Chapter 3 breaks down the negative consequences associated with the abuse of alcohol and drugs in society. “Substance abuse, the nation’s number one preventable health problem, places an enormous burden on American society…” (Linda A. Mooney 64), a statement from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation directly shines a light on the abuse of alcohol and drugs. This paper will briefly summarize the chapter.…
Substance abuse and dependency persist as a major health and social concern in America. Author Joseph A. Califano, a former secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare notes, “it is hard to find an American family or circle of friends that substance abuse has not touched directly (Califano, J. A., p. 1, 2008).” Califano further explains that although Americans are 4 percent of the world’s population, Americans consume 65 percent of the world’s illegal drugs. Furthermore, one in four Americans will have an alcohol or drug disorder at some point in his or her life. Most of these individuals have parents, children, siblings, friends, community and colleagues who will “undergo psychological and social harm" (Califano, J. A., p. 1, 2008.).” Authors…
20 percent of all hospitals costs are nearly $1million of every $4 Medicare spends on impatient care is dealing with substance abuse. More than half of the individuals in state prison/jails have illegal used drugs regularly. The economic burden of drug addicts in the U.S. is two times more effective than any other disease affecting the brain which can include Parkinson’s which is an untreatable nervous disorder and Alzheimer’ which affects the memory and causes patients to have a sense of dementia. The use of drugs can vary from inhalants, ingestion, needles and many more. Several of the most costly health care problems are the result of substance abuse. Included are lung disease from smoking, HIV/AIDS which can transfer from the use of needles, etc. Tobacco use results in a staggering number of 430,700 deaths, and alcohol abuse causes 100,000 deaths…
Ray, O., & Ksir, C. (2002). Drugs, Society, and Human Behavior. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies.…
There is never a simple solution to the complex problem of alcohol within any ethnicity and this toxic relationship is ever present in many Native American communities. Both governmental agencies and non-for-profit organizations have attempted to establish policies to control and restrict alcohol use and end the cycle of alcohol abuse. Policies targeting a possible tax on alcohol, limited availability, and social factors have been proposed and implemented in order to curb alcohol use. One hypothesis stated that taxation or higher prices of alcohol may discourage and reduce problem drinking. This economic regulation of…
For over a century, America has waged a failing war on drugs even as it feeds a cultural apathetic and underground acceptance of drug and alcohol use. The views of the dominate group have placed blame on society’s ills on the evils of rampant drug use throughout the past few hundred years, which have given way to a practice of outlawing , persecution, and imprisonment. Such a view has led to the overflow of our state’s prisons, the race to build even more, and need to fund a culture of imprisonment that has a difficult time in trying to figure out if it wants to help the addicted person, or continue to try and fund a gluttonous prison machine. We will look at some of the causes for the failed war on drugs, and some of the consequences if our society continues to ignore the need to help the addict, or simply lock them away.…
Discuss the various ways in which drug and alcohol abuse affect quality of life. Be sure to include physical, mental, social, and economic effects.…
The total expenditure for treatment of substance abuse in the United States was $11.9 billion in 1997. This number does not reflect the costs not directly related to treatment, such as the impact of substance abuse on developing children, productivity, ability to hold a job and earn income, costs due to drug-related crimes, or housing, and other accommodation subsidies.…
In 2005, 19.7 million Americans over the age of 12 reported they were current illicit drug users. Nearly 18 million Americans are alcoholics. Globally, more than 76 million individuals have diagnosable drinking problems and about 15 million people have drug use disorders. Drug and alcohol abuse affects not the only the user, but also his or her family and friends, workplace, school, neighbors and community. In chapter 12 of “ Social Problems, Community, Policy and Social Actions,” by Anna –Leon Guerrero, the topic of drug and alcohol abuse is discussed.…
Throughout American history you can depict that individuals have been propelled by their peers as well as circumstances to use drugs/alcohol and commit crimes which the outcome has been a downward spiral in the American economy. We can see this in the higher poverty percentage and the lowering of the American dollar. However this downward spiral doesn’t mean the American people can’t take a positive turn and stop the abuse of drug/alcohol. Over time there have been new laws in placed not only to put drug/alcohol users behind bars but to get them the help they need. The new laws that have been emplaced to help drug/alcohol user is a good step but there needs to be more. Changing the media coverage involving drug/alcohol abuse from the well-known positive perspective to a negative one would be a good step forward. Unlike when looking through history where it shows the negative impacts of drug/alcohol abuse and the negative toll this habit has taken on the American people. Even though history shows the negative impacts of drug\alcohol abuse doesn’t necessarily mean that we shouldn’t raise more awareness of the negative impacts and what direction the continued drug/alcohol abuse is leading the American people toward.…
Your risk of getting into a car crash, a physical fight, or sustaining an injury is increased…
Hospitalization always cost a lot of money, not only to the individuals but also the governments’ budget on healthcare. Among many kinds of drugs, heroin is one the most common known drugs that can lead to death. Numbers of death caused by heroin overdose cases have been increased times within the last decade. Although heroin has been a big issue over the decades, it still is prevented and treated with the involvement of the states. The states can tackle the issue with heroin by increasing the access to Naloxone, which is a drug that can reverse the overdose from an opioid. Through the video and readings, I learned about drug and underage drinking’s consequences and…
Alcohol abuse is due to many factors, including how you were raised, your social environment and your emotional health.…
Throughout history, a great many people and institutions have tried to help alcoholics and addicts. Currently, there are thousands of different programs in the United States trying to help those people who have a social or personal problem with drugs or alcohol. Yet, the success rate for these programs is extraordinarily low considering the effort and investment made.…
3) University of Notre Dame, Office of alcohol and drug education, Your Body and Alcohol; nd.edu, 2003.…