Through exploring the various types of drugs and why people use them my thoughts on drug use has not changed drastically, but I have changed my opinion on medical marijuana. In the beginning I believed that medical marijuana was just an excuse to legalize marijuana for recreational use. I now realize that it can be used to help many patients especially the terminally ill. After I heard personal accounts from many people who were greatly helped by marijuana, I wish that it had been available to my father when he was suffering from cancer. I still think the legalization of marijuana is risky and has a great chance of being abused.

I have learned a whole bunch about drugs in the course, and I believe that there are certain things that everyone should know about drugs.  The general public does not need to know how drugs chemically interact with our body and with the neurotransmitters in our brain, but they do need to realize the side effects that drugs have and the serious risks involved in the use of drugs. I think that people also need to understand that just because a drug is legal or even over the counter it does not mean that the drug is not dangerous or toxic. Finally, I think people need to understand the underlying reasons that people use drugs and not be so quick to judge those that struggle with addiction.

Another thing I discovered is that drugs have a tremendous impact on society. The impact is both negative and positive. On the positive side drugs are what allow us to live as long as we do and as healthy as we do. Drugs have also contributed greatly to culture through music and other artistic modes. On the negative side drug abuse is the number one cause of domestic and child abuse.

The Peoples Temple began as leftist church in Indianapolis, Indiana during the 1950s with the purpose of creating racial equality (Hall 9). Jim Jones, a student pastor from a revivalist church, was the founder. The question is how did a church with such innocent foundations end in the suicide/murder of over 900 people. Jones was a charismatic megalomaniac that captured his followers with socialist ideals and imprisoned them with strict, rules and regulations, but charm alone cannot influence over 600 adults to commit suicide. The Jonestown tragedy raises many moral and ethical issues including the rise of cults, mind control, revolutionary suicide, and responsibility for actions.

The time period in which the church began had a huge impact on both Jones and the members. The Peoples Temple was created as sanctuary for interracial families and believed in the Civil Rights Movement. Jones and his wife adopted African American children in order to become interracial themselves (O’Brien). The church quickly adopted many liberal principles and eventually became socialist, preaching that capitalism was the work of the devil. The 1960s provided the perfect political background for the success of the church. The anti-war sentiments and countercultural movement made many people, especially African Americans interested in socialism (Hall 10). Jones used the political turmoil to gain the faith of his followers. He even used the possibility of nuclear fallout to convince them to move to Ukiah, California, where there was a cave that could protect them (O’Brien).

Drug addicts were the second largest group that joined the Peoples Temple. They joined because it was a free form of treatment. All forms of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco were strictly prohibited. The well enforced rules of the church proved very successful at getting addicts of all types clean. The members were put to work long hours seven days a week, which limited time available to engage in any activities outside of the church (O’Brien). Sermons were held at least twice a day. When caught doing any prohibited act, the punishments were severe. Beatings were given in front of the whole congregation in order to invoke fear and prevent further sin within his people.

No matter what led those to join the Peoples Temple whether it was concern for the political situation, hope for the future or whatever else, they never left. After attending only a few services the followers of Jones were completely convinced that he was the answer to all their problems. Jones accomplished this through fraud and a captivating personality. As one follower stated, “The process of controlling new members began immediately and intensely. I am not sure I will ever know what prevented us from seeing through his deceit, his lies, and his manipulations” (Layton 53). Jones’ power over his followers has been compared to Hitler’s rise in Germany. The members were persuaded into believing ridiculous lies, for example “all men are homosexuals, except for [him]” (Layton 53).

There was increasing pressure on the Peoples Temple in California from journalists. An article was published by Marshall Kilduff about the public beatings and other alarming activities of the church in February 1977 (Layton 97). This scrutiny prompted Jones to begin the move to a foreign settlement. Jones knew that all of this press would lead his followers away from “the truth” and he would lose his control over them. Jones chose Guyana because the people were socialists, black, and spoke English (O’Brien). He purchased a large piece of land and planned his utopian community, which he named Jonestown.  Jones’ followers were falsely enticed to make the move to South America; he referred to it as the Promised Land. He began shipping the members over gradually and constantly. The followers were expecting a tropical paradise tucked away in the jungle where they could freely practice their religion.

What the followers found when they arrived was nowhere close to paradise. The utopian settlement of Jonestown was essentially a concentration camp. The commune has been described as “a hellhole where armed guards, torture, tranquillizers, sleep deprivation, and, above all, misplaced faith had combined to trap hundreds of innocent people against their will” (Layton 16). The people were forced to labor long hours in the fields with little sleep and almost nothing to eat. The attempt at utopia had failed miserably. The people who had placed their faith in Jones to lead them to a better life were left to suffer from exhaustion and malnutrition. The torture did not end with the forced labor. “Physical labor during the day was grueling, but it was nothing compared to the terror [they] experienced at night” (Layton 174). Long sermons were held, and any sinners were beaten in front of the whole community, including children and elderly who dosed off during the endless tirades. The ultimate punishment was being placed in “a small underground cubicle,” some were left there for days (Layton 176). Fear, a powerful motive, was the mechanism for enforcing obedience and eradicating doubt.

Ironically, the penalties for moral wrongdoings worsened as Jones’ own drug use spiraled further out of control. When the followers first arrived at Jonestown, all medications were confiscated and Jones ended up with quite a large stock of prescription drugs which he abused. One survivor said his drug use was obvious because he often slurred his speech and needed help walking especially near the end. The autopsy of Jones’ body showed so much barbiturate abuse that it should have killed him (O’Brien). Jones most likely turned to drug use to help feed his own megalomania. Jones did not follow any of the strict laws that he enforced upon his followers. Not only did he use drugs and alcohol which were forbidden, he raped many of the young members, both men and women, when sex was clearly prohibited as a sinful act. He told the people that he could heal others through sex. Jones “the Father” transcended the rules. He is the perfect example of hypocrisy.

Society tends to question the intelligence of the people for not seeing the warning signs of corruption or not revolting when they were treated so badly. These people did not revolt because they were convinced that Jones was “that which they call God” (O’Brien). As one member describes, “Our spirits were weakening and our hopes were being deliberately drained from us. [Jones’] arsenal of manipulation and deceit was stripping away our dignity, ensuring our numbered allegiance and unquestioning loyalty” (Layton 186). Besides the psychological hold that Jones had on his followers, there was no way to escape. No communication with the outside world was allowed, the guards were armed, and if you managed to run away, it would be nearly impossible to navigate or survive the dense jungle that surrounded the commune. Although some members were completely spellbound by Jones, many wanted out, but had no options.

No one is exactly sure why Jones was fixated on the mass suicide of his followers. Some have speculated that his own depression and drug abuse led him to suicidal thoughts, and that he made the decision to take all of his followers with him. However, Jones preached the ideal that life was a disease and revolutionary suicide was the answer. He said that socialists could only die by waging a war against capitalism or by revolutionary suicide (O’Brien). Jones had planned the suicide ahead of time and often held practice suicides, in which cups of juice were given to all members that were unaware if they contained poison or not. The practice suicides soothed Jones’ paranoia by making sure that he had the trust of all his followers. The suicide may have been presented as a way of making a final and lasting protest against capitalism, but was in actuality preventing Jones from experiencing a loss of control over the commune that was doomed to failure.

The method of suicide/murder was the ingestion of potassium cyanide. Cyanide is often used for cleaning gold, and had been purchased with a jeweler’s license. Jones had begun shipping the cyanide to Guyana before many of the members had even arrived there. Records show that he had been receiving shipments of a quarter pound each month for two years. As described in a note found from the Jonestown doctor, “Cyanide is one of the most rapidly acting poisons. I would like to give about 2 grams to a large pig to see how effective our batch is” (O’Brien). The cyanide was mixed in a large tub with a grape flavored Kool-Aid and given to the followers, children first. The people were told that it would be a painless, humane death, but acute poisoning prevents cells from being able to use oxygen and eventually causes cardiac arrest (www.globalsecurity.org). The few survivors that witnessed the massacre stated that the people moaned and writhed in pain as they died. Those who refused to drink the poisonous beverage were forced to ingest it with a syringe (O’Brien).

Miraculously, 33 members of the Jonestown commune were able to escape by trekking 30 miles through the dense jungle to the nearest town or by being part of the select few delegated to deliver half a million dollars in cash to Russia (O’Brien). The money was turned over to the FBI as part of the investigation. It is from these members that we have learned the most about Jones and the Peoples Temple. These 33 people may have escaped with their lives, but they were not unscathed. They are still haunted by the experiences at Jamestown. Many have said that “the guilt of living was insurmountable” (O’Brien). These victims, especially those who used drugs before joining the Peoples Temple, have turned to alcohol, pain killers, anti-depressants, and even cocaine. One man said, “Time doesn’t heal the wounds” (O’Brien).

From this event, a serious ethical question arises. Does all of the blame belong on Jones himself or are those that executed his orders and squirted cyanide down people’s throat also guilty?  Larry Layton, one of the gunmen that shot down NBC reporters and Congressman Leo Ryan as they were about to leave after a visit to Jamestown, was the only person ever prosecuted in the crimes at Jamestown (Bell). All other criminals committed suicide. Layton was released on parole in 2002, as a result of other survivors that testified about the conditions in Jamestown (Bell). This decision brings up the question of whether he should be held responsible for actions while under the influence of another individual. These people were entranced by Jones, but does that make them victims of a mass murderer or did they willingly lay down their lives for the socialist cause. Some would like to think that Jones bears all the culpability since it was his plan that was carried out. However, innocence cannot be validated by ignorance or hypnosis.

In the pavilion, above the body of Jones hung a sign that read “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it”(O’Brien). No one is sure what Jones preached about the past or why he had the sign hanging, but it should be used a lesson to be learned from this terrible incident. Whether or not these people are responsible for their own suicide, it is now obvious how quickly people can be fall under the spell of a megalomaniac. Fear, religion, and desperation are the most common sources for control. Although the “apocalypse at Jonestown” is shocking, such mind control has never been uncommon (Hall 9). Hitler is the ultimate example of persuasion and domination. To a milder extent, televangelists are still convincing people to give them their money by performing fake healings, as Jones did. The moral of this story is to be wary of those who are very persuasive and have radical ideas.

Works Cited

Baskin, Steven I. and Thomas G. Brewer. “Chapter 10: Cyanide Poisoning.” 271-286. 13 Nov. 2008. <http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/report/1997/cwbw/Ch10.pdf>.

Bell, Frank. “Larry Layton and the Peoples Temple: Twenty-five Years Later.” 16 Nov. 2008. <http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/AboutJonestown/PersonalReflections/bell.htm>.

Hall, John R. “Jonestown in the 21^st Century.” Society. 41.2 (2004): 9-11. Research Library. Academic Search Elite. Torreyson Library, UCA, Conway. 12 Nov. 2008. <www.ebscohost.com>.

Layton, Deborah. Seductive Poison: A Jonestown Survivor’s Story of Life and Death in the Peoples Temple. Anchor Books: New York, 1998.

 O’Brien, Soledad. “Escape from Jonestown.” CNN Presents. CNN. 13 November 2008.

Terrence McKenna makes the argument that hallucinogens played a role in the evolution of the homo sapien brain. McKenna claims that the use of hallucinations gave humans the quality of self-reflection, somehow through evolution. He argues that a dynamic relationship between the earliest humans and the Stropharia cubensis mushroom in Africa was a model for all religions and higher levels of self-awareness. Although interesting, this theory is extremely flawed and I feel that his theory has no credence. The majority of scientific research suggests that humans have the ability of self-reflection because of their large brain size, the cerebral cortex in particular. Today’s major religions did not originate in Africa, where this hallucinogenic interaction is said to take place, but instead in the Middle East. I believe that this is a theory that McKenna arrived upon through thought and speculation, with little scientific or historical evidence to support it.

I have never tried a hallucinogenic drug, so I cannot be a primary source to say that they can change the way you see the world. However, it seems possible and reasonable that LSD and other hallucinogens could change the way that the users see the world. Hallucinogens excite a type of serotonin receptors called S₂ receptor sites. If the exciting of these sites causes distortions in perception, then it seems logical that these distortions could change the way that you see the world while under the influence of the drug. If a person spends a large amount of time dreaming or thinking about abstract issues while under the influence of the drug, then I would assume that it is also possible for a person to see the world differently even when not currently under the influence of the drug.

Hallucinogenic drugs have had a great effect on culture, especially in the 1960s. There has been a wide-variety of songs, books, and other works that were written about the use hallucinogens or were inspired by the use of hallucinogens, for example “Lucy in the sky with diamonds” by the Beetles and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. Hallucinogens also had a large effect on influential thought in the 1960s. The use of LSD played a big role in the “Hippie” movement. This movement focused on the ideas of love and peace, and was influenced by the good feelings created by drug use.

Methamphetamine was originally synthesized in Japan by Nagayoshi Nagai in 1893 (MethResources.gov). It was first introduced as a medication in the 1930s. It is a bronchodilator and was used for the treatment of asthma and chest congestion, but it was quickly discovered that there were intense stimulant side effects (Cho 631). Soldiers used methamphetamine during World War II as a source of energy, and by the 1950s truck drivers and students were also using it to stay awake. When methamphetamine started causing addiction problems in the 1960s and 1970s, federal legislation was passed to strictly limit its production by classifying it as a Schedule II drug (Hohman 374).  Methamphetamine abuse did not become an epidemic until a new form and a new method of ingestion was created – crystal meth. Crystal meth is the hydrochloride salt form of methamphetamine. Crystal meth is capable of being smoked through a pipe and is the form of methamphetamine that has taken over rural areas in the South. 

            Methamphetamine is addicting because of the way in which it interacts with neurotransmitters in the brain. Methamphetamine releases large amounts of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure centers, into the brain. This rush of dopamine causes enhanced mood, intense feelings of pleasure, increased energy, and decreased appetite. Addiction to methamphetamine can occur more quickly and is much stronger than other stimulants, such as cocaine, because the effects last much longer. Methamphetamine’s half-life in the body is about twelve hours, which causes long-lasting effects, but also a greater opportunity for overdose (Cho 633). Dependence occurs because with repeated doses the brain loses the ability to produce the proper amount of dopamine (Hohman 374). The low levels of dopamine cause withdrawals, that most commonly consist of depression, lethargy, and severe cravings. Other side effects of chronic methamphetamine use include paranoia and formication. Formication is the feeling that “meth mites” or “crank bugs” are crawling under the skin and the need to pick them out.

            Methamphetamine quickly became the drug of the 1990s because it was relatively inexpensive and readily available. The affordability of methamphetamine is a result of its ability to be easily made almost anywhere. The synthesis of methamphetamine can be achieved through the reduction of ephedrine or the condensation of phenylacetone and methylamine (Cho 633). The main ingredients required are lithium metal, anhydrous ammonia, and ephedrine or pseudoephedrine are easily purchased or stolen (Sexton 859). There are several different recipes, but they are all variations of the same basic method. Little equipment is required, so methamphetamine can be produced almost anywhere, in what have been termed meth labs.

            Meth labs are very dangerous and can be almost as hazardous as the use of methamphetamine itself. The chemicals used to produce the drug are extremely harmful. Anhydrous ammonia is the most toxic ingredient; it causes burns when in contact with skin and death if inhaled (Sexton 866). Many chemicals used are flammable which can lead to explosions that claim the lives of not only addicts, but innocent neighbors. Toxic waste, mainly in the form of fumes, also causes harm because areas used as meth labs are contaminated (Sexton 867). If the labs are outdoors, the toxins damage plant and animal life. If the production of methamphetamine is done within a home, all inhabitants are at risk. The toxins can form residue on every surface and be very difficult to remove. Although methamphetamine is produced in Mexico and smuggled across the border, a large amount is being produced in the rural South because remote locations provide protection from law enforcement.

            Methamphetamine has dramatic effect on the lives that it touches. The majority of users work blue collar jobs, and a large percentage of them are truck drivers. Distinct patterns of methamphetamine abuse are common among most users. Chronic abusers take doses up to a gram each on an average of every four hours so that they never enter a withdrawal period (Cho 632). Addicts often destroy their lives spending every spare dollar on the drug. The health of addicts deteriorates rapidly from the toxicity of the drug and the lack of proper hygiene, sleep, and nutrition. Methamphetamine users are devastated by withdrawal to the point where it is nearly impossible to kick the habit without several instances of relapse. Abusers also show impairment in tests of perceptual speed and manipulation of information (Levinthal 110). The chronic abuse of methamphetamine completely destroys the user in body and mind.

            Methamphetamine affects more than just the producers and the users. The drug has devastated many rural towns because of its effect on the families and the surrounding communities. The children of methamphetamine users are in great danger. Methamphetamine abuse has a correlation with violent acts. Studies have shown that drug abuse in the home leads to a greater amount of domestic violence, including child abuse and spousal abuse (Sommers 93). Another great risk for children of addicted parents is neglect. Methamphetamine addicts tend to be so caught up in purchasing and using the drug that they often forget that their children need attention and nutrition (Hohman 375). Much like the children of tobacco smokers, the children of drug addicts face the side effects of second hand inhalation and absorption of toxins. Children of methamphetamine users have been found to suffer from nausea, chest pain, eye and tissue irritation, chemical burns, and even death (MethResources.gov). Addicts do not intend to harm their children, but methamphetamine takes a greater importance in their lives.

The methamphetamine epidemic causes economic harm in the areas that it impacts. Since meth labs fill the surrounding areas with toxins they are very expensive to clean up after a bust. One estimate was 20,520 dollars to remove toxic waste per home meth lab (NHIDTAP 22). This cost, not covered by the producer, is displaced on the taxpayers in states with rural communities that suffer under the impact of methamphetamine. Another huge expense is the foster care that must be provided for all the children rescued. The state, through taxes, covers the cost of foster care, which is on the rise because methamphetamine abuse often affects entire families leaving both parents unsuitable to raise a child. The cost of incarcerating all of the individuals arrested for methamphetamine and its related crimes must also be considered. Not only is it expense to house and feed prisoners, methamphetamine addicts cannot afford to provide their own attorney, so the state must pay an attorney to represent them at their trials (NHIDTAP 28). Many states afflicted by this drug have started education programs to prevent abuse and treatment programs to help recovering addicts, which diverts our taxes away from other useful purposes.

            Besides the production, sales, and use of the methamphetamine itself, drug abuse leads to a greater amount of other crime. The main crime associated with the production of methamphetamine is theft. Anhydrous ammonia is probably the hardest chemical to obtain. It is used as a fertilizer by farmers and was once kept in unguarded tanks. One producer claimed that “it wasn’t hard at all, unless they got them special locks on like the law requires” (Sexton 860). Theft of the other ingredients is less common, but does occur especially when addicts are broke and desperate. Methamphetamine use causes an increase in robberies, burglaries, and motor vehicle thefts (NHIDTAP 12). Surprisingly, many addicts have taken part in identity theft. The users consider identity theft to be a very low risk crime because the chances of getting caught are low and the rewards are great (NHIDTAP 15). Crimes are committed with the intention of getting enough money to purchase more methamphetamine, but addicts can quickly turn violent because they are so desperate for more drugs.

            Methamphetamine abuse and production has a profound impact on law enforcement. One survey showed that the presence of methamphetamine has caused an increased workload on 82 percent of the nation’s counties (NHIDTAP 27). There is a financial burden that has been placed on the law enforcement agencies of rural areas. Most methamphetamine production and use occurs in areas where there is not a large police force and not much funding to support one. Many of these agencies have been forced to focus their attention on methamphetamine, letting other crimes take less importance. This problem has also had a direct impact on the law enforcement officers themselves. Many officers must work overtime to keep the community safe from methamphetamine. Officers are also placed in very dangerous situations. Addicts often become very violent at even the sight of a police officer, and they are often armed. Busting meth labs is a very dangerous procedure. There are many reports of meth labs being protected by booby traps and attack dogs, not to mention the risk of fire or toxic exposure (NHIDTAP 26).

            Federal and state legislators have spent much time debating and have passed several laws in an attempt to solve the methamphetamine problem. Federal legislation began in 1970 when methamphetamine was declared a Schedule II drug by the Controlled Substances Act (MethResources.gov). The chemical precursors used in the production of methamphetamine are also federally controlled under the Comprehensive Methamphetamine Control Act of 1996 (NHIDTAP 37).  The Methamphetamine Anti-Proliferation Act of 2000 increases the regulation of many of the chemicals used in meth labs, increases incarceration times, and provides training for law enforcement officers (NHIDTAP 37). The Methamphetamine Epidemic Elimination Act would have further increased incarceration times and regulations, but was never voted upon by the Senates or the House of Representatives. Sentencing for methamphetamine use and production varies from state to state; the regulations on precursor chemicals differ slightly as well. States with the strictest regulations include Arkansas, Missouri, and Washington.

            Methamphetamine was the drug of the 1990s, and has become an epidemic in rural America. The term epidemic implies the amount of damage that the drug has done to our society. The new legislation has resulted in some improvements, and hopefully methamphetamine abuse will continue to decrease. However, it seems that the abuse of prescription amphetamines and opiates is on the rise. Throughout United States history, there has always been a new drug addiction to replace the any that have been resolved. Legislation to end the devastation caused by methamphetamine is necessary, but it will not solve America’s addiction issues. There is a tendency in American society to rely on something foreign for happiness. In order to become a healthy and drug free country the root of the problem must be reached.

Works Cited

Cho, Arthur K. “Ice: A New Dosage Form of an Old Drug. ” Science  249.4969 (1990): 631. Research Library. ProQuest.  Torreyson Library,  UCA,  Conway. 8 Oct. 2008 <http://www.proquest.com/>

Hohman, Melinda, Rhonda Oliver, and Wendy Wright. “Methamphetamine Abuse and Manufacture: The Child Welfare Response. ” Social Work  49.3 (2004): 373-81. Research Library. ProQuest.  Torreyson Library,  UCA,  Conway. 8 Oct. 2008  <http://www.proquest.com/>

Levinthal, Charles F. Drugs, Behavior, and Modern Society. New York: Pearson, 2008.

MethResources.gov. 7 Oct. 2008 <http://www.methresources.gov/>.

Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program. Methamphetamine and Related Crime: The Impacts of Methamphetamine Abuse. 9 Oct. 2008. <http://mfiles.org/publications/Methandrelatedcrime.pdf/>.

Sexton, Rocky L., Robert G. Carlson, Carl G. Leukefeld,  and Brenda M Booth. “Patterns of Illicit Methamphetamine Production (“Cooking”) and Associated Risks in the Rural South: An Ethnographic Exploration. ” Journal of Drug Issues  36.4 (2006): 853-876. Research Library. ProQuest.  Torreyson Library,  UCA,  Conway. 6 Oct. 2008  <http://www.proquest.com/>

Sommers, Ira and Deborah Baskin. “Methamphetamine Use and Violence. ” Journal of Drug Issues  36.1 (2006): 77-96. Research Library. ProQuest.  Torreyson Library,  UCA,  Conway. 10 Oct. 2008 <http://www.proquest.com/>

It is immoral to prescribe a medication to someone who does not understand all the risks associated with it. The simple solution to this problem is to educate the people on the risks when prescribing them the medicine. I believe the responsibility to inform the patient of the risks falls on the doctor at the time of prescription and on the pharmacist at the time the prescription is filled. If both professions take this responsibility, then there should be no excuse for a patient not understanding the risks associated with a particular medication. I do believe that prescribers understand all the risks associated with the pills they prescribe. If a physician does not read the fine print in all the studies about a particular medication and prescribes it anyway, I believe they have violated the oath to act in the patients’ best interest and should have their license revoked.

With the knowledge that I have, I do believe that patients have the ability to be properly informed. There maybe things that certain drug companies are hiding, but there is no way to know. Research and information about every medication is easily accessible on the internet. Although the physicians and pharmacists do have a responsibility to inform you about what you are prescribed. You are the one that decides what you put in your own body. If you are prescribed something that you are unsure about, look it up, do the research yourself.  When it comes to commercials for drugs, no they are not informative. They are not intended to be; they are intended to marketing. I don’t believe that anyone would make an investment in a product or put something in their body because it had a good commercial. The main purpose of these commercials is to let people know that there is something out there that may help. Many conditions for which these commercials advertise are ones that people may not realize there are possible treatments or may not see their doctor about. At the end of every one of those commercials, it says ask your doctor. The purpose is to get people in the doctor’s office so that they might be prescribed if the medication is right for them.

I do not believe that reform in the drug industry is needed. I believe that reform is needed in the amount of prescriptions written by doctors. The rise in prescription abuse and misuse is simply due to over prescription. The fact that someone can walk into a general practitioner’s office claiming that they have trouble focusing in class and on tests and be prescribed Adderall no questions asked is what has lead to the misuse and abuse of prescription drugs. Don’t think that this doesn’t happen, I know people personally who have done that very thing. I believe that reform needs to occur by the having general practitioner send the patient to a psychiatrist or someone specializing in the area of behavioral disorders. The drug industry is trying to produce products that may provide relief to people as fast as they can. They have no control over how many prescriptions are written. The doctors should always prescribe or not prescribe what is in the best interest of the patients, not the drug companies. It is the doctors that need reform not the drug industry.

Inhalants consist of a great number of chemicals found in household products that produce a high when inhaled by huffing or bagging. Inhalants produce a feeling of intoxication much quicker than alcohol. It has also been described as a euphoric state that lasts about an hour, with not much of a hangover. The most commonly used inhalants are gasoline, glues, paints, lighter fluid, permanent markers, and anything in an aerosol can. The most common toxic chemicals consist of acetates, acetone, benzene, hexane, butane, propane, and toluene. All of these chemicals have various negative effects on brain functioning, but anyone of these chemicals can cause hypoxia and instant death.

All inhalants produce similar feelings of intoxication or euphoria. Chronic inhalant abusers have their favorites, but most people could not tell the difference in the high from one inhalant to another. In that way, I don’t think that inhalant used matters; they will all get you to the same high. When it comes to one chemical being more dangerous than another, it is a pick your poison situation. All of the chemicals in inhalants are very dangerous, but some damage different areas of the brain or body. Acetone does the most damage to the respiratory tract. Benzene is connected with leukemia and blindness. Hexane causes peripheral nerve damage leading to muscle weakness and atrophy. Toluene is capable of causing reduction of short term memory, loss of hearing, and dysfunctions of the cerebellum. Gasoline additives are associated with spastic muscle disorders and liver problems. I wouldn’t say that any of these effects are worse than the others.

Although I have not personally used any form of inhalant, I believe that teenagers do all types drugs for the same reasons. Everyone has a drug of choice, but I think that the drug is not as important as the act of drug abuse itself. Many people portray drug abuse in teenagers as a way to fit in or look cool, as a result of peer pressure. I think that the majority of teenagers are engaging in drug abuse for escape. Junior high and high school are not exactly the best times in most peoples’ lives. At that age, many teens struggle to find themselves, fight with their parents, witness their parents fight each other, or any other number of things that lead to a need for escape. I experimented with several drugs in high school including alcohol, marijuana, prescription opiates, and benzodiazepines, but my drug of choice was definitely cocaine. For me, cocaine provided euphoric relief from my depression. It also made me feel like I had control over something, at a time in my life when I had control over nothing. I could not control my friends that betrayed me. I could not control my father’s struggle with cancer or his death. I could not control my own depression. Even though it was only for a moment, cocaine gave me the ability to wash all my worries away, to feel happy, and to find peace. Drug abuse does not help you make friends or look cool, but instead further estranges you from your peers. The reason that people use any type of drug is to find relief at a time that it cannot be found anywhere else.

Opium was first known to be used in the third century B.C., but was thought to be used up to a thousand years before. Opium was used in countries all over the world in hot climates. Opium first caused an addiction problem when China invented Opium smoking. The British sold large quantities opium to China in exchange for tea and other imports. Opium dependence in China started to cause many social issues. Opium use became widespread in both Britain and the United States. Opium caused minor social problems similar to alcohol, but the development of other opium related drugs that produced much greater problems. Heroin and other synthetic opiates lead to chronic dependence. The most significant problems that result from drug use are crime and destruction of families.

In my opinion, people become so addicted as a result of the snowball effect. People somehow get caught up with the wrong people, in the wrong place, at the wrong time. A combination of curiosity and peer pressure leads to trying a drug once. A pleasurable experience causes people to try the drug again. Everyone believes that addiction will never happen again or they can quit if they want to, the problem is they never want to quit before it is too late. Once someone has entered the vicious cycle of drug abuse it is almost impossible to get out. It is impossible to make a rational decision to improve your situation while constantly under the influence of drugs or the effects of withdrawal.

McKenna hints that tobacco is socially acceptable because it was socially associated with males, power, and politics. Opium on the other hand was associated with infants, women, and Bohemian types. The history of opium also goes back much further than that of tobacco, which also leads the social perception of opium to be associated with many barbaric cultures. Since the politicians were addicted to tobacco and used expensive cigar to show their wealth, it makes perfect since that opiates became illegal while tobacco remains the most widely abused legal drug.

 I think the placement of marijuana as a Schedule I drug is ridiculous. The main qualifiers for Schedule I drugs are high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. Marijuana has little potential for abuse because it exits your system so slowly that it naturally weans you off itself gradually. Marijuana has also been shown to have many medical uses. Marijuana has been used as a therapeutic drug in cancer and AIDS patients to ease depression, nausea, and weight-loss. I think marijuana would be more accurately categorized as a Schedule III drug. Schedule III drugs are qualified as some potential for abuse and accepted medical abuse. The only possible excuse for classifying marijuana as a Schedule I drug is the theory that it is a gateway drug, leading people to abuse other drugs.

Marijuana policy in the United States has proven to be unsuccessful. Marijuana may be illegal, but it is the most widely used drug in our country. Current punishments of confiscation and fines are not preventing anyone who desires to use the drug from doing so.  The policy needs to be stricter in order to prevent the use of marijuana or legalize marijuana with regulations. If consequences were increased less usage would occur. If marijuana was legalized then it could be regulated and less abuse would take place.

Canada and the Netherlands are the two countries used as examples for legalizing the use of marijuana. Both countries have been seen as very successful with their policies regarding the substance. I believe that legalizing marijuana would create a decrease in crime rates. Not only possession or distributing crimes would greatly decrease, but also violent crimes. Many violent crimes are associated with “drug deals gone bad” and would be reduced if marijuana could be sold legally and regulated.

Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. It depresses a region of the brain that has inhibitory affects, which is why it is an often misconceived as a stimulant. Alcohol distinctly affect behavior in this way, it lowers inhibitions causing users do or say many things that they would not under standard consciousness. Alcohol also leads to violent, aggressive, and sexual behaviors because of lower inhibition levels and placebo effects. The physiological effects can much more troubling. The main cause of alcohol related deaths is drunk driving accidents that result from a decreased reaction time or falling asleep at the wheel. Alcohol can also cause blackouts (the inability to remember a period time), hangovers (dehydration), and reduction of the REM sleep cycle. Alcohol is a toxic drug that can cause death by asphyxiation. The lethal dose in fifty percent of the population (LD50) is a 0.5 percent blood alcohol concentration (BAC).

Alcohol causes many problems in modern society. The most devastating problems caused by alcohol abuse are social and familial problems. Family problems result from the fact that alcohol abuse is the leading cause of domestic violence. Social problems result from the fact that it is difficult to keep a steady job, and be a contributor to society while abusing alcohol. Alcohol abuse also leads to emotional problems, most commonly depression. The physiological problems that alcohol abuse causes are cirrhosis of the liver, fetal alcohol syndrome, cancer, and dementia.

I believe that alcohol is a legal drug because of its history. Alcohol has been a part of society since very early civilizations so it continues to be legal. Another reason alcohol remains legal is the drastic effects it had on crime during Prohibition.  During Prohibition the amount of alcohol use did not decrease greatly, and the amount of crime skyrocketed, so it was quickly repealed. I believe that alcohol should be a legal drug because it has the ability to be used in moderation. Although alcohol is addictive, it can be used for positive purposes and without abuse. I think it is possible to say that many drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamines, and heroin are so addicting that no one can use them with discretion. Alcohol, especially wine, has been shown to have positive health effects when used in small quantities. Alcohol should definitely remain legal, but maybe it is possible to put greater regulations or restrictions on its sale. One option could be to limit the amount of alcohol an individual could buy in a week or month.