Rising Use Of Addictive Drugs example essay topic

In recent years, the rising use of addictive drugs has become one of the biggest social problems menacing certain countries. The illicit use of a variety of drugs appears to be increasing. Generally, a drug can be a substance, other than those required for the maintenance of normal health, which by its chemical nature alters the structure or function of a living organism. In this essay, drugs are more appropriate defined as psychoactive drugs such as ecstasy and cannabis, which lead to the influence of the central nervous system in mood, thought and behaviour. In addition, drugs can be classified into three categories!

V depressants, stimulants and hallucinogens (McGill, 2002, 78). It is widely believed that taking drugs can lead to harmful consequences on the individual and society. Therefore, this essay is concentrated on explaining the physical and psychological effects on individuals and the social impacts on society. Despite the belief that the perceived benefits outweigh the negatives, the negligence of the harmful consequences and dangers of drug taking results from the little or no drugs! | knowledge among the drug takers. The truth is taking drugs may bring physical and psychological effects on individuals. Taking ecstasy as an example, also known as MethyleneDioxyMethAmphetamine, is a drug made with Lysergic Acid Diethyl amide and amphetamines.

The effects of ecstasy begin about thirty minutes after use and may last for four hours (Hurwitz, 1992, 21). Owing to the new development of youth! SS club!" or! SSr ave!" culture, there is a rise of ecstasy use as recreational drugs among the young generation. Referring to National Drug Strategy, it explains that 40 per cent of the Australian population aged 14 or older has tried cannabis which is the most widely used illicit drug in Australia. This is followed by ecstasy which is the most frequently used amphetamines due to the substantial rise in the use and availability of amphetamine-type substances (1998, Internet).

Although the drug takers may experience positive changes in feelings and emotions, a high energy level and increasing confidence in the first few hours after taking ecstasy, there are harmful effects afterwards. According to Ecstasy Organization, it states that the short term effects of taking ecstasy include having dilated pupils, jaw clenching and teeth grinding, sweating, a rise in body temperature, heart rate and pulse and also resulted in confusion, hallucinations, perceptual disorders and panic attacks, depersonalization and de realisation as well as insomnia. At the same time, it also points out the long-term effects of ecstasy taking. The experience of increasing risks of liver and brain damage, the failure of kidney and cardiovascular system and the impairment consequent memory are most likely caused by ecstasy taking (1997, Internet). However, it can be argued that the ecstasy pills may contain a variety of substances instead, sometimes in dangerous combinations. Evidence from the Australian Federal Police, it claims that up to 80 per cent of all ecstasy tablets contain no MDMA at all (cited McGill, 2002, 93).

It can be said that the chance of intoxication and association of metal illness would be raised. Nevertheless, it can be seen that even more threatening is the tendency of participants to experiment with a variety of combination of drug used, sometimes including alcohol. This is known as poly drug use that defines by Australia Drug Foundation (2002, Internet). For example, in Netherlands, it is reported that apart from the use of ecstasy, taking cannabis (41 per cent), amphetamine (34 per cent), cocaine (7 per cent) are potentially part of poly drug use (Boat, et al., 2002,166).

This will often result in adverse or any unpredictable effects on individuals. Moreover, as National Drug Strategy mentions, the use of unsterile equipments for taking or injecting the drugs leaves the user more open to catching diseases such as Hepatitis B and C or Human Immunodeficiency Virus (1990, Internet). It is no doubt that the serious problem of excessive and continued use of drugs may fall into fatal consequences. It is considered to be! yen acute! | death, which is when death occurs as an immediate consequence of the use of illegal substances or the misuse or abuse of licit drugs. Typically such deaths will be from poisoning or overdose.

For instance, according to European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, it is recorded that the overall numbers of drug-related poisoning in England and Wales rose steadily from 2252 in 1993 to 2943 in 1999 (2002, Internet). Hence, it is still an incontrovertible fact that taking drugs is more associated with addiction, however with a general deterioration of health and personality which is inimical to one's life and future. On the other hand, there is no denying that the drug effects may extend beyond the individual to include social and economic impacts on society. Firstly, there is a possibility that drugs related to crime through the influence of drugs on the user's behaviour, by generating violence and other illegal activity in connection with drug trafficking. According to the World Drug Report 2000, it records that cannabis is the most widely consumed illegal substance worldwide which 96 per cent of all countries reporting a drug-related problem (United Nations Office on Drug and Crime, 2000, Internet).

Evidence from Bureau of Justice Statistics exemplifies an estimation of 24.4 per cent of the States prison inmates caused by the commitment of burglary and larceny, 14 per cent of the commitment of possession and trafficking, 11.5 per cent of the commitment of homicide, robbery and assault, and about 3.3 per cent of the commitment of public-order offences in 1999 (cited U.S. Department of Justice, 1999, Internet). Secondly, it is quite clear that social costs may impose on others like family, friends and work colleagues. The simplest would be marital status, with focus on divorce and separations after drug use and thus jeopardizing the future of children, deterioration of relationship with other relatives and friends and yet loss of business productivity and work performance. For instance, Bureau of Justice Statistics notes that about 19 per cent of the States drug offenders have arguments with family, friends, and spouse while under the influence of drugs and 3 per cent result in loss of employment after drug use (cited U.S. Department of Justice, 1999, Internet).

Apart from the social costs and impacts on the society, there is a growing concern for another possible detrimental effect on the society, such as the economic costs associated with harmful drug use. It is including prevention, treatment, loss of productivity in the workplace, property crime, law enforcement activities and social welfare. As a recent study by National Institute on Drug Abuse announces, an estimation of ninety-eight billion dollars was due to drug abuse in United States in 1995. More than half of the estimated costs of drug abuse were associated with drug-related crime. These costs included lost productivity of victims and incarcerated perpetrators of drug- related crimes (20.4 percent), lost legitimate production due to drug-related crime careers (19.7 percent), and other costs of drug-related crimes, including Federal drug traffic control, property damage, and police, legal, and corrections services (18.4 percent). Most of the remaining costs resulted from premature deaths (14.9 percent), lost productivity due to drug-related illness (14.5 percent), and healthcare expenditures (10.2 percent) (1995, Internet).

Thus, in summary, although drugs such as ecstasy and cannabis may bring positive changes in feelings and emotions and a rise in energy level, it is no denying that the long-term negative physical and psychological effects outweigh the benefits on individuals. Likewise, it may still be suggested that the use of drug may also have social impacts such as increase in crime rate, family and work problems as well as economic costs on society. Drug abuse has detrimental effects on both individuals and society that has no sure end but tragedy. It is a dilemma that cannot be neglected. Future and current societies and governments must work to address to it, otherwise it will spread like a disease.