Drug_Use_in_the_United_States

Drug Abuse in the United States Richard Coward COM/220 September, 17, 2011 Dr. Pat Dobbs Most think that drugs are the root of all evils of today’s societies as some would say. Others say that law enforcement spends too much money and time on the lesser drug Marijuana, not the person who has twenty pounds of the drug, but the smaller user. Most would say that drugs of any kind are bad and should be eliminated as well as those who would use them. Drugs are a very difficult subject to talk about and some people are very uncomfortable speaking about it. An estimated 20.4 million age 12 or older were illicit drug users. (Recovery Network 2007). This should tell any free thinking person that how many people are trying or regular users of illicit drugs. This suggests that out of ten people three are drug users of some type. The new drug of choice is prescription pills and this kind of use is growing at an alarming rate. These drugs are not only being used at a high rate, but also there is a high demand for these pills from Paxil to Hydorcodone. These kinds of prescription drugs are being sold on the streets for ten times their original value. This has a great deal of young adults buying and selling these pills on the streets and also partying while drinking alcohol. There also has been a great number of people who go to the emergency room and fain illness to get these drugs, even though there is nothing wrong with them. Often these type of people are called “med seekers” and most doctors and nurses can spot these people a long way off. These prescription drugs are fast becoming the most often abused drugs in the United States. The most commonly abused drug, besides alcohol, is Marijuana and the second most commonly abused substance is prescription drugs. (2011 Michaels House). This particular site has numerous facts and statistical information for anyone who wishes to find the truth about the type’s drugs that are being abused. These days have seen more drug abuse of all time and these days have so many types of drugs to abuse. Over the last twenty years, the use of prescription drugs taken by individuals for whom they are not legally prescribed for them has risen 500 percent. (2011 Michaels House). This observation is very interesting to see how a great number of people have taken up this prescription band wagon. Most can get these drugs from friends or family eiser that going to the doctor to get these drugs legally. Growing up the drugs that were popular were Marijuana, Cocaine and drinking; now the users of prescription drugs are the most popular. My wife works in an emergency room of a local hospital in the town that that we live in and she is constantly telling me stories about people, sometimes people that go there three or four times a week, seeking drugs complaining of a stomach ace or some type of pain that they need Hydorcodone or Oxycotten. These people that are called “med seekers” are given Tyonol 3 or Aspirin but they are always allergic or something to that effect. I have also heard of people selling their prescriptions to others for as much as 6 or 8 dollars a pill. Have you heard about these places called Pain Management and what these places do is prescribe these kinds of pills to control pain rather that find the cause of the pain and fix it. There are a growing number of prescription drug addicts in this country and the numbers are growing at an alarming rate. The buying and selling of these drugs can be a big business because if these prescription abusers cannot get these drugs from their doctor, then they turn to others to get them. 6.2 million American said they have abused prescription drugs in 2008 which is a decrease in abuse (2011MyAbuse.com). This is a government website that say in some of the statistics say that prescription has actually been reduced in the past few years. All of the research has been bleak and stating how prescription drug abuse has taking over as the number two drug of choice and this is why I thought that including this sites statics would lever the field. This graph shows how a user is more likely to tack on another drug if they are already an alcoholic this chart shows the great difference that are staggering. This graph is referenced at Parenting Teens.com. This chart shows how people that are alcohol dependent use these drugs almost ten times more than the general population. This shows that when you do one drug you are more likely to start or use in combination with another. I think that this is true and I have seen this first hand with other and this is the next part of the essay is about. Most young adults start off drinking or smoking a little marijuana at parties or somewhere they are not going to get caught. Then as these young adults get older they start drinking socially and these young adults get hooked on drinking and they need more so they turn to other drugs like Marijuana. This seems to be the way most get hooked on the drugs and most get worse or try harder drugs like Cocaine or Heroin. That’s why most call Alcohol and Marijuana the gateway drugs to other more hardcore drugs such as Crack. I think that most drug users get a certain resistance to their drug of choice and consequently they seek out something more. This behavior is what can send most over the edge or send them to an early grave when these users experiment or use more than one drug at a time. This brings up another issue with prescription drug use and alcohol abuse that the users do not think about is when the users drink and use prescription drugs at the same time, the users can overdose real easily. I think that some are alcoholics and start taking these prescriptions and can go overboard and risk their health. Statistics show that the drug of choice now days is prescription drugs such as Hydorcodone and pain relievers. These people who take these prescription drugs would also sell them to others for ten times their value. This pie chart shows how most people have tried these prescription drugs at least once in one year. There are a number of people who want to legalize Marijuana and others would argue that this would rein chaos on this country and all others. This seems to be a double edge sword for all and I think that’s why this is a hot issue for most governments. Some say that most are or have been involved in some kind of drugs in one form or another whether it is caffeine or crack. I think that the main issue, besides the legality is how the individual handles themselves and that is if a person does not have an addictive personality. If a person uses recreationally as opposed to one who uses and is high all the times, I further think that as with any substance there are those will test the waters and try to use the substance aging the actual way it is intended. Also when Coke a Cola first was introduced it had Cocaine in the drink for years until it was outlawed. I this pie graph it shows how more that 50 percent of the population have tried prescription drugs. It also visually how big the prescription drug problem is and also shows other drugs. This graph was referenced at Chestysoft.com. I have seen many of people and friends who have said that they can handle any drug be reduced to the equivalent of a street bum and also strip them to a thief to get that drug. This is why this is a hard subject for others to see how damaging this kind of activity can be not only to the user but to the family and all others connected to this person. I think when anyone wants to legalize any illegal drug; I think that the person should look at the statistics on this subject I think that drugs are a complicated subject because most people who are looking for something to get them high or just relive the tension of the day. Most drugs were intended for medicinal purposes. I have read articles that state prescription drugs are abused more than most illegal drugs. This is a sign of the times and I think that this subject should be talked out rather than avoided. I personally think that in my experience that some people like the way drugs affect them and strive to get to that state whenever they can, and others do not understand this concept. The others get to a point, with drugs that it consumes their lives and they will do and say anything to get. This will usually get the user put in jail or prison. I think in closing this is a subject that needs attention simply because the way it is being handled is not the answer to the existing problem. I have seen personally seen in friends nine out of ten do some type of drug whether it be alcohol, weed, cocaine and crack to name a few. In conclusion the statistical information is overwhelmingly in favor of the abuse of all drugs. Out of all the drug abuse out there prescription drugs are in the top drug abused in the United States at this moment. Many people seek out relief from pain and try all kinds of treatment, but none of these outlets work so the next step is to get some kind of pain reliever and over time this dose can grow. After some years with this pain reliever can it can be difficult to stop these when it is clear that these pills do not really do much but make the day tolerable.