Goldberg Chapter 2

SOC 204 Drugs & SocietyChapter 2 Drugs in Contemporary Society

How does drug use cost society?

Your thoughts:

Consequences for SocietyDeathsEmergency room visitsDrugs in the workplace and lost productivityBroken homes, illnesses, shorter lives, etc.Cost of maintaining habitCost of criminal behaviorCost of treating patientsFetal alcohol syndromeBlood borne illnesses

How was your weekend?

A. Awesome!

B. Okay

C. Too much homework

D. Don’t ask

Awesome!

Okay

Too much

homework

Don’t as

k

54%

0%4%

42%

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/09/24/anheuser-busch-budweiser-advertising-puppy-dogs-drive-responsibly/16163299/

Getting Information on Drug UseSurveysHospital reportsPolice reports

Can show trends over time

What’s missing?

Extent of Drug Use

National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2010) 22.6 million Americans used illicit drugs 7 million used psychotherapeutic drugs non-medically 1.5 million were current cocaine users 28.8 million drove a car under the influence of alcohol 695,000 Ecstasy users, and 353,000 meth users 16.3% of pregnant women smoked cigarettes 2.5 million received substance abuse treatment for alcohol 69.6 million Americans smoked cigarettes

Have you used marijuana in the last 30 days? ANONYMOUS

A. Yes

B. No

YesNo

58%

42%

Have you had 5 or more drinks in one sitting in the last 30 days? ANONYMOUS

A. Yes

B. No

YesNo

46%54%

Have you used non-prescribed narcotics in the last 30 days? ANONYMOUS

A. Yes

B. No

YesNo

96%

4%

Drug Abuse Warning Network DAWN is a reporting system that

collects information on the number of times drugs are implicated in both non-lethal and lethal visits to emergency rooms

Illicit drugs were responsible for the most emergency room visits, followed by pharmaceutical drugs

Data reflect acute drug problems, not chronic drug use

DAWN gives information on:

A. The number of people jailed for drug offenses

B. The number of times drugs are implicated in emergency room visits

C. The number of people who admit drug use to their doctors

The number of p

eople jail..

The number of ti

mes dru

..

The number of p

eople w..

4% 4%

92%

Changing Attitudes

What made the government change from the laissez-faire attitude of the 1800s to one of control?ToxicityDependenceCrime

Society’s perception of drugs:

Influenced by social and psychological factors

Illegal drugs are condemned more than legal drugs

What do you think about government regulation of drug use?

A. The government should be more involved

B. The government should be less involved

C. Our government is doing a good job currently

The government s

hould ..

The government s

hould b...

Our gove

rnment i

s doing..

38%

27%

35%

ToxicityPhysical toxicity:

Danger to the body as a result of taking the drug

Behavioral toxicity: Drug interferes with one’s ability to function

Acute toxicity: Danger from a single experience with a drug

Chronic toxicity: Danger posed by repeated exposure to the drug

Driving while drunk is an example of:

A. Acute physical toxicity

B. Chronic physical toxicity

C. Acute behavioral toxicity

D. Chronic behavioral toxicity

Acute

physical to

xicity

Chronic

physical to

xicity

Acute

behavioral to

xicity

Chronic

behavioral to

xicity

12% 8%

73%

8%

Cirrhosis of the liver is an example of:

A. Acute physical toxicity

B. Chronic physical toxicity

C. Acute behavioral toxicity

D. Chronic behavioral toxicity

Acute

physical to

xicity

Chronic

physical to

xicity

Acute

behavioral to

xicity

Chronic

behavioral to

xicity

4% 8%4%

85%

Patterns of Use Experimental Use

Infrequent use motivated by curiosity Social-Recreational Use

Taking drugs to share pleasurable experiences among friends

Circumstantial-Situational Use Short-term use to contend with immediate distress or pressure

Patterns of Use Intensified Use

Taking drugs on a steady basis to relieve a problem

Chronic Use Indicates some extent of physical or psychological dependence

Compulsive Use Acquiring and consuming drugs is the main focus of life

Changing View on DependenceEarly medical model

true addiction involves physical dependence; key is treatment of withdrawal symptoms

Positive reinforcement model drugs can reinforce behavior without physical

dependence

Psychological dependence is increasingly viewed as the driving force behind repeated drug use This refutes the sometimes common belief that

drugs that aren’t as strongly physically addicting are less dangerous

What do you think causes “addiction”?

A. Genetics

B. Biology

C. Environment (family/peer)

D. Weak personality

E. Properties of the drug itself

Genetics

Biology

Environment (

family/p

eer)

Weak

personality

Properti

es of t

he drug i

tself

16%12%

48%

4%

20%

Substance Use Disorder DSM-5 Substance use disorders span a wide variety of problems

arising from substance use, and cover 11 different criteria:

1. Taking the substance in larger amounts or for longer than you meant to

2. Wanting to cut down or stop using the substance but not managing to

3. Spending a lot of time getting, using, or recovering from use of the substance

4. Cravings and urges to use the substance (psychological dependence)

5. Not managing to do what you should at work, home or school, because of substance use

6. Continuing to use, even when it causes problems in relationships

7. Giving up important social, occupational or recreational activities because of substance use

8. Using substances again and again, even when it puts you in danger

9. Continuing to use, even when the you know you have a physical or psychological problem that could have been caused or made worse by the substance

10. Needing more of the substance to get the effect you want (tolerance)

11. Development of withdrawal symptoms, which can be relieved by taking more of the substance. (physical dependence)

Happy Tuesday!What’s your favorite food?

A. Burgers & Fries

B. Steak & Lobster

C. Mexican

D. Chinese

E. Italian

F. Thai

G. Chocolate

Burgers & Frie

s

Steak & Lo

bster

Mexic

an

ChineseIta

lian

Thai

Chocolate

9%

22%

13%

0%

4%

22%

30%

Impacts of Drug UseFamily stabilitySocial behaviorEducation and career aspirations

Personal and social maturation

CORRELATION DOES NOT EQUAL CAUSATION!

REMEMBER:

A correlate is:

A. A variable that causes something

B. A thing you keep horses in

C. A variable that is associated with something

A variable th

at ca

uses s

...

A thing you ke

ep horses i

n

A variable th

at is

asso

cia...

13%

88%

0%

Family

Association between drug use and the likelihood that a couple will separate or divorce

Women subjected to violence have higher rates of alcohol dependence and other drug abuse problems

Family interventions into adolescent alcohol use reduce the initiation and frequency of alcohol use

Marijuana use by young Black males is significantly reduced when both parents are present

Family Parental substance abuse is a

factor for 1/3 to 2/3 of all children involved with the child welfare system

Substance abuse is a factor in many cases of child abuse and domestic abuse

Alcohol use is associated with the perpetration of sexual aggression, especially toward boys **

Which of the following is not associated with drug use in the family

A. Increased violence

B. Higher divorce rates

C. Low IQ

Increase

d violence

Higher divorce

rates

Low IQ

0%

100%

0%

Social Behavior

Drug users display more independence, rebelliousness, acceptance of deviant behavior, and rejection of moral and social norms than nonusers

Children of parents who use drugs are more likely to engage in delinquent behaviors

Stimulants such as methamphetamines and cocaine are associated with violence, while marijuana and heroin are more likely to produce a passive response

Social BehaviorAlcohol is the drug involved with the most violent

incidents

The level of aggression associated with alcohol is dose related

Binge drinking is associated with unsafe sex and violence, and with nonconsensual sex

Most cases of dating violence occurred in the South, and in many instances, involved alcohol **

Drug users show higher levels of acceptance of deviant behavior

A. True

B. False

True

False

16%

84%

Alcohol is associated with

100%

0%

0%

0%

0% A. Higher level of violent incidents

B. Dating violence

C. Unsafe sex

D. Nonconsensual sex

E. All of the above

EducationThere is a higher dropout rate from school for

those who used alcohol, illicit drugs, and cigarettes

There is a relationship between academic performance and drug use

Drug use is assumed to be a predictor of welfare dependency

Higher Education Act of 1965: College students who are convicted of a drug offense are denied federal financial aid

Do you feel that the regulations about financial aid and drug convictions are fair?

4%

29%

33%

33% A. Yes

B. No

C. Sometimes

D. I’m undecided

EmploymentEmployed drug users have less stable job histories

than nonusers

Alcohol abusers earn significantly less money than moderate drinkers and abstainers

Drug use is associated with higher accident rates on the job and lower productivity

Drugs in the Workplace Substance abuse in the workplace results in:

Lessened productivity Increased accidents, absenteeism, and health care costs

Highest rates of drug use are food service workers and construction workers – identifying drug problems in top-level managers is more difficult

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) help workers deal with problems that affect job performance, including alcohol or drug problems

Effects of drug use by pregnant womenWomen whose babies

test positive for drugs such as cocaine are subject to losing custody of their children

Risks to the baby: Low birth weight Premature birth Miscarriage Birth defects Difficulty bonding Learning disabilities

Drug Testing In 2011, the federal government earmarked $283.1 million for

drug-related activities in schools

Random workplace drug testing has effectively identified frequent users of illicit drugs

In many jurisdictions, physicians are required to report women who use drugs during pregnancy or infants who test positive for drug use by their mothers

Types of Drug Testing Immunoassay is fast and less expensive than other methods

but may give false positive readings

Gas chromatography is more expensive and time-consuming than other methods

Thin-layer chromatography is simple and inexpensive, but requires expert interpretation

Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry is highly sensitive, but is time-consuming and expensive

http://www.aafp.org/afp/2010/0301/p635.html

Problems with Drug Testing False positive

A person tests positive for a drug even though no drug is present in the person’s urine

False negative A person tests negative even though drugs are present in the

person’s urine

Legality of Drug Testing

Debated in two cases before the U.S. Supreme Court: Skinner v. Railway

Labor Executive Association

National Treasury Employees Union v. von Raab

In both cases, the Supreme Court ruled that the testing program was justified http://

www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/free-books/employee-rights-book/chapter5-3.html

How is drug use related to crime?

Intoxication causes behavior and personality change

Crimes may be committed while intoxicatedDrug use/possession is a crimeCrimes to fund cost of drug useSociety tries to protect itself through regulationCurrent laws may not be part of a logical plan,

ineffective or unrealistic

Crime: Drug Business Drug trade is a big business with no signs of slowing down

Tactics for stopping drug flow into the US – military force, reducing aid to drug-producing countries, and promoting crop substitution – are ineffective

Results in thousands needing medical care for drug overdoses, and has an economic impact on the criminal justice system and environment

Crime: Drug Business Colombia is the leading producer of cocaine

In Laos, Burma, and Thailand, opium production has largely been replaced by methamphetamines

In addition to domestic production, marijuana is grown in Asia, the Caribbean, and Mexico – Colombia is the largest exporter

US National Drug Control Budget

Crime: Drug Enforcement• The narcotics trade is

tremendously profitable

• Even after billions of dollars were spent on curbing drug production, coca growth in Colombia rose 27%

• Preventing drugs from entering the United States or reducing the amount of drugs grown in the country is a matter of demand, not supply

How should we deal with drug problems?

22%

13%

4%

35%

13%

13% A. Legalize drugs

B. Stop drugs at borders

C. Reduce demand (treatment/education)

D. Prevent production in other countries

E. End the “War on Drugs”

F. I’m not sure

How should we deal with drug problems?