Week 14: ch 12 Drug Use and Addiction

Drug Use in Perspective

  • Common Misconceptions:
    • Legal drugs are often perceived as safer than illegal drugs.
    • The prevalence of legal drugs like alcohol and tobacco is much higher than illegal drugs.
    • Statistics:
      • 166.5 million Americans drank alcohol in the past year (NIH, 2016), 139 million in the past month (Modglin, 2022).
      • 30.8 million are regular smokers (CDC, 2022a) compared to 37 million who used illegal drugs in the past 30 days (NCDAS, 2022).
    • Legal drugs cause more social harm, including 60 times more deaths than illegal drugs combined (NSDUH, 2014).
  • Legal vs Illegal Drug Comparison:
    • Myth: Legal drugs are less dangerous.
    • Reality: Legal drugs kill many more people than illegal drugs.
    • Myth: Illegal drugs are inherently dangerous.
    • Reality: Illegality does not equate to danger; societal context matters.
    • Myth: Users of illegal drugs become habitual users.
    • Reality: Many are experimental, occasional users without addiction.

Illegal Drugs: Their Effects and History

  • Classification of Drugs:

    • Stimulants (e.g., cocaine, crack): Increase CNS activity, alertness, suppress fatigue.
    • Depressants (e.g., heroin, PCP): Decrease CNS activity, induce relaxation, alleviate anxiety.
    • Hallucinogens (e.g., LSD, MDMA): Alter perception.
    • Marijuana: Unique as it can act as a stimulant, depressant, or hallucinogen.

  • Myths about Marijuana:

    • Myth: Marijuana is widely dangerous and banned everywhere.
    • Reality: Legal in 37 states for medical use, and some for recreational use.
    • Myth: Marijuana leads to hard drug use.
    • Reality: Usage patterns and social circles play a significant role.
    • Myth: Addicts cannot recover.
    • Reality: Recovery is possible; environment matters greatly.

  • Factors Influencing Drug Effects:

    • Dosage, purity, method of administration, and user habituation impact effects.
    • Examples:
      • Higher doses or potentiating mixing (e.g., cocaine + heroin) lead to stronger reactions.
      • Method of intake: IV use leads to quicker and often more intense effects.

Social Dimensions of Drug Use

  • Drug Prevalence:
    • U.S. has the highest rate of drug use worldwide; prevalence varies by demographics.
    • Young adults (18-25) report highest usage; drug issues notably affect lower socioeconomic classes.
  • AIDS and Drug Use:
    • Sharing needles significantly raises HIV/AIDS risks, linking IV drug use to higher rates in the U.S. than in countries with safer needle practices.
  • The Drug-Crime Connection:
    • Drug users are often not the main criminals; many have pre-existing tendencies towards crime.

Becoming a Drug User

  • Stages of Drug Use:
    • Experimentation → Occasional Use → Regular Use → Addiction.
    • Peer influence is critical, often introducing drugs through social contexts.
    • Becker’s Learning Process for Marijuana Users:
      • Learn how to use it effectively and recognize enjoyment from the high.
  • Sociocultural Factors:
    • Users often have connections to drug-using friends and lack deterrent ties to conventional social institutions.

Drug Addiction Mechanisms

  • Economic Deprivation Theory:

    • Drug use can be a response to poverty, fulfilling emotional or social needs.

  • Cognitive Association Theory:

    • Addiction is linked to feelings associated with withdrawal; understanding consequences of use promotes addiction recovery potential.

  • Social Psychological Theories:

    • Individual traits and peer influence combined lead to drug use. Factors include low self-esteem, distress, and seeking risky or new experiences.

War on Drugs

  • Strategies:
    • Punitive: Focusing on law enforcement and criminalization.
    • Supportive: Prevention and treatment efforts to mitigate drug use.
  • Effectiveness of the War on Drugs:
    • History suggests it has largely targeted marginalized communities without effectively addressing the drug problem.
  • Call for Reform:
    • Arguments for legalization are supported by some claims about reducing crime and improving health outcomes; treatment should address root causes of addiction, such as poverty.

Prescription Drug Abuse

  • OxyContin and Prescription Abuse:
    • OxyContin is a leading cause of prescription drug abuse due to its effectiveness and addictive potential. Abusers often switch to cheaper, illegal substances when prescriptions are cut.
  • Influencing Factors in Abuse:
    • Market Availability: Increased prescriptions have led to greater access.
    • Misconceptions: Perception of safety due to legality leads many to misuse prescription drugs motivated by peer pressure and social situations.