Drugs in Society

Chapter_51.ppt

Chapter 5

Domestic Drug Production

Drugs in Society:
Causes, Concepts, and Control , 7th ed.

The University of Adelaide, School of Computer Science

Chapter 2 — Instructions: Language of the Computer

Overview

This chapter will enable you to:

Learn the role that legitimate drug industry plays in the nation’s drug abuse problem
Understand the extent of the marijuana cultivation problem in the United States
Realize the magnitude of the nation’s clandestine laboratory problem
Learn the consequences of pharmaceutical diversion in our country’s drug problem

THE PHARMACEUTICAL DRUG INDUSTRY

The term pharmaceuticals is a general one referring to a category of drugs that includes capsules, pills, liquids, suppositories, lotions, and other preparations having a medical use.

Pain killers have regularly been used to treat victims in accidents, surgeries, and even war. The addictive qualities of these drugs are troublesome, however. Those who have no legitimate need for the drugs often become addicted to them due to their effect.

THE PHARMACEUTICAL DRUG INDUSTRY

There is currently no means of quantifying the actual amount of pharmaceutical drugs available in the U.S.
Illegal diversion occurs through several methods:
Thefts from individuals
Thefts from manufacturers
Thefts from dispensaries
Prescription fraud
Doctor shopping
Illegal Internet sales
As a result, it is difficult to measure progress against reducing pharmaceutical diversion.

The Business of Painkilling

Realizing that for years, doctors neglected to include pain management in patient care, since 1990, the medical profession has taken a new, more aggressive approach to treating pain
Congress passed legislation in 2000 calling for the decade of pain control research
New standards were issued by the National Accrediting Board in 2001
The most widely abused prescription drugs are oxycodone and hydrocodone (Vicodin & Lortab)
They are widely abused because since they are approved by the FDA, many believe they are safe

THE DRUG APPROVAL DILEMMA

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees the approval of new drugs
The FDA has been seen as a blessing and a curse
The Thalidomide issues could have been prevented with the FDA, but the tests and waiting period for the approval of drugs often slows down their incorporation into the market….For instance, the drug Misoprostol was slow to enter the market and it is estimated that probably cost about 10,000 lives

Adverse Reactions

A 1998 study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) estimated that of 30 million people who are hospitalized each year, an average of 100,000 die from bad reactions to legal prescription drugs
WHY?
Haphazard warnings
Hyping benefits over risks
Ignorance
Downplaying mishaps

DOMESTIC MARIJUANA CULTIVATION

Because marijuana grows in almost all 50 U.S. states, domestic cultivation also contributes greatly to the nation’s overall drug production
In spite of potentially long prison sentences, marijuana growing appears to be on the increase
The most active states for cultivation operations are California, Hawaii, Kentucky, Oregon, Tennessee, Washington, and West Virginia

DOMESTIC MARIJUANA CULTIVATION

Marijuana cultivation and potency is on the rise
Indoor cultivation methods have aided growers in detection
However, foreign marijuana is still more widely consumed than domestic marijuana
A lot of this is due to the rise of Mexican cartels

Types of Domestic Marijuana

Indian hemp
Commercial-grade marijuana
Sinsemilla
Hashish
The use of cloning and hydroponics in marijuana production has aided domestic growers

Domestic Drug Scams

The University of Adelaide, School of Computer Science

Chapter 2 — Instructions: Language of the Computer