Question

In what ways have the following played a role (or not) in our current attitudes about drugs and the War on Drugs: fear; shame; dishonesty; science; money; safety; compassion? (You do not need to address all of these; just the ones you feel are most relevant.) Are there other things that you feel have fueled our approach to drugs and drug use in this country? How have the approaches of other countries dealt with these?

Answer 1

The roles played by the following in shaping our current attitudes about drugs and the War on Drugs:

1) Shame: This is a very painful feeling in which the person unconsciously starts believing that he/she is a failure, defective and unimportant. It might lead to low self esteem, feelings of hopelessness and also depression. Drug users start abusing drugs when they are struck with such feelings as the drug makes them feel better, atleast temporarily.

2) Fear: This is another uncomfortable feeling which makes a person get dependent on a drug which would make him/her feel relaxed, confident and happy. This is a common emotion as it could be felt by a person in a variety of situations such as in painful situations as well as lonely situations.

3) Science: With new scientifc innovations one segment of people are getting more prone to drug use. It has been researched that when a person takes a drug, the body releases extreme amounts of dopamine and the brain overreacts to normalize the sudden dopamine production, a process which gives the drug user a "high"- thereby starting the cycle of addiction.

4) Money: This factor can be seen from many angles. People who have the economic power consumes drugs because they love the luxury and the feeling of ease that the drugs gives them. However, research has also shown that lower economic power makes people anxious and depressed, and therefore people tend to self-medicate themselves with harmful drugs. Therefore, the economic standard of a country also reflects the number of drug users.

Other influencers that have fueled the approach to drugs and drug use are:

1) Peer pressure in case of teenagers: Research has shown that teenagers are prone to risky behaviours of substance use and abuse when are they are together under each other's observation.

2) Role of media: Media is a huge influencer of substance use and abuse. From television soaps, to movies, to song lyrics there is a strong positive connection that media draws with substance use. This creates a strong impact on the minds of teenagers and young adults leading to increase in drug use.

Some countries and how they have dealt with drug use and abuse problems:

1) Portugal: They decriminalized low level possession and use of drugs. They also fund many government programmes focused on prevention and treatment of substance abuse.

2) Switzerland: They believe in a policy of harm reduction. They are paying attention to psychological help and therapies for drug addicts.

3) Colombia: The government has dismantled drug cartels which has reduced the manufacturing of illegal drugs.