Despite medical advocacy, there is a large section of the population that negatively regards SEPs as a decriminalization of drug policy. ... These programs are in place solely for the purpose of reducing deadly infections within the population. ... Therefore, SEPs lower the overall cost of dealing with infected persons in this population by limiting the number of infections. ... Therefore, it is my conclusion that Syringe Exchange Programs are highly effective in reducing the amount of blood-borne infections that affect the IDU population and spread out to other vulnerable populations. By redu...

• Word Count: 706
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The population of drug users includes a wide variety of different peoples as well, one can see the use of drugs spans across a spectrum of people of various backgrounds. Other aspects relating to the frequency of drug use by individuals can also demonstrate how diverse the population of drug users is, as well as it brings up the issue of differentiating between using, abusing, and being dependent on drugs. ... South American countries have been practicing with Ayahuasca as part of spiritual experiences since before the Spanish landed in the area, and certain Native American tribes have been ...

• Word Count: 559
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Drug prices have also continued to fall, and drugs remain easily available for much of the population (Wodak 2014). ... Access to clean syringes for those who inject drugs is critical for preventing the spread of HIV and hepatitis C within populations of intravenous drug users. ... Harm reduction efforts targeted at drug users are often thwarted by legislation such as 2003 Reducing American's Vulnerability to Ecstasy Act. ... African Americans are disproportionally incarcerated on drug charges. ... Crack cocaine is predominantly used by African Americans whereas powder cocaine is more com...

• Word Count: 709
• Approx Pages: 3
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

With the enactment of the Volstead Act in 1919, America embarked on a social experiment known as Prohibition. ... Within a decade, however, Americans discovered that the criminally enforced prohibition of alcohol produced harmful side effects. ... In some of America's largest cities, local governments had been heavily corrupted by the influence of organized crime. ... They represent almost 12% of the total federal prison population and about 2.7% of the state prison population. ... Although African Americans comprise only 12.2 percent of the population and 13 percent of drug users, they m...

• Word Count: 2648
• Approx Pages: 11
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

These reasons range from social issues to health issues, but they all revolve around the same premise that the original law was devoted to "the preservation of the health and safety of everyone in America. One of the most sociologically valid reasons for preventing the legalization of marijuana is the safety of children in America. ... At a very basic economic level, the cost of legalizing marijuana would be fed to everyone, through the advent of new taxes to fund the rehabilitation of an ever burgeoning drug addicted population. The negative socioeconomic effects of a drug and its us...

• Word Count: 680
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

These reasons range from social issues to health issues, but they all revolve around the same premise that the original law was devoted to "the preservation of the health and safety of everyone in America. One of the most sociologically valid reasons for preventing the legalization of marijuana is the safety of children in America. ... At a very basic economic level, the cost of legalizing marijuana would be fed to everyone, through the advent of new taxes to fund the rehabilitation of an ever burgeoning drug addicted population. The negative socioeconomic effects of a drug and its us...

• Word Count: 710
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

In the 1980s, many new American drug laws resulted from escalating efforts to "get tougher" on drugs and drug users. ... The vast majority of these offenders are in state and local jails and prisons, where they now account for almost one-fourth of the total population behind bars. ... In the 1998 report Behind Bars: Substance Abuse and America's Prison Population (SAAPP) the author's assert, [d]rug and alcohol abuse and addiction are implicated in the crimes and incarceration of 80 percent--some 1.4 million--of the 1.7 million men and women behind bars in America. ... If this rat...

• Word Count: 2815
• Approx Pages: 11
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The most heavily effected group of Americans, ages 16-24, have had an increase in joblessness of over 12 percent since 2000. ... This lack of support for our underprivileged Americans will ultimately result in an increase in the crime rate across the United States. ... In the article entitled "Young, Jobless, Hopeless," Bob Herbert talks about the rising percentage of young Americans who may have no job and no place to call home. ... The Health Department is in charge of creating support systems to help the growing homeless population in the area as well as help HIV victims, drug users, an...

• Word Count: 1534
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Although drug use has declined in the last six years, an estimated 12 million Americans admitted to using marijuana in the last thirty days ("Info Facts", 2003). Moreover, one-third of all Americans twelve and older reported using marijuana at least once in their lives ("National Household Survey", 1998). ... The social and economic results of marijuana use have far reaching implications into the composite of the American families. ... Gfroefer, Greenblatt, and Wright (1996) examined the substance use in the college age population. ...

• Word Count: 1150
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

They also issued a survey in the same year, which revealed that 74 million or 34.8% of the American population aged 12 and older uses illegal drugs. ... He was arrested, tried, convicted, and received the maximum penalty of 14 years in prison - of which he only served 8( Nadelmann, "Thinking seriously about alternatives to the drug prohibition" 124) Economically, the production of drugs in the United States would benefit the financial well being of the American government and people. ...

• Word Count: 1398
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Hemp cultivation continued as an agricultural staple in America through the turn of the 20th century and was one of America's largest cash crops. Marijuana first became used as a drug in the 20's & 30's mainly by Mexican-American immigrant workers and African-American jazz musicians. ... Why can't we recognize the innocuous yet beneficial aspects of marijuana as a mood elevator and try to enhance life for the population? ... While it might be novel to Americans, it really was nothing special to the Dutch, who looked upon it as simply as having a pint of beer. ...

• Word Count: 1147
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Since then, marijuana has achieved widespread use by Americans and has become the source of an apparent controversy in our society. ... "The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse" reports that 31.6% of Americans have used marijuana. ... This means that in the year of 1997, about 3.4% of the total population use marijuana on a daily basis. Even larger portions of the population use marijuana less often but nevertheless are regular users. ... A smaller percentage of their population smokes marijuana than in the US (Reuters). ...

• Word Count: 2117
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

By legalizing marijuana the American population can use its money and resources to combat the drug problem through rehabilitation and education instead of stalling the problem through the legal system. ...

• Word Count: 658
• Approx Pages: 3
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

As you can see from looking at the graph, between 1985 and 1995, when mandatory minmums were introduced, the prison population at the local and state level more than tripled. Yet drug use among Americans has obviously not made any radical changes. ...

• Word Count: 701
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Many people argue that marijuana is very addictive, but in reality it has proven to be addictive to a very small portion of the overall user population. ... Now is the time for America to see what it's legalization can bring into being. ...

• Word Count: 842
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The issue of limited prison space gains significance greatly when you consider an estimated sixty-percent of prison population is serving time on drug conviction. ... Drug Prohibition is most closely classified as a positive liberty because it forces the government to provide services to create and enforce a drug free America. ... These are significant numbers considering that sixty percent of the prison population has been jailed due to drug violations. ...

• Word Count: 1653
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

In the early twentieth century there was a war Americans won and a Depression Americans beat, all of which catered the impression that government was an effectual force that could solve all and fix all. ... Nearly thirty years after its inception in a nation ruled by a praetorian two party system that Libertarian Party has become "America's third largest and fastest growing party." (12:3) What does this say about Americans? Well it means more and more Americans are becoming disenfranchised with the government. ... Furthermore, there are nearly 30% of Americans that are registered as ne...

• Word Count: 7038
• Approx Pages: 28
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

According to SAMHSA's (2002) National Survey on Drug Use & Health, "An estimated 22.0 million Americans aged 12 or older in 2002 were classified with substance dependence or abuse (9.4 percent of the total population)." Many Americans clearly face serious substance abuse issues and would benefit tremendously from treatment. ...

• Word Count: 2624
• Approx Pages: 10
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Historically, substance abuse has been portrayed to mirror the lower class. It has been regarded as a disease that plagues only a specific group of people. Currently that is no longer the case as high profile celebrities and white collar; well respected upper class people have brought their addiction stories to the forefront. The difference with high profile celebrities and white collar addiction in comparison to those with much less stature is the ability to conceal their problem with adequate funds to supply their habits. They are not forced to commit crimes in order to finance their hab...

• Word Count: 3818
• Approx Pages: 15
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate