Ahmetovic 1
Sabina Ahmetovic
Dr. Kate Maxwell-Stephens
Life, Society, and Drugs
December 10, 2012
The Significance of this Course
Introduction to Drugs
Drugs are known to be chemical substances that take you away from your normal
behavior and change the functioning in your body. All of the drugs that exist are split into two
categories: illicit drugs meaning they are manufactured and illegal and licit drugs which are the
legal ones like over the counter and prescribed drugs. The main reasons people take drugs are for
either instrumental or recreational purposes. Instrumental means the drug is taken by a
prescription and to cure an illness and recreational means the drug is taken to get high or to feel
pleasure. Many people misuse drugs, which easily leads them to become dependent and addicted
to the drug. Addiction is developed when a person consistently takes harmful drugs which begin
to affect their psychological and physical behavior.
Background History
I have learned that morphine, opium, and cocaine have been around since the 1800’s and
were used regularly for medical purposes for many decades. A hundred years later, heroin,
alcohol, and tobacco became extremely popular among teens and adults. During these times,
people had no idea what were in these drugs and how much harm it could do to your brain and
body. Barely in the 1950’s, doctors realized that heroin and cocaine are tremendously strong and
Ahmetovic 2
dangerous; that is when these drugs became illegal within the whole country. During the 1960’s
and 1970’s people started to frequently smoke marijuana and use LSD, in addition, this was the
time when scientists and doctors discovered that there was a correlation between brain function
and behavior while using a drug. Lastly, in the 1980’s marijuana people widely accepted by
parents and people began to use crack which is known to be a cheaper form of cocaine.
Major Drugs
I have learned that cocaine is a natural stimulant that gives you extreme energy and
causes a rise in the sympathetic nervous system. This drug is known to be the “rich man’s drug”
because of it is so high priced but literally it’s so strong that one line can kill you. If cocaine is
taken for a long period of time it can cause major depression and hallucinations. Crack is a much
cheaper version of cocaine and is usually smoked rather than sniffed. I have learned that
amphetamines are anti-depressant drugs that are known to keep you awake and focused but
reduce fatigue and appetite; also it can cause hallucinations, paranoia, and delusions when
abused. Opium is a narcotic drug that contains parts of morphine, codeine, and thebaine and is
used for both medical and recreational purposes. The most common opium is heroin which is
commonly injected for direct affect and pleasurable sensations called a “rush.” This drug is a
central nervous system depressant and its major effects are lack of emotion, reduced appetite,
decreased response to pain, and itchy, burning sensation. Marijuana is a common hemp plant that
originated from North Africa and has been around for over 5,000 years. The most common side
effects from marijuana are slow reflexes, red eyes, perception loss of time, and extreme hunger
(munchies). I believe that marijuana is not a drug that you can overdose on and die and is not as
addictive as other major drugs like cocaine and heroin. I have learned that currently, there are
Ahmetovic 3
seventeen states that allow marijuana for medicinal purposes and three that allow for it
recreational purposes.
Alcohol and Tobacco
I learned that alcoholism is usually defined in four major categories: a problem associated
with preoccupation of drinking, vocational, social, and family problems, emotional and physical
problems. I’ve learned that the major side effects of alcohol include liver disease, cardiovascular
disease, cancer and possibly death. I have learned that if a woman drinks alcohol during
pregnancy there is a high chance her child might develop fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). In
addition, there is a high possibility that the children of alcoholics will become dependent on
alcohol later in their life. Something really odd I learned is that the northern, colder states of
America consume more alcohol than all the other states. I have learned that there are two kinds
of alcoholics: type 1 which is a person over the age of 25 that drink alcohol to run away from
their feelings but feel guilt and fear and type 2 tends to be people under 25 years of age who have
a psychological dependence on alcohol and to have positive feelings. It’s been proved that Type
2 alcoholics have a greater chance of affecting the younger generations than Type 1 alcoholics
do. I learned that tobacco contains tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide which can cause major
health problems like lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and other forms of common
cancers. Tobacco became awfully popular during the 1800s and mostly chewed at that time until
about a hundred years later when people realized they could smoke it. It was until about the mid
1960’s, when doctors realized that tobacco can harm a humans body and that is about the same
time the first surgeon general warning was put on the boxes. I learned that in 1998, the American
Tobacco Corporations did a $246 billion settlement within the fifty states to help reimburse the
costs of treating for people with illnesses due to tobacco. Appallingly, with this amazing offer
Ahmetovic 4
only three out of those fifty states actually took advantage of the offer. I never really understood
why people would say that second hand smoke is actually worse than smoking the cigarettes
until my professor explained the reason behind it. Basically, the end of the cigarettes contains the
most chemicals which others inhale while the person is smoking.
Treatment
The best way to help treat a person who is using any of these substances is interventions
which are split into three groups: primary, secondary, and tertiary. I learned that the primary
helps those who have minimal contact with drugs, secondary helps those who have been using
for a short period of time, and tertiary helps those who are in serious treatment and want to
setback completely. The purpose of interventions is for drug users and abusers and their loved
ones to express their thoughts and feelings to each other, which will help them, have a better
understanding of each other’s perspectives. I can’t believe that the estimated cost of substance
prevention programs is over a trillion dollars yearly and there are still millions of people who are
suffering from drug abuse. I have learned that in Alcoholics Awareness programs they have a
twelve step goal plan, which is known to help people overcome their addictions. This twelve step
goal plan begins with simply admitting that you are addicting to alcohol to having a spiritual
understanding and repeating this principle over and over. Another very popular treatment is
rehab institutions, this place provides you with clinical doctors, counselors, therapists, and group
meetings that help you eliminate your addiction to any substances.
Overall
In conclusion, I have learned many important facts in life, society, and drugs that I plan
to take on in the future. People make mistake and go down the wrong road, but it is never too late
Ahmetovic 5
to get back up and overcome your addictions. All these drugs are illegal for a reason, people
need to realize that it is not worth even trying it once because you can easily become addicted or
even die from that one time. I have learned about the majority of the commonly used drugs in
our nation; their history, the chemicals that make each drug and the side effects that come with
them. Even though, treatment programs might cost a lot of money, it is still worth saving those
who are suffering from addictions, especially because these programs have shown to really help
improve people’s lives.