Drugs and Society questions

Section 1:

(A)  Most of the heroin consumed in the world is from Afghanistan. Most addicts for two decades in the United States get their heroin from either the Golden Triangle of Southeast Asia where Burma is mostly the producer. Or the Golden Crescent where Afghanistan is the most producer. Heroin now is trafficked into the United States from Mexico with 39% of all heroin inside the country and from South America at 58%.  

Colombia is well-known for its cocaine distribution. All of the cocaine in the United States comes from Colombia, Peru, or Bolivia. However, 90% of that cocaine comes from Colombia. However, for Colombians it is very hard to cross borders; therefore, Mexicans played big parts of the cocaine trade into the United States.

Methamphetamine’s making process chemically is not very complicated like cocaine and other drugs. Most of it comes from Mexico after forcing the bikers’ gangs out. Also, a lot of meth is distributed domestically.

Most of the countries that produce and distribute drugs have large poverty population. Those poor people would do anything to stay feed. Prohibition helps with enriching drug distributers, because it made the prices go up. Drug distributers can even make armies and mark territories in countries like Afghanistan and the tribes.

(C) Also, saying that drug trade has the biggest economy in the world. Illicit drug trading does have a lot of money in it; hundreds of billions dollars. There are countries that depend on drug trade but it is for sure not the most important it can’t be the biggest.

There are also people who think that illicit drug economy is affecting the world’s economy. Will Colombia’s dependence for coffee is the same for drugs. Bolivia is a poor country with half of its foreign trade depend on drugs. Even for developed countries like the United States have communities that live from marijuana industry equal to those who are depending on corn.

Also, a famous myth about drug trade is that it is centralized and organized like the mafia being controlled by one boss a “kingpin”. There is some organization in the trade; however, each country and each continent have their own rules and do whatever they wish mostly without referring to a higher boss. In fact drug trade is becoming more decentralized over time.

(E) The Amphetamines were mostly famous for being diet pills to help over-weight people lose weight. However, that was in the 1950’s to 1970’s; now there is a big awareness about the use of amphetamines, which pushed the drug to the ground. Therefore, the non-prescription uses of the amphetamines have increased to not only weight losses but to students who want to achieve more than they are capable of, truck drivers who use it to go on a sleepless two-three days of transporting across the country. There are also uses that are just for recreation and getting high of amphetamines. And those users mostly mix it with marijuana, Alcohol and many other drugs. Even though there many bad uses for the amphetamines there are actually some very good medical uses of it. Narcolepsy and ADHD   patients are extremely benefitted by amphetamines. Those drugs are also used for instrumental use because it is very easy to fake those symptoms therefore drugs like Adderall can be easily accessible by people. A survey by William Frankenberger at a public university in Wisconsin showed that the students who took Adderall for studying aid purposes are 14% of the population of the students in the university.

(F) The Psychopharmacological model states that drug users become violent because of the psychoactive effects of the drugs. The user can lose control of his/her conscious and rationality and therefore commits acts of violence. Also, the withdrawal effects on the user could be so forcefull and hurtful that it would lead the user to commit violence to get money for drugs.

The Systemic model is the most effective model that relates violence to drugs. According to a research that examined the dynamic of murders in New York City during the crack crisis and it were found that 85% of the drug related murders were connected to the systemic model. The model states that the world of drugs is filled and is based on violence. There are many things that cause these violent acts in that world. For example, territorial wars where every dealer wants a spot that has the highest buyers or if the dealers want to expand, but they interface with another dealers. Also, collecting debts, which has to resort to violence since the law won’t interfere in an illegal matter like this one.

 

D2. The article shows more than one motivation of the users of steroids. However, the number one reason and motivation for steroid use is frustration. The 37 men they interviewed were employed and were from different races. These men grew up believing that they can have looks they want and saw in magazines by simply dieting and exercising hard. However, after time they start to get frustrated when they waste all that time and energy without getting the desired look. The article shows an example of one of the users they interviewed.  The user says that he grew up idolizing Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno who are body builders. The user says that he worked out with his brother and friends for five years with no results until he got into a “muscle head” gym then he learned that he has to use to get huge. Getting huge is another primary motivation. Getting huge for some people was to meet their goals of being like their idols in comic magazines or to make up for being small physically. Another major motivation is to get ripped. And that is where they burn as much fat as possible. So their muscles would show much more on the skin. And the last motivator is that the users feel power and strength, which is enough motivation itself.

Steroid users use it in cycles. Each cycle last around 12 weeks. There are many cycles, they vary in use and patterns. For example, there is the bulking cycle that is supposed to build as much muscle as possible. Many Users cycle on and off for 12 weeks. There are many ways to use steroids; they can be absorbed orally in the shape of pills. And the more expensive option is injecting it. Since injecting is expensive that is why most users cycle on and off.