Use Of Recreational Drugs And Its Legalisation

Use of recreational drugs and its legalisation

Discuss about the Use of Recreational Drugs and its Legalisation.

Recreational drugs are also known as addiction drugs which are taken by the individuals not because of the medical purpose but for the enjoyment and pleasure when they are in social groups. These drugs are taken occasionally for altering one’s mental state so that it can have modifications in an individual’s feelings, perceptions and emotions. The consumption of these recreational drugs poses a direct impact upon an individual’s body by bringing an intoxicating effect (Duke and Gross, 2014). There are majorly three categories of individuals which have high rate of usage of recreational drugs. It comprises of the state of depression, where individuals take use of these drugs to have calmness and a feeling of relaxation in them. The second category is stimulants, where people take use of these drugs to have a feeling of alertness and become more energetic. And the third common category is psychedelic drugs, where individuals consume these drugs to have perceptual distortions and illusions. The usages of recreational drugs are considered as more of a result of social behaviour rather than the outcome of medical conditions (Wood, et al., 2016).

(Source: globaldrugsurvey, 2014)

Across the world, there has been found increasing use of the recreational drugs. The consumption of these drugs is increasing with a rapid and upsurge arte. The United States of America is one of the countries which have been recognized as one of the potential and significant user of these recreational drugs. The national individuals of America have an increasing propensity of consuming these drugs. As per the results of the Global Drug Survey 2014, it was found that the United States of America is at the leading position in the consumption of the recreational drugs which shows that there is high intake of cannabis which is one of the highly consumed recreational drugs (globaldrugsurvey, 2014).

There are numerous researches who have tried to identify the primary reasons behind the increasing consumption of these drugs which includes a number of factors. These fact ors comprises of socio-cultural influence, historical factors, increase availability, , juvenile delinquency, high peer pressure, upsurge arte of socioeconomic stressors, failure at workplace or school, history of trauma, martial issues, rebelliousness, curiosity, instant gratification, age, gender, self-medication, psychological problems, personality type and genetics. All these factors and aspects are the foundation for the increasing usage of these recreational drugs among the society (Quintero and Nichter 2011).

Reasons for the usage of recreational drugs

The risk associated with the usage of these drugs completely depends upon the fraction of time and the amount of drug consumed by the user. There are number of factors which have their impact and role in developing the risks for the individuals consuming these drugs. The most harmful recreational drugs include alcohol, crack cocaine, methamphetamines, heroin, marijuana, etc. In the United States, there is extensive usage of marijuana among the youngsters and adults (Gable, 2006). The youth is directing towards the increase consumption of marijuana and leading them towards a more dreadful future. There are several health related risks which are the results of usage of these recreational drugs such as slowly and gradually it becomes an addiction for the human body which the users do not realize in the initial phase. But once it becomes an addiction, it is next to impossible to get rid of such addictions. Other risk includes cardiovascular problems, sexual dysfunction, weakening of the immune system, respiratory problems, antisocial personality, tampers with the brain and personality disorders (Zhang, Harris and Ho, 2016).

There is an increasing demand for the prevention against the continuously up surging usage of these recreational drugs. The governments, various public health organisations as well as other health institutions are trying numerous ways to save the youths and the other individuals from the hazardous impact of the consumption of these addiction drugs. As a successful prevention technique, the Governments are highly recommended to legalize the usage of these drugs. By legalizing the sales and consumption of the recreational drugs, the Government can save number of individuals from its ill-effects (Van Ours, 2012). There are several positive implications of making the usage of drugs legalized which includes saving of billions of dollars which the individuals spend on the purchase of these drugs. By legalizing the sales of these drugs, the Government can have huge earning by imposing taxes over the sales. The second positive impact is that there can be attained actual data i.e. the number of individuals consuming these drugs. By having the analysis of the consumption rate, the Government can develop appropriate strategies for overcoming the related issues (Fraser and Moore, 2011). Another prevention technique other than legalisation of drugs could conclude sting operations, secret checks, high control over the import and exports of goods, forming of strict regulations, various informational campaigns which can fetch the attention of the individuals and direct them towards the stoppage of consuming these drugs by demonstrating the ill-effects of consuming these drugs on their health (Stringer and Maggard, 2016).

Risks involved in the usage of recreational drugs

There are several types of recreational drugs which are consumed by the diverse groups of individuals depending upon their physical needs, individual behaviour and financial conditions. The various types includes Alcohol, Toabcco, Marijuana, Vicodin,Cocaine, Oxycodone, Ecstasy, LSD, Tramadol, Clonazepam, Diazepam, Zolpidem, Heroin, Buprenorphine, Morphine, Lorazepam, Methadone, Carisoprodol, DMT, Oxymorphone, ketamine, etc. (Schierenbeck, et al., 2008).

The consumption of the recreational drugs has been found both positive as well as negative fir the individual and their health. There are more of negative impacts of these drugs. But if the Government legalise the usage and sale of these drugs, then it could be found advantageous for the drug market as well as for the nations and the individuals in most of the sense. There are several benefits for the drug market such as there will be increased legal sales of the drugs rather than the buying of the drugs via illegal ways. This will help in boosting the growth of the drug market and will eliminate the criminal market place which was extending with a rapid rate (Sather, 2005).

The youth as well as well as the increasing number of individuals are draining in the flow of the usage of recreational drugs. In the present scenario, it is highly essential to stop or reduce this rising rate of consumption of these drugs. It is recommended that the various national authorities across the globe and mainly the Government of USA must legalize the usage and sales of recreational drugs (Weatherburn, 2014). This is recommended because of the reason that legalisation of the drugs will provide access to the correct information about the increasing intake of these drugs. The correct and appropriate information will assist the policy makers as well as the government to formulate improved and correct set of policies and strategies for the control usage of these drugs. The another recommendation for preventing the issues of the increasing usage of these drugs is that, if the government legalized these drugs, then they can offer the corrects set of user guide or information related to the use of these drugs such as avoiding the use of same needle, etc. (Sather, 2005). There can also be establishment of more number of rehabilitation centres which are free of cost, so that the individuals get a better treatment there and can be tree vroom the addiction of these drugs. It is also recommended that there is a huge supply of these recreational drugs from various overseas regions., thus the import must be checked and controlled in an efficiency manner with high scrutiny so that the young generations as well as the adults can be saved from the ill-effects of usage of these recreational drugs (Foddy and Savulescu, 2006).

Prevention

Conclusion

From this report, it can be concluded that there is increasing demand and usage of the recreational drugs across the world. The youngsters are getting much fascinated by the use of these drugs because of their social and personal behaviour. There are various types of drugs available in the market and the illegal supply of these drugs is increasing the consumption with a rising rate. The United States of America is one of the countries which is very much and deeply affected by the illegal consumption of these recreational drugs. Thus, it is concluded that the Government authorities must legalized the usage and sales of these drugs so that they can fetch the appropriate and correct information and can frame strategic policies to overcome the issues and the challenges of the usage of recreational drugs.

References

Duke, S., & Gross, A. C. (2014). America's longest war: Rethinking our tragic crusade against drugs. Open Road Media.

Foddy, B., & Savulescu, J. (2006). Addiction and autonomy: can addicted people consent to the prescription of their drug of addiction?. Bioethics, 20(1), 1-15.

Fraser, S., & Moore, D. (Eds.). (2011). The drug effect: Health, crime and society. Cambridge University Press.

Gable, R. S. (2006). The toxicity of recreational drugs. American scientist, 94(3), 206.

Globaldrugsurvey, (2014). The Global Drug Survey 2014 findings, Retrieved on: 1^st May, 2017, Retrieved from: https://www.globaldrugsurvey.com/past-findings/the-global-drug-survey-2014-findings/

Quintero, G., & Nichter, M. (2011). Self-medication, and recreational drug use. A companion to medical anthropology, 17, 339-350.

Sather, T. (Ed.). (2005). Pros and cons: a debater's handbook. Routledge.

Schierenbeck, T., Riemann, D., Berger, M., & Hornyak, M. (2008). Effect of illicit recreational drugs upon sleep: cocaine, ecstasy and marijuana. Sleep medicine reviews, 12(5), 381-389.

Stringer, R. J., & Maggard, S. R. (2016). Reefer Madness to Marijuana Legalization: Media Exposure and American Attitudes Toward Marijuana (1975-2012). Journal of Drug Issues, 46(4), 428-445.

Van Ours, J. C. (2012). The long and winding road to cannabis legalization. Addiction, 107(5), 872-873.

Weatherburn, D. (2014). The pros and cons of prohibiting drugs. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 47(2), 176-189.

Wood, D. M., Dines, A. M., Heyerdahl, F., Yates, C., Giraudon, I., Paasma, R., ... & Dargan, P. I. (2016). Review of European-Drug Emergencies Network (Euro-DEN) training package for non-specialist workers to assess acute recreational drug and new psychoactive substance toxicity in night-time economy environments. Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy, 23(1), 73-77.

Zhang, M. W., Harris, K. M., & Ho, R. C. (2016). Is Off-label repeat prescription of ketamine as a rapid antidepressant safe? Controversies, ethical concerns, and legal implications. BMC medical ethics, 17(1), 4.