Psychology soc assignments 3

1/18/24, 2:51 PM Chapter 3 Outline - Mooney-2: (Spring 2024) SOC 268 (1XYW) - Social Problems

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Chapter 3 Outline - Mooney-2 LECTURE OUTLINE I. THE GLOBAL CONTEXT: DRUG USE AND ABUSE A. Definitions 1. Pharmacologically, a drug is any substance other than food that alters the structure or functioning of a living organism when it enters the bloodstream. 2. Sociologically the term drug refers to any chemical substance that has a direct effect on the user’s physical, psychological, and/or intellectual functioning, has the potential to be abused, and has adverse consequences for the individual and/or society. B. Drug Use and Abuse around the World 1. Globally, 3.5 to 7.0% of the world’s population between the ages of 15 and 64— 162 to 324 million people—reported using at least one illicit drug in the previous year. a. Cannabis is the most widely used drug. 2. The prevalence of drug use varies by country and region. 3. Some differences in drug use may result from differences in drug policies. a. The Netherlands has officially treated use of such drugs as marijuana and hashish, as a health issue rather than a crime issue since the 1970s. i. Drug use did not increase until the advent of “cannabis cafes” in the 1990s. ii. Some evidence suggests use among Dutch youth is decreasing, rebutting those who argue liberal drug policies increase abuse. b. Great Britain has adopted a “medical model,” particularly for heroin and cocaine. i. Medical models allow limited distribution by licensed specialists to addicts who were unlikely to quit and to help with withdrawal symptoms. c. Other countries execute drug users and/or dealers or use corporal punishment. C. Drug Use and Abuse in the United States 1. America’s concern with drugs has varied with regards to both level of concern and which drugs are tolerated (e.g., alcohol). a. In 1970s, when drug use was at its highest, the concern over drugs was relatively low. b. In 2000, 31 percent of Americans believed that marijuana should be legal; in 2015, the majority of Americans, 53 percent, thought that marijuana should be legal. 2. Illicit drug use is fairly common. a. Of people 12 years and older, 9.4% reported using an illicit drug in prior months.

II. SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES OF DRUG USE AND ABUSE A. Definitions 1. Drug abuse occurs when acceptable social standards of drug use are violated, resulting in adverse physiological, psychological, and/or social consequences (e.g. hospitalization, arrest, or divorce).

1/18/24, 2:51 PM Chapter 3 Outline - Mooney-2: (Spring 2024) SOC 268 (1XYW) - Social Problems

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2. Drug addiction (chemical dependency) refers to a condition in which drug use is compulsive—users are unable to stop because of their dependency. a. The dependency may be psychological (the individual needs the drug to achieve a feeling of well-being) and/or physical (withdrawal symptoms occur when the individual stops taking the drug). B. Structural-Functionalist Perspective: argues drug abuse is a response to weakening societal norms. 1. As society becomes more complex and as rapid social change occurs, norms and values become unclear and ambiguous, resulting in anomie—a state of normlessness. 2. Anomie may exist at the societal level, resulting in social strains and inconsistencies that lead to drug use (e.g., rapid social change or inconsistent cultural norms). 3. Anomie may also exist at the individual level, as when a person suffers feelings of estrangement, isolation, and turmoil over appropriate and inappropriate behavior. 4. Drug use is thus a response to the absence of a perceived bond between the individual and society and to the weakening of a consensus regarding what is considered acceptable. C. Conflict Perspective: emphasizes the importance of power differentials in influencing drug use behavior and societal values concerning drug use. 1. Drug use occurs in response to inequalities perpetuated by capitalism: individuals turn to drugs as a means of escaping oppression and frustration. 2. The most powerful determine the legal definitions and penalties of drug use. a. Alcohol is legal because it is consumed by white males, who hold the most power. i. White males profit from alcohol sales and can afford lobbying groups to guard the industry’s interests. b. Crack cocaine and heroin are disproportionately used by minorities. c. The use of opium by Chinese immigrants in the 1800s provides a historical example. d. The criminalization of other drugs follows similar patterns of social control of the powerless, political opponents and or minorities. i. In the 1940s, marijuana was used by minorities and carried severe criminal penalties. ii. After white middle-class college students began to use marijuana in the 1970s, the government reduced penalties for its use. D. Symbolic Interactionist Perspective: concentrates on the social meanings associated with drug use. 1. If initial drug experience is defined as pleasurable, it is likely to recur and over time the individual may earn the label of “drug user.” a. If the label “drug user” is internalized, the behavior will probably continue or escalate. 2. Drug users learn motivations and techniques of drug use through group interactions. a. First-time users learn what to experience and how to define the experiences (positive or negative). 3. Symbols may be manipulated and used for political and economic agendas. a. The DARE program carries a powerful symbolic value that politicians want the public to

1/18/24, 2:51 PM Chapter 3 Outline - Mooney-2: (Spring 2024) SOC 268 (1XYW) - Social Problems

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identify with, despite recent analyses that found assessments unclear regarding its effectiveness. E. Biological and Psychological Theories: view drug use/addiction as a result of social, psychological, and biological forces. 1. Biological research focuses on genetics in predisposing individuals to drug use. a. Severe, early-onset alcoholism may be genetically predisposed; other problems (depression, chronic anxiety) are linked to addiction. 2. Psychological explanations focus on the likelihood of personality types and susceptibility to drug use. a. Individuals prone to anxiety may use drugs to self-medicate, a history of sexual abuse or neglect can be related to drug use, and stressful life events also impact illicit drug use. 3. Positive and negative reinforcement maintain drug use. a. Reinforcements can come from the drugs themselves (e.g. cocaine “high” being a positive reinforcement, heroin withdrawal symptoms being a negative reinforcement) or from outside sources such as media.

III. FREQUENTLY USED LEGAL DRUGS A. Alcohol: The Drug of Choice 1. American attitudes towards alcohol have a long and varied history. a. Alcohol was common in early America, but in 1920 the Eighteenth Amendment prohibited its manufacture, sale, and distribution; this was repealed in 1933 due to lack of public support. b. Recently the “new temperance” movement has resulted in a federal 21-year-old drinking age, warning labels on alcohol bottles, increased concern over fetal alcohol syndrome, underage drinking, more strict enforcement of drinking and driving regulations, and zero tolerance policies. 2. Alcohol remains the most widely used and abused drug in U.S. a. 64% of U.S. adults drink alcohol. i. Of current drinkers, 6.3 % are heavy drinkers (5 or more drinks per occasion on 5 or more days in past month). ii. 22.9 % are binge drinkers (5 or more drinks per occasion at least 1 day in the past month). 3. 14% of underage drinkers reported being heavy or binge drinkers. 4. Additional results from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health: a. Highest levels of heavy and binge drinking are among aged 21-25. b. Alcohol use is higher among the employed; heavy binge drinking is similar between the unemployed and employed. c. College graduates are more likely to be binge drinkers than for those not enrolled in college. d. Binge drinking is least likely among Asians and most likely among American Indians and Alaska Natives.

1/18/24, 2:51 PM Chapter 3 Outline - Mooney-2: (Spring 2024) SOC 268 (1XYW) - Social Problems

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e. Age12-20 drinkers were most likely from the Northeast, followed by Midwest, West and South. f. More males than females age 12-20 report binge drinking; heavy drinking and current alcohol use. B. The Tobacco Crisis 1. Evidence first linked tobacco to lung cancer in 1859 but no federal claims until 1989. 2. Income is inversely related to tobacco use. a. 80% of smokers are in low or middle income countries 3. Tobacco is one of the most widely used drugs in the U.S. a. 66.9 million Americans—25.5 percent of those 12 and older—were current tobacco users in 2013. b. Use of all tobacco products (smokeless tobacco, cigars, pipe tobacco, cigarettes) is higher for high school than college graduates, unemployed than employed, males, and American Indians and Alaska Natives. c. In general, tobacco use has steadily decreased since 2002, and cigarette smoking for 8th, 10th, and 12th graders is at an all-time low, falling by nearly 50 percent in the last five years. 4. Mass media influence a. Advertising of tobacco products target youth despite 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and tobacco Control Act. b. Cigarette advertisers target minorities, women, and women in developing nations. C. Prescription Drugs 1. Non-medical use of any prescription pain reliever, stimulant, sedative, or tranquilizer. 2. More than 6.8 million people (2.6 % of Americans over age 12) report current use of a psychotherapeutic drug for nonmedical purposes. 3. Non-medical prescription drug use among teens is on the rise.

IV. FREQUENTLY USED ILLEGAL DRUGS A. Illegal Drug Usage 1. More than 24.6 million people in the U.S. (9.4% of those age 12 and older) currently use illegal drugs. 2. Users vary by type of drug used, but are more likely to be male, young, and minority. B. Marijuana Madness 1. Marijuana is the most commonly used and trafficked illicit drug in the world. a. 180 million people use marijuana worldwide, representing 2.9-4.3% of the adult population. b. Marijuana is regionally the most dominant illicit drug. 2. Marijuana’s active ingredient is THC (d-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), which in varying amounts can act as a sedative or a hallucinogen. 3. U.S. marijuana usage a. There are more than19.8 million current marijuana users (7.5% of age 12 and older).

1/18/24, 2:51 PM Chapter 3 Outline - Mooney-2: (Spring 2024) SOC 268 (1XYW) - Social Problems

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4. Many express fears that marijuana is a gateway drug – the use of which leads to the use of other drugs. a. Most research suggests that people who experiment with one drug are more likely to experiment with another; the typical progression is cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, cocaine. C. Cocaine: From Coca-Cola to Crack 1. Is classified as a stimulant: produces feelings of excitation, alertness and euphoria. 2. History a. Is made from coca plant and has been used for thousands of years b. Coca leaves were in the original formula for Coca-Cola until it was outlawed in 1914 in response to heavy cocaine use by urban blacks, poor whites, and criminals. c. From 1978-1987 the U.S. experienced the largest cocaine epidemic in history. 3. Usage a. 1.5 million Americans age 12 and older are current cocaine users (including crack). 4. Crack a. Crystallized product made by boiling mixture of cocaine, baking soda and water. D. Methamphetamine: The Meth Epidemic 1. Methamphetamine (meth), is a central nervous system stimulant that is highly addictive. 2. Although the drug has only recently become popular, it is not new. 3. Recent laws (1996 and 2006) have been enacted to make it more difficult to obtain the chemicals needed to make the drug. 4. Usage a. Generally, the use of methamphetamines has steadily decreased over the last decade. b. Current use by 8th, 10th, and 12th graders is 1%. E. Heroin: The White Horse 1. Heroin is a highly addictive analgesic (painkiller) and is the most commonly abused opiate drug. 2. Usage in the U.S. is rapidly increasing due to easy availability, marketing and low cost. F. Synthetic Drugs 1. Category of drugs designed in labs and is growing. a. Synthetic marijuana higher in the US than other parts of the world. b. Bath Salts are highly addictive synthetic stimulants that produce feelings of euphoria, paranoia, rapid heartbeat, chest pains, hallucinations and suicidal thoughts.

V. SOCIETAL CONSEQUENCES OF DRUG USE AND ABUSE A. The Cost to Children and Family 1. An estimated 8.2% of U.S. children live with a parent in need of drug/alcohol treatment. 2. Children raised in such homes are more likely to live in a conflict-ridden or violent environment, have physical illness including injuries or death from car accidents, and be victims of abuse or neglect. 3. Alcohol abuse is the most common trait associated with wife abuse.

1/18/24, 2:51 PM Chapter 3 Outline - Mooney-2: (Spring 2024) SOC 268 (1XYW) - Social Problems

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B. Crime and Drugs 1. In 2013, an estimated 1.7 million adults were released from prison on parole or some other type of supervised release program. Of that number, 27.4 percent were current illegal drug users and 34.3 reported being alcohol or drug dependent compared to 9.3 percent and 8.4, respectively, of the nonprison population. 3. Sociologists disagree whether drugs “cause” crime or criminal activity leads to drug use; further, some criminal offenses are defined by drug use (e.g. possession or driving while intoxicated). 4. Driving while intoxicated is one of most common and dangerous drug-related crimes. C. The High Price of Alcohol and Other Drug Use 1. The total cost of substance abuse/addiction in the U.S. is estimated at $467.7 billion. a. An estimated 95.6% was spent on “shoveling up wreckage”—health care costs, crime, child and family assistance programs, education, public safety, mental health and disabilities, and federal workforce. b. Only 1.9% went to prevention. D. Physical and Mental Health Costs 1. Cigarette smoking is the leading preventable cause of disease and deaths in the world. a. Tobacco kills 6 million annually worldwide. i. WHO has six initiatives that reduce tobacco usage. 2. Alcohol abuse causes 3.3 million deaths worldwide annually and 88,000 in the U.S. a. Maternal prenatal alcohol use is associated with one of the leading preventable causes of birth defects and developmental disabilities in children—fetal alcohol syndrome— characterized by serious physical and mental handicaps, including low birth weight, facial deformities, mental retardation, and hearing and vision problems. 3. Heavy alcohol and drug use are associated with negative consequences for mental health, including increased depression. E. The Cost of Drug Use on the Environment 1. Although not usually considered, the production of illegal drugs takes a considerable toll on the environment a. deforestation b. contaminated water c. fish and wildlife concerns

VI. TREATMENT ALTERNATIVES A. Inpatient and Outpatient Treatment 1. Inpatient treatment a. Treatment of drug dependence in a hospital and includes medical supervision of detoxification. b. Most last 30-90 days and target individuals whose withdrawal symptoms require close monitoring. 2. Outpatient treatment

1/18/24, 2:51 PM Chapter 3 Outline - Mooney-2: (Spring 2024) SOC 268 (1XYW) - Social Problems

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a. Allows patients to remain in their home/work environments and is often less expensive. b. A physician evaluates the patient’s progress, prescribes medication, and watches for signs of relapse. 3. Factors in treatment success a. The longer a patient stays in treatment, the greater the likelihood of successful recovery. b. Other variables include support of family and friends, employer intervention, positive relationship with therapeutic staff, and a program of recovery that addresses many of the needs of the patient. c. Internal motivation does not appear to be a prerequisite for change. B. Twelve-Step Programs 1. 12-Step programs: AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) and NA (Narcotics Anonymous) a. These are voluntary, self-help associations whose only membership requirement is desire to stop using alcohol or drugs. b. Over 50% of recovering addicts surveyed reported using a self-help program in their recovery. 2. Symbolic interactionists emphasize that AA and NA provide social contexts in which people develop new meanings, including positive labels, encouragement and support for sobriety. C. Drug Courts 1. 2 types: deferred prosecution and post adjudication programs a. deferred prosecution has defendants complete a program rather than plead guilty b. post adjudication requires a guilty plea but sentences are deferred while they complete the program c. Over 1,600 drug courts in all 50 states.

VII. STRATEGIES FOR ACTION: AMERICA RESPONDS A. Alcohol, Tobacco, and Prescription Drugs 1. Strategies to deal with alcohol and tobacco abuse are often different from those for illegal drugs. 2. Economic incentives, such as increasing the cost of the product or excise taxes, reduce prevalence and consumption rates; other economic incentives include reimbursement for smoking/alcohol cessation programs, reduced health insurance premiums for non-smokers and reduced car insurance for non-drinkers. 3. Government regulations are somewhat successful, such as raising the legal drinking age and clean air laws that restrict smoking in public places. 4. Legal actions against tobacco companies have resulted in billions of dollars of reimbursements to states for health costs and restricted advertising; more recent suits have been filed against alcohol companies. 5. Prevention tactics, such as anti-smoking and drinking advertising is shown to reduce use. B. Illegal Drugs 1. In the 1980s, the federal government declared a “War on Drugs.” a. The belief was that controlling drug availability would limit drug use and drug-related

1/18/24, 2:51 PM Chapter 3 Outline - Mooney-2: (Spring 2024) SOC 268 (1XYW) - Social Problems

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problems. b. Is a “zero-tolerance” approach that uses tough law enforcement policies that has resulted in dramatic increases in the jail/prison population? i. In 1980, there were about 40,000 drug offenders in jail; today there are about 500,000. 2. Some question whether the war on drugs is working. a. Some argue the war on drugs has increased other social problems (e.g., crime, unemployment, AIDS, etc.), and is incredibly expensive ($26.2 billion in 2012). b. U.S. policy is two-pronged: demand reduction entails reducing demand for drugs through treatment and prevention and comprises 40% of drug control spending; supply reduction is a punitive strategy that focuses on reducing the supply of drugs through international efforts, interdiction and domestic law enforcement. c. The vast majority of people think the War on Drugs has been a failure. 3. Deregulation or legalization a. Deregulation: the reduction of government control over certain drugs i. Examples include legal sale and purchase of alcohol and cigarettes, lawful use of marijuana for medicinal purposes in some states, and legal personal possession of any drug in Spain and Italy. b. Legalization: make drug use legal based on idea of the right of adults to make informed choices. i. Proponents argue citizens would benefit from drug tax revenue, purity and safety controls could be implemented, and increased competition would reduce prices. c. Decriminalization: removal of penalties for certain drugs, promoting a medical rather than criminal approach to drug use. i. Would encourage users to seek treatment and adopt preventive practices. d. Opponents of legalization argue it would suggest government approval of drug use, increase drug experimentation and abuse, and require costly bureaucracy to regulate the manufacture, sale and distribution of drugs. e. State initiatives have been implemented to address the cost-effectiveness of government policies. i. Examples include treatment instead of incarceration for first-time offenders, overdose prevention legislation and allowing the sale of sterile syringes without a prescription.

VIII. UNDERSTANDING ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG USE 1. Substance abuse is socially defined. 2. Balanced policy approach is needed which focuses on enforcement as well as treatment, prevention and harm reduction.