Sam Quinones’ Dreamland is a commentary about the opioid problem in America. Quinones draws attention to how in the twentieth century opioids were seen as addictive: “[D]octers treating the terminally ill faced attitudes that seemed medieval when it came to opiates” (184). In the 1970s, Purdue Pharma stated that opioids such as morphine were not addictive substances. After this study was released, many doctors began to view opioids as a viable option for pain relief. Throughout the rest of the book, Quinones explains the shift from doctors never prescribing opiates to prescription opiates being used to treat any sort of pain: chronic back pain, arthritis, severe headaches, etc.
On January 16, 1920, the 18th amendment was passed stating alcohol was illegal creating multiple problems in the United States. Although Prohibition seemed like a good idea at first, representing good health and morality, prohibition soon led to organized crime and gangs. Speakeasies, run by gangs and bootleggers, sold illegal and home-made alcohol. Bootleggers, getting their names from people soring alcohol in false legs, would run bars or taverns hidden from police. Organized crime grew and the gangs fought for control and kept their secrets by conquering any threats.
Prior to doing the readings and watching the in-class videos, my general stance on hallucinogens was that they should definitely be legally prohibited. My stance on this issue was formed out of my own perceptions on what I thought of them and not really based on any real reasonable information on the subject. However, after the readings and watching the videos I find myself more educated on the subject, I now find myself questioning my previous position. My understanding of what I thought of hallucinogens was based on highly subjective views, on being stereotypical, and like the Spanish, I viewed them as evil drugs in way. However, now that I’ve been exposed to the religious and exploratory side I find myself with mix feeling and on board with both views.
Restrictions and the Prohibition became a thing and many people in the late 19th and early 20th century were questioning the objections to non-medical usage and it soon became a hot debate. Drugs were used for everyday use within industrial workers and laborers. Drugs today are either known as Licit or Illicit ones because we know which ones are actually okay to use in everyday life and then the ones that hurt people. Caffeine is used today worldwide, and it is legal, but only some of the drugs are this way. We still have the illicit drugs that will always be that way such as cocaine and meth.
In this modern society, people can find a knowledge online easily. However, there is much useful and harmful information that could influence our behavior, and drug sales on the Internet will be a serious problem in the community. Even though the sales and prescriptions of drugs online are prohibited in the United States, there are many people still warp drugs like a normal herb to sale via the Internet. Also, some countries are loose in this drug selling and then many smart druggies cross over the countries to buy and sell the drug. Therefore, a drug usage has got a serious attention recently, especially bath salts drugs.
The legalization of drugs has been at the center of interminable debate. Drugs have widely been perceived as a dominant threat to the moral fabric of society. Drug use has been attributed as the source responsible for a myriad of key issues. For instance, it is believed that drugs have exacerbated the already weak status of mental health in the United States in which some individuals suffering from mental illness administer illicit substances such as heroin or cocaine in an attempt to self-medicate. Moreover, drugs are blamed for turning auspicious members of the community into worthless degenerates.
Drug is a natural or synthetic substance which taken into a living body and affects its functioning or structure. It used in the diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of a disease or relief of discomfort. Drug also defined as a legal or medicinal drug such as amphetamines, however, can be harmful and addictive if misused. The occurrence of drug abuse is the pressure of the problems such as personal issues, family and work.
When Chinese leader Shen Nung discovered Cannabis in 2727 B.C. he began to use it in rope, clothing, fiber, and even paper. Seeds were also grown to help feed animals and some chinese communities used oils for paint, but what Shen Nung did not know was that it would later become a problem world wide. Marijuana grows wild throughout many tropical and humid parts of the world. However, present day Cannabis is used depending on your State, for recreational use and for medical uses worldwide, but the question always is should we be able to use it medically or not. Medical Marijuana has its argumentative pros, but I believe the cons overweigh thoroughly through research and court cases.
According to Michael Klein, “The most prescription drugs that are commonly misused are opioids, tranquillizers, sedatives, and hypnotics.” Unintentional overdose deaths involving opioid pain relievers have quadrupled since 1999 and have outnumbered those involving heroin and cocaine since 2002. (Klein). The reason some people abuse opioids is just to “get high”.
Drugs are the dangerous substances that will destroy the consumer both physically and mentally; therefore, it is necessary to determine these substances restrictively. In order to do that, I am strongly assuring that the drugs should be legalized. There are three main reasons why the drugs should be legalized: diminution of crime rates, health guarantee, and extending of drugs regulation. Drugs are one of the crime sources, although not by the drugs, itself, but the condition. Illegal drugs are rare products that could not be found in the normal market, the cost for its rarity is totally expensive.
Drugs are substances that trigger temporary changes in the body which may result in such a pleasurable and relaxing effect. Some of the types can slow down the nervous system’s action, while other types can have the exact opposite effect; spurring the nervous system into rapid action. Drugs are connected to cravings or addiction since a person’s body starts yearning for drugs after he or she has taken it for a while. Drugs affect consciousness significantly! They may cause people to hear or see things that aren’t real (hallucinations), experiencing mood swings, or may even distort people’s perceptions.
The United States government has an approved list of drugs that are considered legal and illegal that create adverse side effects and hold diverse political views. Marijuana is one of the drug substances that has received a lot of notoriety in the public domain. Marijuana has causes a lot of controversial debate that has it attracted over it use. Marijuana is even referred to in today’s media mainstream sources that then youth enjoy like music, movies, and TV shows, do not even bother to leave the drug out of their system. Today marijuana is commonly used by the youth
Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States and is said to be a “gateway” to other drugs. A gateway drug is defined as, a habit-forming drug that, while not itself is addictive, may lead to the use of other addictive drugs. Although Robert L. DuPont, president of the Institute for Behavior and Health and the first director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, believes that marijuana has been proven to be a gateway drug because "people who are addicted to marijuana are three times more likely to be addicted to heroin," the reality is that this is correlation at best. While some are convinced marijuana is a gateway drug, others believe that it is not.” Many people assume marijuana is a gateway drug because it is
There is much debate on the issue of recreational drug use. Some argue it harms the user, therefore, is wrong. Others maintain that recreational drug use inspired artistic expression in some, religious awakening, and a general feeling of pleasure and positive attitude in others. Timothy Hsiao argues that recreational drug use is immoral because it impairs cognitive abilities and the state based on this fact has an obligation to enact legal restriction to safeguard that people actually exercise their freedom.
Cons of Legalizing Recreational Marijuana Marijuana legalization, for whatever reason, has been a topic of heated debate for years now. Different people express different opinions about why or why not it should be legalized for recreational use. The American FDA categorizes marijuana as a Schedule I drug meaning that its benefits are not guaranteed as many people claim. Although the drug has been said to contain medical benefits, the reality is that further research on how and when to use it is needed. Different states have legalized the use of Marijuana for medical reasons.
