I HATE THIS CLASS

What are the main factors that shape drug experiences?

Social, genetics, and pharmacology.

How is a drug defined?

A substance that produces psycho-physiological changes in the individual who consumes it.

What role have drugs played in human history?

Drugs have been a key element in human efforts to alter experiences throughout history.

What can cause altered states of consciousness?

Sensory deprivation, sensory overload, neurochemical imbalances, trauma, illness, and drugs.

What is the difference between drug use and drug abuse?

Drug use is any consumption of a substance to alter experiences, while drug abuse refers to use that creates negative outcomes for the user.

What is drug dependence?

A state of reliance on a substance that produces psycho-physiological changes, often resulting in withdrawal symptoms.

How is drug addiction characterized?

An inability to stop using a substance despite potential harms, often accompanied by compulsion or cravings.

Why do people use drugs?

To change human experiences and alter perceptions of the world, often influenced by social environments.

How does culture influence drug use?

Cultural perceptions and meanings associated with specific drugs vary across societies and time.

What is social construction in the context of drug use?

The process by which people in a social context understand and interpret drug use, shaping their experiences.

What societal factors frame discussions about drugs?

Political discourse, changes in medicine, pop culture, and market shifts.

What is the difference in connotation between 'drugs' and 'medicine'?

Drugs often have negative connotations, while medicine is viewed positively.

What does it mean that social constructions are experienced as real?

Social constructions influence perceptions and experiences, even if they are not based on objective reality.

How long has drug use been part of human history?

Drug use dates back thousands of years, with evidence of psychoactive substance use as far back as 30,000 years ago.

What role has technology played in drug use?

Technological advancements have facilitated the production and distribution of drugs, increasing their availability.

What is the significance of the social context in drug use?

Social context shapes how drug use is understood and discussed, influencing individual and collective behaviors.

What are some motivations for drug use within societies?

Motivations can vary widely and are often rooted in social environments and cultural meanings.

What is the relationship between morality and drug use?

Discussions of drugs are often deeply emotional and tied to moral judgments shaped by social constructions.

What is the historical perspective on drug use?

Drug use is not a modern phenomenon; it has been present throughout human history and has evolved over time.

What is the impact of social perceptions on drug classification?

Different drugs can be classified as 'medicine' or 'drugs' based on societal perceptions, despite similar effects.

How do psychological and biochemical phenomena relate to drug use?

Drug use triggers real biochemical and psychological changes, regardless of social perceptions.

What role have drugs historically played in global trade?

Drugs have been a major driver of global trade and have served as significant cash crops.

What are some examples of drugs that have been major cash crops?

Tobacco, cannabis, alcohol, and opium.

How did the Boston Tea Party relate to drugs?

It was driven by outrage over taxes on a favored drug product, caffeine.

What was the significance of the Opium Wars?

The Opium Wars between England, France, and China were about commercial rights related to opium.

How did European colonialism relate to drugs?

European colonialism focused on drugs, with Columbus searching for trade routes to procure opium.

How long has cannabis been used historically?

Cannabis has been used for over 1,000 years, with the first recorded medicinal use in China about 6,000 years ago.

What were the uses of cannabis in ancient cultures?

Cannabis was used for recreational, religious, and medicinal purposes.

What was the significance of alcohol in human history?

Alcohol is the most widespread drug and was one of the first manipulated through technological innovation.

What agricultural development contributed to alcohol production?

The Agricultural Revolution provided surplus grains and fruits for alcohol production.

What is the process of distillation?

Distillation is the process used to produce spirits by separating ethanol from fermenting plant material through heating and condensing.

What is pulque and its historical significance?

Pulque is a fermented agave juice originating in central Mexico, used for over 2,000 years.

When was tobacco first cultivated and used?

Tobacco was first cultivated between 7,000 and 6,000 BC and used ritually and socially by Native Americans.

What historical significance does opium hold?

Opium was cultivated in Mesopotamia as early as 35,000 BC and used for various medicinal and recreational purposes.

What was the role of cocaine in history?

Cocaine was used by the Incan Empire and recognized for its medical utility in Europe in the 1800s.

How did perceptions of drugs change over time?

Perceptions of drugs were altered by political processes, medical knowledge, and technological advancements.

What was the Pure Food and Drug Act?

The Pure Food and Drug Act set the stage for the FDA and emphasized oversight and disclosure to ensure safety.

How did the rise of the pharmaceutical industry affect drug laws?

The pharmaceutical industry's rise led to the establishment of laws and regulations regarding drug use and prescribing.

What was the impact of international efforts to control drug markets in the early 20th century?

These efforts recognized global trade in drugs as a key element of emerging drug markets and were taken up by the League of Nations and later the United Nations.

What is the significance of the historical use of patent medicines in the U.S.?

Patent medicines, often containing narcotics, were widely sold before the modern pharmaceutical industry developed.

What is the relationship between drug laws and social control?

Drug laws are implemented by governments to control behavior and influence individual and community outcomes.

What was the role of alchemists in the history of spirits?

Alchemists were interested in the potential medicinal properties of spirits, leading to early distillation practices.

How did the introduction of tobacco to Europe affect its use?

Tobacco became a major cash crop and was popularized through industrialization, leading to large-scale global trade.

What was the significance of the first use of morphine?

Morphine was first isolated in 1806, marking a significant development in the medical use of opiates.

How did the invention of hypodermic syringes impact opiate use?

The invention transformed opiate use by allowing for more effective administration, but also led to recognition of addictive properties.

What was the significance of the 1912 International Opium Convention?

It was the first international drug control agreement, responding to concerns over opiate trafficking and use.

What was the Harrison Act of 1914?

It was the first federal legislation aimed at making certain drugs, primarily cocaine and opiates, illegal.

What is medicalization in the context of addiction?

Medicalization is the process by which human conditions, such as addiction, are defined and treated as medical problems.

How did the criminalization of drugs affect treatment for addiction?

It heightened interest in medical treatment, leading to drug maintenance therapies where physicians managed addiction with substances.

What emerged as a result of the inability of physicians to meet the needs of those with addiction?

A black market developed, connecting drug use to criminality and drawing users into criminal networks.

What was the Volstead Act?

It was the congressional act that implemented alcohol prohibition, making it illegal to manufacture, sell, or transport alcohol.

What was the outcome of alcohol prohibition in the U.S.?

Prohibition proved challenging to implement and was repealed in 1933 by the 21st Amendment.

What was the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937?

It was the foundational legislation regulating cannabis, imposing taxes on its production and sale.

What social factors contributed to the development of drug laws?

Factors included declining need for hemp production, immigration concerns, and the economic depression.

What did the Controlled Substances Act aim to achieve?

It aimed to create a cohesive legal structure regulating the use of most psychoactive substances, covering medical, legal, and pharmaceutical aspects.

What are the five levels of control in the federal schedule of controlled substances based on?

They are based on abuse and addiction liability, potential for harm to the user, and medical value.

What can happen to drugs on the federal schedule of controlled substances?

Emerging drugs can be added, drugs can be moved higher or lower based on new liabilities, or downgraded if deemed too restrictive.

What was the impact of the War on Drugs initiated by the Controlled Substances Act?

It heightened attention to drug management in American society and led to significant socio-political changes, including mass incarceration.

What was Nixon's declaration regarding drugs?

Nixon declared drugs to be public enemy number one and allocated resources towards drug treatment despite harsh rhetoric.

What was the Shafer Commission's recommendation regarding cannabis?

It recommended decriminalizing cannabis possession while keeping its sale criminal, but the Nixon administration did not follow through.

How did the Ford administration approach drug policy?

Ford continued Nixon's initiatives but prioritized the targeting of narcotics like heroin and amphetamines, deeming cannabis a low priority.

What was the focus of the Reagan administration regarding drug policy?

The Reagan administration enacted harsher penalties for drug offenses, particularly in response to crack cocaine, and promoted the 'Just Say No' campaign.

What was the effect of the parents' anti-drug movement in the 1970s?

It emerged in resistance to federal efforts to decriminalize cannabis, coinciding with a surge in cocaine trafficking.

What significant change in public perception regarding drug problems occurred from the early 1980s to 1989?

In the early 1980s, about 4% of Americans perceived drugs to be the country's #1 problem; by 1989, this rose to 64%.

What was a major feature of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986?

The establishment of mandatory minimum sentences, with lower thresholds for crack cocaine than powdered cocaine.

How did the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 contribute to racial disparities?

It contributed to racial disparities in the prison population due to its differential treatment of crack and powdered cocaine.

What did the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 establish?

It established the Office of National Drug Control Policy within the executive branch and enhanced criminal penalties for crack cocaine.

What was President George H.W. Bush's contribution to drug policy?

He continued Reagan's initiatives, proposing a 50% increase in military spending for the war on drugs and delivering the famous 'this is crack cocaine' speech in 1991.

What was the impact of NAFTA on drug trafficking?

The passage of NAFTA in 1993 resulted in an unanticipated increase in drug traffic.

What was President Clinton's 'Plan Colombia'?

A plan unveiled in 2000 that included billions in aid to fund the Colombian military to fight drug traffickers.

What is meant by the 'stickiness' of the federal drug schedule?

The federal schedule remained largely unchanged from the 1970s through the 2000s, with reluctance to add new drugs due to fears of resurging problems and political blowback.

Where is most drug policy set in the U.S.?

Most drug policy is set at the state level, leading to significant variation across the U.S.

What role does the federal government play in drug control?

The federal government determines whether drugs are controlled substances and enforces policies related to interstate and international drug trafficking.

How do state policies influence drug use?

States use multifaceted strategies to balance consumption and reduce individual and societal ramifications, including laws on access and consumption.

What are some examples of state-level differences in drug policy?

Differences can include laws on personal possession, quantities triggering misdemeanor or felony charges, fines for possession, and lengths of prison sentences.

What are some restrictions states may impose on drug advertising?

States may restrict where ads can be placed, particularly to limit exposure to young people, and require warnings in advertising.

How do excise taxes on legal drugs vary across states?

Excise taxes can lead to highly variable pricing on alcohol purchases, with some states having very low taxes and others having very high taxes.

What measures have states taken in response to the opioid crisis?

States have enacted laws regulating prescribing practices, such as pain management clinic laws to promote responsible prescribing.

What restrictions exist regarding the location of drug consumption?

Many states prohibit public consumption of certain drugs, including alcohol, and have specific regulations for where cannabis can be used.

What are some state restrictions on the quantity of alcohol that can be purchased?

States may impose limits on the quantity of alcohol sold, such as requiring multiple people to buy certain quantities or prohibiting cold beer sales in grocery stores.

What are needle exchange programs designed to address?

Needle exchange programs aim to reduce the transmission of infectious diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis.

How do DUI laws vary across states?

DUI laws vary in terms of the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) threshold for violations and penalties for high BAC levels.

What are the three layers of policy context in drug control?

1. Federal policies 2. State policies 3. Local policies

What are some common state-level tobacco control policies?

Smoking bans, excise taxes, age of purchase restrictions, retail licensing laws, vending machine laws, age of possession laws, flavor bans, and location of sales restrictions.

How do state policies on tobacco create variation in substance use?

States impose different laws regulating both legal and prohibited drugs, leading to a patchwork of policies across the U.S.

What role do counties and cities play in drug policy?

Counties and cities can enact their own drug policies, which may reinforce or contradict state policies, creating a complex policy landscape.

What is the significance of excise taxes on tobacco products?

Differing levels of excise taxes imposed by states and cities contribute to major variations in cigarette prices across the U.S.

What historical context surrounds cannabis legalization in the U.S.?

Cannabis use has been illegal federally for nearly 90 years, but states have established policies to not enforce certain laws under specific conditions.

What was California's role in medical marijuana policy?

California became the first state to permit cannabis use for medical purposes in 1996, setting a precedent for other states.

What is the federal government's stance on medical cannabis?

While cannabis remains illegal federally, the government has a non-intervention policy, as outlined in the Ogden Memorandum of 2009.

What is the Cole Memorandum's relevance to recreational cannabis?

The Cole Memorandum indicated that the federal government would defer to state oversight regarding recreational cannabis.

How have attitudes towards recreational cannabis changed over time?

Support for legalizing recreational cannabis has increased dramatically, from 34% in 1989 to 70% in 2023.

What is the current status of medical cannabis in the U.S.?

Medical cannabis is approved in 40 states to some extent, while recreational cannabis is legal in 24 states.

What are the three major positions on drug legality?

1. Prohibition: illegal use with penalties; 2. Decriminalization: reduced penalties for users; 3. Legalization: full legality.

What does the prohibition model entail?

Under prohibition, the sale, purchase, and use of psychoactive substances are illegal, with criminal penalties for violations.

How does decriminalization differ from prohibition?

Decriminalization allows for penalties without criminal punishment for users, focusing law enforcement on dealers instead.

What is de facto decriminalization?

De facto decriminalization occurs when laws exist but are not enforced, leading to non-use of law enforcement resources against drug use.

What was Portugal's approach to drug policy in 2001?

Portugal decriminalized all drugs in 2001, shifting the focus from criminalization to public health.

What critiques exist regarding current drug policies?

Critiques include high costs with poor effectiveness, enabling violence, and unfair disadvantages to certain populations.

What has been a significant change in drug policy discussions in recent years?

There has been increased debate about the harms of cannabis and the potential for federal legalization.