Drug Abuse In Inner Cities Research Paper
Tommy Hunn Dr. Miss RH 101
8 November 2014
Drug Abuse in Inner Cities
Inner-city areas have become the primary location for minorities, and the easiest place to find illegal drugs. Evidence shows that there is a link between the increase of illegal drug use, and the increase of minorities living in inner-city communities that are unemployed or collect welfare. Bruce D. Johnson states “Drug Abuse in the Inner City: Impact on Hard-Drug Users and the Community” and “Illicit drug use in the inner city expanded rapidly in the 1960s and has continued unabated into the 1990s” (9). Johnson also writes “During the period 1960-80, the number of persons living in communities primarily occupied by low-income (including welfare and unemployed) blacks …show more content…
Drug abusers lead to the organization of illegal drug distributors that commit violent crimes in order to satisfy their greed; they also take part in activities that negatively affect themselves and their loved ones. Drugs can affect relationships, mental and physical health, and sometimes lead to very serious crimes. In fact, peer-pressure has a huge effect on decision making within a group of friends. In the article “Interactive and Higher-Order Effects of Social Influences on Drug Use” Alan W. Stacy writes “Social influences may show not only linear or interactive effects on drug use, but in some instances may show an accelerated (concave upward) effect on behavior as social pressure to use drugs is increased”. (229) This quote states that an individual’s environment and the people around them can increase the possibility to use drugs; leading us to believe that minorities in the inner-cities, living in highly-populated communities, have a greater chance to be socially influenced to drug …show more content…
Studies have been done to see if drug use relates to any specific disease. Johnson writes “the studies strongly suggest that heroin abusers constitute a substantial portion of all reported cases of the following conditions: hepatitis B, endocarditis, pneumonia, and trauma from assault”. (50) Johnson provides is evidence that those who abuse the drug heroin have a greater chance of being diagnosed with hepatitis B, endocarditis, pneumonia, and trauma from assault. Not only can drug abuse lead to poor-health and diseases that can be life threatening, it also can lead to drug related homicides. Johnson states that “In New York City, estimates of the proportion of homicides which were “drug related” have increased from about 24 percent in 1984 to about 56 percent in 1988”. (51) Johnson reveals that in just four years the increase in the use of drugs has also increased in the amount of drug related homicides. The “psychopharmacological” variety, homicides that occurred when an individual was heavily intoxicated by alcohol or heroin or while experiencing paranoia from a large dose of cocaine, was the most common of all homicides in New York City, which took place in twenty-five percent of homicides. (51) The abuse of illegal drugs can lead to
8 November 2014
Drug Abuse in Inner Cities
Inner-city areas have become the primary location for minorities, and the easiest place to find illegal drugs. Evidence shows that there is a link between the increase of illegal drug use, and the increase of minorities living in inner-city communities that are unemployed or collect welfare. Bruce D. Johnson states “Drug Abuse in the Inner City: Impact on Hard-Drug Users and the Community” and “Illicit drug use in the inner city expanded rapidly in the 1960s and has continued unabated into the 1990s” (9). Johnson also writes “During the period 1960-80, the number of persons living in communities primarily occupied by low-income (including welfare and unemployed) blacks …show more content…
Drug abusers lead to the organization of illegal drug distributors that commit violent crimes in order to satisfy their greed; they also take part in activities that negatively affect themselves and their loved ones. Drugs can affect relationships, mental and physical health, and sometimes lead to very serious crimes. In fact, peer-pressure has a huge effect on decision making within a group of friends. In the article “Interactive and Higher-Order Effects of Social Influences on Drug Use” Alan W. Stacy writes “Social influences may show not only linear or interactive effects on drug use, but in some instances may show an accelerated (concave upward) effect on behavior as social pressure to use drugs is increased”. (229) This quote states that an individual’s environment and the people around them can increase the possibility to use drugs; leading us to believe that minorities in the inner-cities, living in highly-populated communities, have a greater chance to be socially influenced to drug …show more content…
Studies have been done to see if drug use relates to any specific disease. Johnson writes “the studies strongly suggest that heroin abusers constitute a substantial portion of all reported cases of the following conditions: hepatitis B, endocarditis, pneumonia, and trauma from assault”. (50) Johnson provides is evidence that those who abuse the drug heroin have a greater chance of being diagnosed with hepatitis B, endocarditis, pneumonia, and trauma from assault. Not only can drug abuse lead to poor-health and diseases that can be life threatening, it also can lead to drug related homicides. Johnson states that “In New York City, estimates of the proportion of homicides which were “drug related” have increased from about 24 percent in 1984 to about 56 percent in 1988”. (51) Johnson reveals that in just four years the increase in the use of drugs has also increased in the amount of drug related homicides. The “psychopharmacological” variety, homicides that occurred when an individual was heavily intoxicated by alcohol or heroin or while experiencing paranoia from a large dose of cocaine, was the most common of all homicides in New York City, which took place in twenty-five percent of homicides. (51) The abuse of illegal drugs can lead to