Posted: August 12th, 2022

Drug Use

Drug Use

What is the relationship among drug trafficking, drug use and other forms of crime?
There is a direct relationship between drug trafficking, drug use and crime. Those who abuse drugs often commit crimes so as to pay for their drugs. Furthermore, many of those who commit crimes are under the influence of drugs while carrying out crimes. Drug trafficking is another outcome of drug use (Fisher & Roget, 2019). In many cases, addicts are not employed, and as such, they may not have any other source of income. In order to fulfill their needs, they may turn to drug trafficking. Therefore, the cycle of addiction, poverty, and crime is repeated.
What government strategies have been used to reduce the incidence of drug use in the US?
i. Supporting mass media campaigns-these efforts have been increasingly used to change norms about drug use by illustrating the negative effects for use, positive consequences for not using, changing opinions regarding the prevalence of use or the kinds of people who use, and the increasing skills for resisting drugs.
ii. Requiring schools to introduce instructional programs on drug use-these aim at educating students about drugs and the negative consequences of use.
iii. Interrupting, dismantling and overpowering drug traffickers and their chains of supply-the government has increasingly geared efforts towards identifying and taking advantage of vulnerabilities in the illegal drug supply chain, and confiscate the initiative from drug traffickers so as to disrupt their activities and dismantling infrastructure they utilize to sustain their illegal practice.
What are some of the costs of illicit drug use in the US today? Which costs can be easily decreased than others? How would you reduce the costs of illegal drug use?
The approximated cost of drug abuse in the US-encompassing illicit drugs, tobacco and alcohol-is over $820 billion annually and still growing (Fisher & Roget, 2019). Drug abuse in the country costs the society in escalated healthcare costs, lost productivity and crime. Other costs include deaths resulting from overdose, the spread of Hepatitis C & HIV/AIDS, domestic abuse, homelessness and unemployment. Costs associated with unemployment, lost productivity and homelessness can be decreased than healthcare costs. To reduce the costs of illegal drug use, focus should be put on conducting public health education on the negative effects of drug abuse and investing on drug rehabilitation centres.

Reference
Fisher, G. L., & Roget, N. A. (2019). Encyclopedia of Substance Abuse Prevention,
Treatment, and Recovery. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

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Tags: Drug Use