviolent. Generally law-abiding people. A significant portion of the prison system is filled with such people.”

Some people argue that “If all the drugs, drug abusers, dealers, and manufacturers are behind bars, there will be no one else there to bring drugs into the area”(The War on Drugs). This is a misconception because there will always be people out there to make the drugs and distribute them to others, and there will always be people curious enough to try them. There are numerous amounts of underground operations and trafficking that go undetected by the government. There are people who hide drugs in their very own homes and evade arrest daily. People will not stop something simply because the government says to.

The Call for Reform and Education

The War on Drugs has been going on since 1971 and has had few successes. It has been counterproductive, has filled up our prisons with good and lawful people, and has failed to properly educate its citizens on the drugs that they deem just as bad as murder or theft. The amount of time and money that the War on Drugs has wasted has had no benefits to American society and should go through reformations to better suit the productivity as well as the needs of the American citizens. The focus should be directed more on educating our people about the harmful effects of different drugs and persuading them away from addiction, but not jailing them if they decide that that is the path they would prefer to take. Otherwise, our prisons will continue to be overpopulated, and generation after generation will continue to be uneducated on these topics.

Examining the War on Drugs and Its Impact: Unveiling the Illusion

Reagan’s Hidden Agenda in the War on Drugs

President Ronald Reagan’s administration has come out admitting that the “War on Drugs wasn’t about drugs, but about abolishing those that opposed the government, the anti-war lefts and blacks” (Coyne and Hall). So has this Drug War failed, or accomplished exactly what the government wanted? If causing countless problems within your own country for the benefit of the small few is winning, then that is your answer. The original reason for the War on Drugs has failed immensely, only bringing corruption and economic distress to the country as a whole.

Unmasking the Truth: A Deeper Dive

At this time there isn’t much that is academically written about the behind-the-scene reasons the War on Drugs was started. As prevalent of a problem that it is today, I am changing that and will research deeper into the meaning, cause, and repercussions of the defeat of the United States’ War on Drugs.

Since first learning about the awful effects the War on Drugs has caused, I’ve wanted to dig deeper behind it and it looks like it’s only downhill from here. There seems to be a lot of different motives that aren’t surface level, from audience manipulation by speeches to taking rights and freedoms away from the people to distracting everyone from more serious issues. I think this essay will allow me to find out what is at the bottom of it all, and what pulls me into finding it.

Prospective Outline for Unveiling the War on Drugs

Introduction

• A Hook about a surprising fact
• Tentative Thesis: The original reason for the War on Drugs has failed immensely, only bringing corruption and economic distress to the country as a whole.

Narratio – History of the term “War on Drugs”

• 1970’s and the War on Drugs
• Ronald Reagan and his wife grew on Nixon’s drug policies, and in 1986 passed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act, which established mandatory minimum prison sentences for certain drug offenses.
• War on Drugs in 21st Century

Origins and Intentions

• Why was the War on Drugs started?
• War on Drugs in the 21st Century.

Pros and Cons of the War

• Potential Benefits of a War on Drugs
• Cons of a War on Drugs
• Economic Problems

Looking Forward: Solutions and Proposals

Conclusion

• Future possibilities or solutions
• Use the money from the taxes to make stronger education on it while also establishing quality rehabilitation and health/mental health services.

References:

1. Coyne, C.J. and Hall, A.R. (2019). “The War on Drugs Was Born 50 Years Ago,” Mises Institute. Retrieved from https://mises.org/wire/war-drugs-was-born-50-years-ago
2. Hawdon, J. (2011). “Organizational Factors and Police Corruption in Drug-Related Operations,” Journal of Drug Issues, 41(4), 571-593. doi:10.1177/002204261104100402

Complexities of Drug Abuse and the War on Drugs: The Growing Epidemic

Introduction

Throughout the centuries, our history has shown us the war on drugs, the battles of addictions, and how both the war and the addictions have gotten bigger throughout the years. The drugs are so popular that people take them for pleasure and for pain. And the war on drugs is a cruel joke in America. Drugs can be fun, but they also can be deadly.

Stimulants

Stimulants are a class of psychoactive drugs that increase activity in the brain. These drugs can temporarily elevate alertness, mood, and awareness. Stimulants have chemical structures that are like the key brain neurotransmitters called monoamines, which include norepinephrine and dopamine. The drug will increase the levels of these chemicals in the brain and body, which, in turn, increases blood pressure and heart rate, constricts blood vessels, increases blood glucose, and opens the pathways of the respiratory system.

Drugs that are classed as stimulants include caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, and amphetamines. In history, amphetamines were first synthesized in 1887 but weren’t used until the 1930s, when doctors prescribed them to treat nasal congestion. Eventually, they were used to treat other conditions, including obesity, depression, and hyperactivity. It wasn’t long before people discovered that the side effects—among them, excitement and alertness—could be pleasurable. That’s when amphetamines began to be abused. In the 1950s, people were taking cold medicine just to lose weight, or students were taking it just to stay awake to study. By the late 1960s and early 1970s, people were addicted to stimulants and making crystal meth. These historical events have led our governments to have any OTC drugs placed with the pharmacy because of the stimulants that they have in them and people abusing the drug and making crystal meth.

CNS Depressants

A type of drug that slows down brain activity, which causes the muscles to relax and calms and soothes a person. CNS depressants are used to treat insomnia, anxiety, panic attacks, and seizures. They may also be used to relieve anxiety and tension before surgery. Most CNS depressants act on the brain by increasing the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a chemical that inhibits brain activity. This action causes the drowsy and calming effects that make the medicine effective for anxiety and sleep disorders. People who start taking CNS depressants usually feel sleepy and uncoordinated for the first few days until the body adjusts to these side effects.

There are three different groups of drug classes they include Benzodiazepines, Non-Benzodiazepine, Sedative Hypnotics, and Barbiturates. In history, back in 1951, Congress passed a law requiring a doctor’s approval for the purchase of barbiturates. But even before the clampdown on the over-the-counter sale of barbiturates, pharmaceutical companies were on the hunt for the next generation of tranquilizers. In 1958, Hoffmann-La Roche patented another benzodiazepine, called diazepam, soon to become world-famous as Valium. Sales of the new drug quickly eclipsed the old barbiturates.

In 1990, the American Psychiatric Association launched a task force to investigate the dangers of rising benzodiazepine prescriptions. Today, the number of prescriptions continues to rise, as does the size of the benzodiazepine-injured community. Nearly four decades after Senate hearings on the dangers of benzodiazepines, research into these drugs and physician knowledge remain woefully inadequate. The need for action grows more urgent with every passing day.

Hallucinogens

Hallucinogens are a diverse group of drugs that alter perception, thoughts, and feelings. They cause hallucinations or sensations and images that seem real, though they are not. Hallucinogens can be found in some plants and mushrooms or can be human-made. People have used hallucinogens for centuries, mostly for religious rituals. Classic hallucinogens are thought to interact mostly with serotonin and the prefrontal cortex of the brain. Alterations of moods, distortions of reality and sensory perceptions, and seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there are common side effects of drug-induced psychosis or a “trip.” Some people may feel euphoric and have what they consider to be a spiritual awakening, while others may suffer from panic, paranoia, anxiety, and despair, which are side effects of a “bad trip.” Hallucinogenic drugs can be unpredictable and affect each user differently.

The four most common drugs include LSD, Peyote, Psilocybin, and Dimethoxymethylamphetamine. In history, in the early 1970s, MDMA had hit the streets. It was popular at raves and nightclubs. Today, ecstasy is still a common street drug, but researchers are investigating whether MDMA could be used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder and cancer-related anxiety.

Inhalants

Inhalants are volatile substances that produce chemical vapors that can be inhaled to induce a psychoactive or mind-altering effect. The chemicals abused by inhalant users affect different parts of the brain, producing a variety of sensory and psychological disorders. Many inhalants are thought to dissolve the protective myelin sheath that surrounds neurons – brain cells – resulting in cell death.” The damage to the brain caused by inhalants can create personality changes, memory problems, hallucinations, learning disabilities, tremors, vision problems, and permanent problems with balance and coordination.

Inhalants are composed of four main types: solvents, volatile gases, aerosols, and nitrites. The history of inhalants dates as early as the 1800s; nitrous oxide, ether, and chloroform were the anesthetics used commonly as intoxicants. Ether was used as a recreational drug during the 1920s Prohibition era, when alcohol was made illegal in the U.S. Abuse of inhalants in the United States increased in the 1950s and is now widespread among adolescents. By the 1960s, the practice of solvent sniffing had spread across a wide variety of commercial products, including paint and lacquer thinners, nail polish remover, shoe polish, lighter fluid, spray paint, and others. And now we have a major problem with young teens and young adults using inhalants to get that high today.

Cannabinoids

Cannabinoids are naturally occurring compounds found in the Cannabis sativa plant. Of over 480 different compounds present in the plant, only around 66 are termed cannabinoids. The most well-known among these compounds is the delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), which is the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. Cannabidiol (CBD) is another important component, which makes up about 40% of the plant resin extract. THC’s chemical structure is similar to the brain chemical anandamide. The similarity in structure allows the body to recognize THC and to alter normal brain communication.

Endogenous cannabinoids such as anandamide (see figure) function as neurotransmitters because they send chemical messages between nerve cells (neurons) throughout the nervous system. They affect brain areas that influence pleasure, memory, thinking, concentration, movement, coordination, and sensory and time perception. Because of this similarity, THC can attach to molecules called cannabinoid receptors on neurons in these brain areas and activate them, disrupting various mental and physical functions and causing the effects described earlier. The neural communication network that uses these cannabinoid neurotransmitters, known as the endocannabinoid system, plays a critical role in the nervous system’s normal functioning, so interfering with it can have profound effects.

Cannabinoid is a drug class from Marijuana, and along with cannabinoid is CBG, CBC, CBD, and THC. These all fall under Marijuana as a drug class. The history began back in the 1600s when the colonists were growing hemp and using it. Then, in 1937, there was a tax put on Marijuana. In the 1970s, Nixon placed a war on drugs, and that is when Marijuana became a Schedule I drug. In 1996, California legalized Marijuana for medical use only, called the Compassionate Act Use. As of 2018, there are 30 states that have legalized Marijuana.

Narcotics

Also known as “opioids,” the term “narcotic” comes from the Greek word for “stupor” and originally referred to a variety of substances that dulled the senses and relieved pain. Though some people still refer to all drugs as “narcotics,” today “narcotic” refers to opium, opium derivatives, and their semi-synthetic substitutes. A more current term for these drugs, with less uncertainty regarding its meaning, is “opioid.” Opioids attach to receptors in the brain. Normally, these opioids are the endogenous variety that is created naturally in the body. Once attached, they send signals to the brain of the ‘opioid effect,’ which blocks pain, slows breathing, and has a general calming and anti-depressing effect.

The four main drug classes include OxyContin, Fentanyl, Morphine, and Codeine. The history of narcotics, also known as opioids, dates back to 3400 B.C. Narcotics from ancient times all had a common source: the red opium poppy. The Opium Exclusion Act of 1909 Barred the importation of opium for the purpose of smoking. The Harrison Narcotics Tax Act of 1914 Required physician and pharmacist registration for the distribution of opiates. The Heroin Act of 1924: Heroin importation, manufacture, and possession was outlawed in the U.S.. Bayer stopped the production of heroin, but in 1916, oxycodone was developed in hopes it would be less addictive.

With the passage of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) in 1970, greater regulation and scheduling of drugs based on abuse potential occurred. Within the CSA, there are five schedules (I-V) that are used to classify drugs based on their potential for abuse, valid medical applications, and public safety. The schedules range from I to V, with Schedule I being the highest for potential abuse and with no current medical use. Heroin and marijuana fall into Schedule 1; oxycodone, hydrocodone, and morphine are in Schedule 2. Due to the growth of pain medications, doctors are still seeing an increase in abused prescription medication due to the opioid epidemic that we have in our country today.

Conclusion

The growing drug crisis sweeping across the U.S. is deadlier than gun violence, car crashes, or Aids, none of which have killed as many Americans in a single year as overdoses did in 2017, with the number at 70,237. We need to keep the war on drugs going and continue to fight and help those in need of drug abuse problems and addiction. Our drug issues in America should have been resolved many years ago, but having the President of the United States with all the power to work on the drug issues and other government agencies, it will always be and will continue to be an ongoing issue.

References

1. Hanson, G.R., Venturelli, P.J., & Fleckenstein, A.E. (2015). Drugs and Society (12th ed.). MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning.
2. Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants and Stimulants. (2018). Retrieved on December 18, 2018, from https://www.spineuniverse.com/treatments/medication/central-nervous-system-cns-depressants-stimulants
3. What are Stimulants- History of Amphetamines. Retrieved on December 18, 2018 from http://science.jrank.org/pages/clo337q5pw/What-Are-Stimulants-HISTORY-AMPHETAMINES.html
4. A Brief History of Benzodiazepines. (2017). Retrieved on December 18, 2018 from http://benzoinfo.com/2017/12/13/a-brief-history-of-benzodiazepines/
5. Marijuana. (2018). Retrieved on December 18, 2018 from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/how-does-marijuana-produce-its-effects
6. How do opioids work in the brain? Retrieved on December 18, 2018 from https://www.naabt.org/faq_answers.cfm?ID=6
7. Understanding Opioid (Narcotic) Pain Medications. (2018). Retrieved on December 19, 2018 from https://www.drugs.com/article/opioid-narcotics.html
8. Why are more Americans than ever dying from drug overdoses? (2018). Retrieved on December 19, 2018 from https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2018/nov/29/usdrug-overdose-epidemic-opioids-crisis-getting-worse

Complexities of the War on Drugs: A Critical Analysis of Addiction Treatment

Understanding Addiction

When the word “addiction” is mentioned often, it is thought that it only happens to the so-called ‘bad’ people who were poor or grew up on the streets. Some people believe it to be something that would never happen to them or to people they know and love. When, in fact, it happens every day across the United States, families are struggling to save someone they love who is struggling with substance abuse.

In society today, everywhere you go, everywhere you turn, there are advertisements or commercials for the latest prescription medicine. Just watch television, and instead of just commercials about the newest car on the market or the latest new technology that is coming out, there are so many commercials for the newest prescription drug that is on the market. Why is there an advertisement to promote more medicine? That should be something only a doctor who’s giving a patient options for whatever ailment that they might have.

The War on Drugs and Prescription Medication

Also, now, when someone is suffering from substance addiction, a doctor is more likely to prescribe a drug to treat a drug addiction. All too often, it only causes a new addiction for them when they start abusing the prescribed medication that is supposed to stop the cravings for the street drug. The war on drugs has and will continue until we open our eyes and see that there are many other ways to treat street drug addictions or any type of addiction besides adding more temptation or switching from an illegal addictive drug to an equally addictive legal drug.

According to Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine Fourth Edition, the term addiction is a disease of the brain that causes dependence upon or a persistent, compulsive need to use a habit-forming substance or an irresistible urge to engage in an activity despite harmful consequences. Addicts are usually driven by the increased need for more of the substance or activity to obtain the same effect as the first time they engaged in the activity or used the substance (Sternbergetal. 55). There are various different types of addictive and legal and illegal substances.

The State of Addiction in America

Some examples are alcohol, heroin, tobacco, methamphetamines, and prescription painkillers. In America, an estimated 22.2 million people abuse or are addicted to alcohol or drugs. Prescription pain pill abuse has also become a major issue for Americans. It is estimated that 2 million Americans use prescription pain relievers for non-medical reasons. There has also been a major increase in heroin addicts. 467,000 Americans suffered from heroin addiction between 2002 and 2012. According to the government, overdoses from methadone and prescription painkillers quadrupled from 1999 to 2010, killing more than 16,000 in 2010 alone. Even the Attorney General Eric Holder and the governor of Massachusetts both stated that the rise in overdoses from heroin and prescription painkillers’ an urgent public health crisis.’

Addressing the Issue: Alternative Treatments and Political Influence

This is a subject that hits home for me because my best friend’s daughter, whom I have known since she was little, got addicted to heroin at 18 years old. She entered a maintenance program in which she was given a 60 mg dose of Methadone at a clinic to help her not want heroin. She became so addicted to methadone to the point she even overdosed on it 3 times. She even was in a coma and almost died one of the times she overdosed. She came out of the coma but struggled to get off the methadone.

What is even more awful is that there is a drug available that her mom and I researched and found to be less addictive. When her mom requested it, they said it was available but still continued to give her the methadone instead. A program like this has one main goal: to decrease the dosage until the addict no longer needs it. Unfortunately, this process may not be as effective due to the fact that some of the drugs used in the treatment of drug abuse are themselves addictive. She was on Methadone till 2016.

Her mother convinced her to move to Michigan with her and found a doctor who put her on Naloxone. Naloxone blocks the opiate receptors and makes it so the user cannot get high. It does not stop the withdrawal symptoms, but certain medications that are also not addictive help with that part. I completely agree with Chicago Recovery Alliance’s Bigg, who said, ‘It’s been around for 40 years, it’s a pure antidote, and there are no side effects.

It consistently reverses overdoses via the intramuscular injection; it’s very simple to administer. If people have Naloxone, it becomes much, much easier to avoid overdose deaths.” Naloxone is now in some states made available over-the-counter without a prescription to help stop the heroin or opioid overdose epidemic in those states. There are some very traditional ways of dealing with addiction that are well-known even by those who have never suffered from addiction.

Most addictions can be treated by entering into a treatment program or rehab. Many programs in these facilities usually rely on re-education and often have recovered addicts who understand and can relate to newly admitted patients. There are many forms of treatment for someone who suffers from addiction. Not every treatment program is right for every type of addict, and some are weaved into the fibers of other treatment programs. There are many types of alternative treatments for addictions, such as harm reduction. Although very controversial, harm reduction gives the user the decision to abstain completely or to just cut back on using without being told they will always be an addict.

The major principles of harm reduction not only help addicts understand their relationship with alcohol and drugs but also help them learn how to make decisions and choices that reduce harm in their lives and the lives of those they care about. Then they can learn to no longer be ‘under the influence’ of mind-altering drugs, but rather they can be ‘over the influence’ (Denningetal. 1). Some other self-help groups are Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).

They are considered 12-step-based programs that dominate the self-help landscape and account for 93% of all alcoholic and other drug treatment programs in the United States. There are many reasons that using medication to treat addiction is not the best way. Many people cannot deal emotionally without the drug that treats the craving for the substance to which they were addicted. Therefore, they become completely dependent on the prescription drug to feel functional. So what is the difference between the treatment drug and the drug the addict is trying to kick the habit of, except one is sold in a pharmacy, and one is sold on the street? Both drugs make a person dependent on it to feel ‘normal.’

Many began to sell or abuse legal drugs to get the same euphoric high that originally caused the whole addiction. Factors can be put in place to help people who are suffering from addictions by providing more funds for drug treatment programs in and out of jails or prisons, having local groups full of family and friends who lost a loved one to addiction come out to talk to addicts about how addiction affected their lives, and finding new ways to help fund overdose prevention programs.

The politicians think the money should be spent on what they think is the war on drugs. That includes pushing more addictive legal drugs to users who are trying to rehabilitate themselves and capturing drug dealers and drug smugglers. Yet the DEA reports only 10% of all the drugs that enter the US are taken off the streets. The United States spends $50 billion a year on the war on drugs. The issue of drug addiction doesn’t just affect the addict. It affects their family, too.

Adding another addiction because the pharmaceutical industry wants to make more money instead of curing the addiction seems to have become a trend. The subject of drug abuse hesitance swept under the rug for too long. The American people need to stand up and fight politicians for more funding for drug treatment programs and overdose programs. It has become almost like the pharmaceutical industry has its hands in the pockets of every politician who is supposed to do what is right for the American people. Adding drugs like methadone to the equation of drug abuse is only guaranteeing an addict to relapse back into addiction.

References:

1. Sternberg, E., Sternberg, C., & Sternberg, R. Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine Fourth Edition.
2. Denning, P., Little, J., & Glickman, A. Over the Influence: The Harm Reduction Guide for Managing Drugs and Alcohol.
3. “The United States War on Drugs”.