Illicit Drugs Misuse: Factors And Perspectives

Step 1

Discuss about the illicit Drugs Misuse.

Topic on use of illicit and recreational substances in both Australia and internationally has been selected. The recreational and illicit drugs misuse is a key global concern, which is affecting the health, society as well as the economy of different nations.

Historical factors: From the historical perspectives, it is seen that use of these illicit drugs were embedded in society long before the government became able to regulate their usage and long before the harmful effects were noticed. Since the colonization of European, long history of dispossession, social and economic exclusion led to the socioeconomic deprivation, which is linked to substance abuse (Germov, 2014). Two hypotheses from 1973 shaped my views towards control, first is that to understand what impels someone to use an illicit drug and their effects, three determinants should be considered, the drug, attitude of user during usage and the influence of physical and social settings (Acu.edu.au, 2017). The second depicts that social setting, through rituals and sanctions development can bring the use of illicit drugs under control. From my perspective, thus, modifying social norms and regulations should be at the centre of drug usage control.

Cultural factors: I have worked with the disadvantaged group, the aboriginals in Australia, where I have worked with them; I have revealed that their traditions and rituals are influencing them to abuse illicit drugs. From the historical origin, they are deprived of proper education, employment and income, which lead to several unsocial behaviour and drug abuse. On the other hand, it has also been revealed that peer and family culture are also influencing their usage of illicit drugs (Brodsky, 1996).  Drug usage build up several problems including poor performance at workplace, problems with relationship along with other physical and mental health issues. Depression and anxiety resulting from these health and social issues lead to stigma of that group.

Structural factors: Social factors are the key one influencing abuse of illicit and recreational drugs among people worldwide. For instance, people from low socio-economic background are more prone to abuse illicit drugs. In case of adolescents, their life style and peer influence are the key sociological factors influencing drug abuse. On the other hand, to get relief from stress, people abuse these recreational drugs. Education plays a significant role in this context, i.e.  it affects individual’s employment opportunity, awareness, lifestyle as well as income status (Roe, Joseph & Middleton, 2010). For instance, with my working group, I have revealed that the aboriginal people have high levels of educational disadvantage. The social setting influences them to leave school at younger age, causing reduced awareness about the harmful effects of these drugs. My perspective on the drug abuse has been shaped by the rehabilitation centres for withdrawing drug effects(Germov, 2014). My medical profession and personal experience has also influenced my knowledge base related to drug abuse, whereas the state and national legislative framework shaped my knowledge regarding control.

Step 2

Critical factors: Being a health professional, I can promote the knowledge regarding the negative health effects of these drugs. On the other hand, I would contribute to influence and support people already abusing drugs to get back to their normal life, through building a positive relationship in a holistic healthcare framework. On the other hand, from a sociological perspective, I would attempt to make people adhere to government laws and regulations related to drug abuse (Davies, 2013). From sociological perspective, one key strategy to reduce drug abuse is to reduce the gap in health and social wellbeing of socially disadvantaged group and strengthening the criminal justice systems internationally regarding drug abuse.

Historical factors: It has often seen that the criminalization and legislations related to drug problems are affecting several innocent residents, i.e. several criminal records are building up with people possessing small amount of the drug. For minor or non-violent offenses, too many people are being trapped by the criminal justice system. On the other hand, the illegal drug trade is supporting organized crime and enhanced threats to public safety including hard drugs and human trafficking (Germov, 2014). As a result, sometimes, innocent victims are being punished, leading to their stigmatization. Diversion and therapeutic jurisprudence include several drug initiatives within the Australia’s criminal justice system, however, the relative balance between two different approaches, i.e. the drug court, correctional centres and the therapeutic jurisprudence approach needs to be maintained, as they varies according to the location along the criminal justice continuum (Volkow, Baler & Goldstein,. 2011). Drug rehabilitation is treated as a part of criminal justice sometimes, for providing people experiencing minor offenses to rectify their perspectives. For instance, people convicted of driving being drunk are required to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Therefore, I believe that the rehabilitive legal response provides the opportunity to address an alternative way in drug abuse possession or DUI case. In some cases, individuals can be court ordered to drug rehabilitation through the state through legislation like Marchman Act. Therefore, from my perspectives, the corrective regulations and therapeutic justice can provide an opportunity to people for rectifying their behaviour and modify their life standards for better future, by avoiding stigmatization.

Cultural factors: Throughout the world, in several cultural practices, drug abuse is accepted. However, in those cultures, where drinking or drug usage is integrated into their rituals or religious rites, the place and way of consumption are regulated there through tradition, self control, sociability and knowing the level of consumption matters a lot to drug abuse. Whereas, in cultures, where ambivalent attitudes towards drinking exist, the alcohol abuse rate in high there (Brodsky, 1996). Throughout the history, wine and other alcoholic beverages have been addressed as a source of pleasure and aesthetic appreciation in many cultures. In a French village, individual is allowed to consume wine daily, whereas recent data are suggesting that introducing children to alcoholic beverages is done once they are two to four years old (Germov, 2014). However, there are many cultural, where drug abuse is addressed as a health issue and to minimize this issue, the culture teaches its followers to drink moderately and responsibly. For instance, Italians and Jews do not allow their followers to drink aggressively, abuse is unacceptable and results immediate sanctions. Therefore from cultural perspective, a method for moderate drinking can be developed as an intervention for harm minimization taking examples from Italian, French, Spanish. Jewish and Chinese culture (MacRae & Hoareau, 2016). To minimize harm, government has implemented several control policies, which ineffective in regulating cultural drinking practices.  It is crucial to realize that drinking issues are virtually unknown in most of the cultures globally, where occasional drunkenness is accepted. Positive cultures help in successful cultural control of drinking, suggesting a policy for educating young generation to be moderate, healthy and social drinkers.

Step 3

Structural factors: While looking from the sociological standpoint, the symbolic interactionism perspective is the most accurate one. The symbolic interactuonism perspective focuses upon drug abuse for explaining that behaviour, while providing the message to the users or abusers, what they learn from the peers and what are the ways constructing knowledge in reality (Germov, 2014). Once society identifies a person as a drug-user, the problem continues to rise and the person becomes drug-abuser (Livingston et al., 2012). The symbolic interactionism perspective investigates the varying meanings, which are attached to individual behaviour, i.e. drug abuse. According to this perspective, if a drug is addressed and accepted as the part of religious ceremony by a cultural or social group, it may be addressed as dangerous in another social group. Moreover, a drug may be legal during a period, which can be outlawed further; or a drug may be outlawed initially and become involved in legal practice further (Blogs.longwood.edu, 2013). Symbolic interactionism perspective is depicting that behaviours are influenced by social factors, and leads to stigma as result of related symptoms like depression, anxiety and others.

Government is contributing towards the issue by implementing different legislations and regulations to the control the drug abuse. Government is strengthening its criminal justice system to adhere to the strict actions against breach of law and regulation. However, in case of medicinalization, government has included several correction and rehabilitation legislations for providing the opportunity to the victims to rectify their abusive behaviour. On the other hand, the health care institutions are offering supports through care homes, personal assistance, counselling, client-centred approaches, behaviour modification practices and rehabilitation (Weinberg, 2012).  Harm minimization strategies that I have found to minimize harm include positive relationship and communication, support, empathy, education and awareness and relaxation in criminal justice legislations to prevent stigmatization.

Critical factors: Big pharma has a key role in raising concerns over profit placing above heath in Australia. A lot of profit is made by telling healthy individuals that they are sick. Pharmaceutical companies are actively taking part in sponsoring and defining disease, while promoting them to both consumers and prescribers (Germov, 2014). Alliances of pharmaceutical manufacturers, doctors and patients are using media for framing conditions as being widespread and severe (Straussner, 2012). These activities enhance the health care cost as well as the increase the fear and stigma for health care services. There are alternatives, which can be availed by replacing corporate funded information about disease with independent information.  With the help of health belief model and implementation of health belief model in the care practices as well as health promotion practices, the societal fear and stigma can be reduced.

Historical factors

The substance abuse is a causing significant health issues and community apprehension, especially affecting the young generation, hindering their career growth. In Australia, it has been estimated by government and community organizations that the use of illicit drugs is a legal, social and health issue, which is generating an annual illegal market with A $6.7 billion. Answering the questions in the social imagination template, I have gained an in-depth knowledge regarding the topic, i.e. illicit drug abuse and its social context in Australia as well as throughout the world. According to the ACU graduate’s attributes, I have gained a significant knowledge upon collaborative and autonomous working, while locating, organizing, analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating information. On the other hand, I have applied ethical perspectives in informed decision making, while working with my aboriginal group. While discussing about the social stigma and drug abuse, its social image, I have recognized my social responsibility towards common good and made my decision by demonstrating knowledge on the ethical perspective and critical thinking. The models I have applied and my personal experience I have discussed are a authentic. The solutions of the problem, which I have discussed, have been made upon taking local and international perspective into account.

References

Acu.edu.au,. (2017). Graduate attributes - ACU (Australian Catholic University). Acu.edu.au. Retrieved 28 March 2017, from https://www.acu.edu.au/about_acu/our_university/for_employers/employ_acu_students/graduate_attributes

Brodsky, A. (1996). Alcohol and Society: How Culture Influences the Way People Drink. Peele.net. Retrieved 28 March 2017, from https://www.peele.net/lib/sociocul.html#ii

Davies, J. B. (2013). Myth of Addiction. Routledge.

Germov, J. (2014). Newcastle's Second opinion: an introduction to health sociology| NOVA. The University of Digital Repository.

Livingston, J. D., Milne, T., Fang, M. L., & Amari, E. (2012). The effectiveness of interventions for reducing stigma related to substance use disorders: a systematic review. Addiction, 107(1), 39-50.

MacRae A, Hoareau J (2016) Review of illicit drug use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet. Retrieved [28 March 2017], from https://www.aodknowledgecentre.net.au/aodkc/illicit-drug-use/reviews/illicit-drug-use-review

Roe, J., Joseph, S., & Middleton, H. (2010). Symbolic interaction: A theoretical approach to understanding stigma and recovery. Mental Health Review Journal, 15(1), 29-36.

Society Made Me Do It (Symbolic Interactionism) at Becca Latimer's Blog. (2013). Blogs.longwood.edu. Retrieved 28 March 2017, from https://blogs.longwood.edu/creatablog/2013/12/28/society-made-me-do-it-symbolic-interactionism/

Straussner, S. L. A. (Ed.). (2012). Ethnocultural factors in substance abuse treatment. Guilford Press.

Volkow, N. D., Baler, R. D., & Goldstein, R. Z. (2011). Addiction: pulling at the neural threads of social behaviors. Neuron, 69(4), 599-602.

Weinberg, T. S. (2012). The sociology of addiction. The Encyclopedia of Social Sciences and Humanities.