DRUGS IN AMERICAN SOICETY

Drugs in American Soicety

Drugs in American Soicety

Introduction

In many respects? drug problems in this country are getting better. The percentage of the estimated teenagers with drugs has been quite stable since the late 1990s. Most use marijuana for a few months and then stop. Compared to the 1980s? fewer marijuana users go on to use harder drugs? such as cocaine and methamphetamines? and the numbers of users with serious cocaine and heroin problems has been slowly declining for about a decade. Even methamphetamine use? which has been increasing in some parts of the country—and is more of a problem than cocaine in a few major cities such as Los Angeles—appears to have peaked. Ecstasy use has stabilized? and most users quit after a few episodes. (Glavas 2006)

The circumstances are more mixed when we talk about the cost of drug use. On the plus side? drug-related crime has declined substantially? particularly violent crime. On the negative side? intravenous drug users continue to account for a large share of new AIDS cases? and some health indicators? such as the number of drug-related admissions to emergency rooms and drug-related deaths? continue to rise? even quite sharply. This almost certainly shows the aging of the population of usual cocaine and heroin users; older users are in not as good as health and more likely to experience problems any time they take these drugs. (Glavas 2006)

Treatment Or Prevention Program

American drug policy is characterized by a commitment to tough law enforcement? at the local? state? and federal levels. Whereas in 1980? on any given day? fewer than 50?000 individuals were incarcerated in local? state? or federal prisons for drug offenses? by 2003 there were about 450?000 behind bars.

But it is very hard to see evidence that this hardiness has made a main dissimilarity. Cocaine and heroin are no harder to obtain than they used to be? and their prices have fallen for twenty-five years: a pure gram of cocaine that cost $500 in 1980 now costs probably only $100 (in constant dollars). (Linda 2008)

In fact? drug use is an epidemic phenomenon. When a new drug becomes available? its pleasures are conspicuous at first? while its bad effects only become prominent at a later time—when would-be users can see what happens to people who use the drugs frequently over a longer period of time. Perhaps tough enforcement accelerated the process? but there is no evidence to support this hypothesis. (Linda 2008)

Interview with a Professional

An Interview was conducted with Mr. Peter Reuter? who is a coauthor of An Analytic Assessment of U.S. Drug Policy.

(1) What is the primary function of the program?

A program of frequent testing and graduated sanctions would make a major difference to the extent of their drug use and related crime. Even the danger of sanctions itself creates many to restrict. Though the idea has received some political support? it has never been implemented on a large scale.

(2) Who are the clients served?

Most people who start using illicit drugs—even most of those who ...