Question

In the High Desert we are far too familiar with the problems of drugs. In February 2017 a major Sheriff’s Department operation precipitated in an arrest warrants for 50 known gang members. Although Opioids were not the major drug of choice in that raid, and although death by drug overdose in San Bernardino County is not as high as in some California counties, it is a major problem here as well. Discuss some of the reasons for the increase in opioid usage and other drug abuse / addiction in California, from a sociological perspective.

Answer 1

Introduction

Drug addiction is most common problem for our new generation. Some drugs like Opioid, LSD have some dengerous effect on our health and mind. So many behavioral issues are arising for the over addiction of drugs.There are some common reason for someone's drug addiction.

Influence of Home and family

Home environment of a child is a major influencing factor in drug addiction.If the parents are drug addicted, then it can increase the children's risk factor of being a drug addicted person in the future.(Di Chiara, 1999)

According to the psychologists, taking drugs in front of the child, can develop the child's drug addiction in the future.

Influence of Friends

Most of the people becomes a drug addicted person for the influence of their friends. Somrtim friends together can abuse drugs to just have fun. As this kind of experiments brings an adult feeling for the teenagers.So they want to use drugs to feel like an adult person. This is an another important influencing factor for drug addiction.

Academical Failure and pressure

Academic failure can highly influence the risk factor of drug addiction.Sometimes a student starts taking drug to get rid from everyday academic pressure and stress. As they are unable to face their academic challenges they thinks using drugs can help them to stay away from this pressures.(Kolb,1927)

Curiosity

Most of the teenagers want to have some risky and daring experiences. As this experiences can bring the feeling of adventure.Most of the teenagers have started taking drugs for just their curiosity. After using drugs for first time, they want to feel that adult feeling agian. In this aspect, the teenagers are vulnerable beacause sometimes they feel pressure from their friends also.This is an another reason for drug addiction.

Feeling of Pleasure

Sometimes using drugs produce an intensive feeling of pleasure. Most of the people are using a high amount of drugs to feel that pleasure.That intensive feeling helps to get rid from everyday life's pressure.So we can say that this an another reason for being drug addicted.

As example

A person after taking drugs can feel that he is the most richest person in the world.

Psychological illness

Nowadays so many people are suffering for psychological illness. Sometime these kind of mental problem leads to the drug addiction.

According to a study, 70% teenagers are drug addicted to get relief from psychological illness like depression and anxiety. They are constantly using these dangerous to get rid from their pain.

A traumatic experience

A recent research has stated that, a traumatic experience in childhood can increase the drug usage in the adulthood.Traumatic experience like sexual harrasment is kind of unforgettable experience.Sometimes a person can becomes a drug addicted person to forget his traumatic experience.(Boys and Strang,2001)

References

Boys, A., Marsden, J. and Strang, J., 2001. Understanding reasons for drug use amongst young people: a functional perspective. Health education research, 16(4), pp.457-469.

Kolb, L., 1927. Clinical contribution to drug addiction: the struggle for cure and the conscious reasons for relapse. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease.

Di Chiara, G., 1999. Drug addiction as dopamine-dependent associative learning disorder. European journal of pharmacology, 375(1-3), pp.13-30.

Chavkin, W., 1990. Drug addiction and pregnancy: policy crossroads. American Journal of Public Health, 80(4), pp.483-487.

Weinshenker, D. and Schroeder, J.P., 2007. There and back again: a tale of norepinephrine and drug addiction. Neuropsychopharmacology, 32(7), p.1433.

Lindesmith, A.R., 1938. A sociological theory of drug addiction. American Journal of Sociology, 43(4), pp.593-613.