Transcript Chapter 11
Deviance 10e Alex Thio Chapter Eleven: Drug Use This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law: • any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network; • preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images; • any rental, lease, or lending of the program. “ Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010 Introduction Many people assume that drugs are dangerous simply because they are illegal Actually, the nature of drugs has little to do with illegality, because many legal drugs can be dangerous “ Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010 Drug Use in Perspective Aggregate (combined) harm of legal drugs is much greater than harm of illegal drugs Two legal drugs, alcohol and tobacco, kill at least 60 times as many Americans annually as do all the illegal drugs combined “ Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010 Illegal Drugs: Their Effects and Users 1. 2. 3. Categories of drugs: Stimulants: stimulate the central nervous system Depressants: reduce the activity of the nervous system Hallucinogens (sometimes called psychedelics): disturb the nervous system and distort the user's perception of reality “ Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010 Illegal Drugs: Their Effects and Users – cont. Marijuana fits into all three categories Marijuana is most widely used illegal drug in U.S. Many argue that there are serious health hazards, short- and long-term, in smoking pot Others argue moderate use is less dangerous than alcohol or smoking “ Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010 Illegal Drugs: Their Effects and Users – cont. Heroin was first produced in 1898 as a painkiller Heroin is physically and psychologically addictive One study discovered most addicts seeks a balance between avoidance of withdrawal distress and euphoria, or a sense of normality and control “ Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010 Illegal Drugs: Their Effects and Users – cont. Cocaine comes from coca plants that are mostly grown in Columbia Crack is a less pure form of cocaine but it produces an intense high because users typically smoke rather than snort it “ Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010 Illegal Drugs: Their Effects and Users – cont. Meth (methamphetamine): an injectable stimulant also known as speed, crank of crystal; leads to suppression of appetite, euphoria and a burst of energy; negative side-effects include depression and paranoia Roofies (rohypnol), roach, rope or the forget pill: a depressant related to Valium but it’s 10 times stronger; it’s used in prescription form (and sold over the counter in 60 or more countries) to treat severe insomnia; now a common date rape drug Ecstasy (also known an X and the hug drug): alters moods, leads to feelings of happiness and connection with others and a new perspective on life; excessive doses may cause brain damage due to extreme overheating “ Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010 Social Dimensions of Drug Use 12% of persons 12 years and older use illicit drugs every year Serious drug problems are more prevalent in lower classes Today, young teens are using drugs more For America as a whole, drug use declined from 1980 to 1992 and has since remained steady “ Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010 Social Dimensions of Drug Use – cont. Intravenous injection of an illegal drug can spread HIV People who use illegal drugs generally commit more crime than those who do not Socioeconomic status is directly related to types of drugs used “ Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010 Becoming a Drug User 1. 2. 3. 4. Heroin and other drug users typically go through four stages in becoming involved with the drug: Experimentation Occasional use Habitual or regular use Futile efforts to break the habit “ Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010 A Social Profile of Illegal Drug Users Characteristics of most drug users: Males are considerably more likely to use drugs regularly and extremely more likely to use drugs heavily They are relatively young, especially those free from parental control and responsibilities They are likely to have parents who use legal drugs and friends who first gave them drugs They have likely skipped school more often and stayed home less often “ Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010 What Causes Illegal Drug Use? Biological theories: inborn predisposition to addiction Psychological theories: trace causes to specific personality traits such as low self-esteem Sociological theories: interpret drug use as stemming from social forces, such as drug subcultures or peer influence “ Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010 What Causes Illegal Drug Use? – cont. Economic deprivation theory: strong link between drug abuse and deprivation Cognitive association theory: addict's continuing interest in the drug has to do with its elimination of withdrawal distress, rather than its production of euphoria Multifactor theory: combines sociological and psychological factors “ Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010 The War on Drugs 1. 2. War on drugs consists of two basic strategies: Punitive - using law enforcement to stop the supply of drugs Supportive - using drug prevention and treatment to solve the drug problem “ Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010 Abusing Prescription Drugs, Particularly OxyContin More middle class people are abusing prescription drugs, especially painkillers OxyContin: Abuse has steadily increased over the past decade leading to widespread abuse and intensified regulation. Abused due to availability, the belief that it is safe, and the attractions that all drugs have for users “ Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010 Figure 11.2 Illicit Users of Prescription Drugs “ Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010 Smoking Cigarettes Smoking is a legal drug that is more prevalent and dangerous than illegal drugs 25% of Americans continue to smoke regularly Teenage smoking has increased recently “ Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010 A Global Perspective on Smoking While smoking has declined in the U.S. since 1960, it has increased in the developing countries, due to a lack of required warning and restrictive ads Women and youth smoking has increased around the world “ Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010