Drugs in America, this paper will examine the many drugs that arae being used and abused in the United States. The drugs are being consumed by way of over the counter drugs, prescription filled drugs, and illicit drugs, which are brought on the streets. The high volume of drug abuse in the U. S. not only has a devastating effect on the communities, but it is affecting the health of many Americans. This paper will also look at the prevention programs that are in place to help combat this war on drugs.
Americans are addicted to everything from caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol, to a host of other drugs legal and illegal. All of the above are detrimental to our health, and they also have a negative effect on families and communities. In this paper I plan to examine some of the most popular drugs and their effects on people’s health and also look at how drugs affect communities has a whole. “Drugs destroy lives and communities, undermine sustainable human development and generate crime.
Drugs affect all sectors of society in all countries: in particular, drug abuse affects the freedom and development of young people, the world’s most valuable asset. Drugs are a grave threat to the health and well-being of all mankind, the independence of states, democracy, the stability of nations, the structure of all societies, and the dignity and hope of millions of people and their families. ” (1) In 1998, Mr. Kofi Annan, the then UN Secretary-General delivered this speech in the Special Session of the General Assembly Devoted to Countering the World Drug Problem Together.
During the session, Member States identified the global drug problems as well as outlined solutions and initiatives that would be taken to solve the problems. They established the year 2003 as a “target date for new or enhanced drug demand reduction strategies and programs set up in close collaboration with public health, social welfare and law enforcement authorities” and set the year 2008 as a target date by which “Member States should have made real progress in eliminating or reducing significantly crops of opium poppy, coca and cannabis.
” (1) They listed the numerous consequences of drug abuse, including “adverse effects on health; the upsurge in crime, violence and corruption; draining of human, natural and financial resources that might otherwise be used for social and economic development…” and they committed to reversing the growing trend in drug abuse and production with supply control and demand reduction. (1) Drugs have become has important and detrimental to our society as war is; to the point that it is being discussed at the United Nations Building.
This is a world wide problem; however this paper will focus on the problems that drugs are causing in America. According to an article titled “Current Situation of Drug Abuse in America” written by Chandara Humphry, Drugs in America are a part of the mainstream; they are a part of our culture. As we most know, drugs have been here for hundreds of years, the uses and abuses changing constantly. Because of the media, viability and overall appeal, drugs have taken over America. The most used illicit drug in America comes from the Cannabis sativa plant and is known as marijuana or weed.
Other drugs found in use in the U. S. are Methamphetamine, LSD, Ecstasy, Cocaine, Heroin, and even now OxyContin. More than 20 million people in America are current users of some sort of illicit drug. Many of these users are youths and young people starting at ages below 10 years old. The war on drugs that we previously talked about happening in Hawaii is occurring at a much larger scale all throughout the nation. (1) Of all the drugs used throughout the nation, Marijuana is the most prominent. “According to the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, approximately 96.
8 million Americans ages 12 and older reported tying marijuana at least once during their lifetimes, representing 40. 2% of the population ages 12 and older. ” Most youths believe, and are told that marijuana is the least dangerous drug. It is not addictive, and it is used in medicine so it must be safe. Both of these and many others are false, but people still listen to them and that is why they begin smoking marijuana. Marijuana is a gateway drug, the younger children are when they first use marijuana the more likely they are to use cocaine and heroin and become dependent on drugs as adults. (1)