Past and Current Trend

Drug and alcohol abuse has played a role in American society for many years. Survey indicates that nearly 39 % of the American population admits to using illegal drugs, 51 % drink alcoholic beverages in one form or another and youths between the ages of 2-17, 11% have used some form of an illegal drug in the last month. Alcohol and a wide variety of drugs have increased in availability today more than ever before and with this wider variety there comes a wider range of addictive qualities and health related risks that individuals who take these drugs are subjected (Carroll, 2000 p.5). Many of society’s behavioral scientists agree addiction and dependence is a problem however, there is no single answer to the resolution. Habit forming drugs were introduced into American society as far back as the 3000 B.C. These drugs were widely used for medicinal purposes without any knowledge of the addictive properties and the health risks involved with taking them. One such drug, opium, was widely available in the 1700s and in the 1800s. Opium was the only narcotic used until the nineteenth century when it was found that opium extract could be turned into morphine and eventually heroine. These drugs and others such as codeine were considered wonder drugs when first introduced and given to treat aliments in infants, children, and adults. These drugs were more than just legal, they were commonplace (Carroll, 2000p.131-132).

Before individuals can analyze the trends in drug abuse or dependency one must first define addiction. Addiction was first defined in the nineteenth century as a physical dependence on a chemical substance later to be revised that any reinforcing behavior is potentially addicting (Walters & Gilbert, 2000). Second, we need to be more aware that very few users use single drugs instead they are generally used in combination with other drugs. For instance cigarette use can go synonymous with alcohol and heroine, while when using heroine some addicts also indulge in cocaine and barbiturates. With the use of multiple drugs abuse and dependency the understanding of complications and assessments of the problem can be very challenging (Gossop, 2001). In the early 1900’s the government began to realize a problem existed and that America was having a growing epidemic of narcotic abuse. The Harrison Narcotics Act was passed in 1914 for the purpose of establishing a regulation in the use, distribution and sale of narcotic drugs. (Carroll, 2000, p132). Once the government became involved treatment programs were opened or farms as they were called in the 1930’s to contain the abusers. Then in the 1970,s the government became more involved and in the 1960s to 1970s, the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act were formed to fight the war on drugs and curtail individuals in the consumption of such illegal drugs (Carroll, 2000 p 133).

The trend of abuse and dependency has grown so rapidly even with the laws to enforce, curtail and limit the use of illegal drugs Americans have experienced more than four million in dept due to alcohol, cigarette and other illegal drug use. Individuals do not just die from the use of drugs but from the factors that have been related to drug use such as Aids, hepatitis, vehicular homicide and many diseases related to smoking tobacco. Emergency rooms are being flooded with over millions of visitors yearly due to illegal drug use (Carroll, 2000, P.5). Individuals use drugs to reduce tension and anxiety, to escape from stress, and to cope with the problems of day-to-day life. Other known reasons, especially in teenagers, include peer pressure, family problems, and curiosity. Due to the increase in these factors the current drug trend for illegal drug use is on the rise (Carroll, 2000).

In the early 1970s the government began an anti drug movement strategy away from illegal drug use, such as banning smoking in open areas, addressing substance abuse in schools and the workplace, say no to drugs campaigns, banning smoking in the workplace, zero tolerance standards for young adults, increase in government involvement in reducing drug trafficking, and increase in drug testing