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Studies in Psychology
I have included a variety of information in this section. You will find
some of my own writings as well as other topics that go beyond my scope of
experience. I would like to dedicate this section to
Dr John Stephens who I had the
benefit of knowing and learning from for many years.
Psychology of Drugs and Addiction
Section 1 US Approach to Drug Management (Drugs and Society - Are drug laws
realistic?)
Section 2 Notes and Study Information (Docs are Word 97-2003 files):
Section 3 Notes and Study Information (Docs are Word 97-2003 files):
Study Guide and Quiz information comes from
Drugs and Society, Ninth Edition
by Glen R. Hanson, Peter J. Venturelli, and Annette E.
Fleckenstein
Drug Reference Library
Drug Notes (These were sent to me by
someone on the web who took a similar class by a
Dr. M. Plonsky, Ph.D .
I found them useful):
In 2004, 19.1 million Americans, or 7.9 percent of the population
aged 12 or older, were current illicit drug users (1). Despite 70 billion
dollars and more than one million arrests, the "war on drugs" has only dented
addiction and violent crime in the nation. Governments have invested the largest
proportion of their financial and personnel resources in trying to limit the
availability of illegal drugs. Critics of our nations' drug policy contend that
the war is being fought on the wrong front.
Paradoxically, few policy makers promote the reduction of alcohol, tobacco or
pharmaceutical drugs through the imposition of similar controls. It has been
reported that the annual advertising budget for just one brand name of "light
beer" was 25 times greater than a recent annual prevention and education budget
for the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (2).
In addition, drug education is often targeted at youth in contrast to adults in
spite of evidence suggesting that the use of alcohol, tobacco and prescription
drugs may increase dramatically throughout the lifecycle.
You should know that 12.8 million Americans, or approximately 6 percent
of the household population aged twelve and older, use illegal drugs on a
current basis (within the past thirty days) (1). When teaching drug education to
your family,
children often ask about their parents personal experience with recreational
drug use. These questions may include, "Did you ever smoke marijuana?" "Do you
drink alcohol?" "Have you ever tried LSD?" Novice parents are more likely to
admit prior or even current drug use (especially legal ones such as alcohol) to
their kids than veteran parents are. Self-disclosure regarding personal
drug use is not advised. It is better to reply to these questions with a
response such as "To the best of my knowledge, when I was younger, the following
recreational drugs were/weren't available."
Statistics of drug use
widespread use and amount of money spent each year for legal and illegal
substances.
o
Americans spend $104 billion for alcohol and $51.9 billion for tobacco products
(95 percent on cigarettes).
o
Prescription drugs accounted for $176 billion while over-the-counter (patent)
drug sales amounted to $23.5 billion.
o
In
2000, Americans spent about $36 billion on cocaine, $10 billion on heroin, $5.4
billion on methamphetamine, $11 billion on marijuana, and $2.4 billion on other
substances.
o
Sixty percent of the world's illegal drug market is in the U.S.A. (with 6% of
the world's population).
Source: Hanson, G.R., Venturelli, P.J., & Fleckenstein, A.E. (2006). Drugs &
Society (9th ed.). Boston: Jones and Bartlett Pub. (3)
Commonly Abused Drugs by Use
Americans over age 12 who report using drugs for non-medical reasons within
the past 12 months.
(Source:Department
of Health and Human Services. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration, Office of Applied Studies, (2004). Results from the 2004
National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings (Revised: 9/8/2005).
Washington, DC).
|
Users |
|
Substance (Type) |
|
121,000,000 |
|
Alcohol (Depressant) |
|
59,000,000 |
|
Cigarettes (Stimulant) |
|
14,600,000 |
|
Marijuana and Hashish (Cannabis) |
|
7,200,000 |
|
Smokeless Tobacco (Stimulants, such as chewing tobacco and snuff)
|
|
4,400,000 |
|
Analgesics (Narcotics, such as Darvon, Demerol, Percodan, Tylenol
w/Codeine) |
|
1,530,000 |
|
Cocaine (Stimulant) |
|
1,200,000 |
|
Stimulants (Stimulants, such as amphetamines, diet pills, Preludin)
|
|
929,000 |
|
Hallucinogens (Hallucinogens such as Phencyclidine (PCP), Mescaline
(Peyote), LSD, Psilocybin (mushrooms), Dimethyltryptamine (DMT),
3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA)) |
|
857,000 |
|
Inhalants (Organic Solvents, such as lighter fluids, spray paints,
airplane glue, cleaning solvents, Amyl Nitrite) |
|
467,000 |
|
Crack Cocaine (Stimulant) |
|
450,000 |
|
Ecstasy (Stimulant/Hallucinogen) MDMA
(3-4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine) |
|
333,333 |
|
Sedatives (Depressants, such as barbiturates, sleeping pills, Seconal)
|
|
166,000 |
|
Heroin (Narcotic) |
References:
1.
Department of Health and Human Services. Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies, (2004). Results from
the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings (Revised:
9/8/2005). Washington, DC. Retrieved November 19, 2008 from
http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/NSDUH/2k4NSDUH/2k4results/2k4results.htm
2.
Adams Beer Handbook.
Adams Business Media, New York; 1998.
3.
Hanson, G.R., Venturelli, P.J., & Fleckenstein, A.E. Drugs & Society
(9th ed.). Jones and Bartlett Pub. Boston; 2006.
Drug Reference Library
• Signs of Use • Adolescent Abuse • Workplace Abuse • Pregnancy & Drugs • Talking to Kids • Binge Drinking •
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