Introduction
It is important to note that drug abuse is a globally widespread problem that affects the United States particularly harshly, such as the opioid epidemic. The issue is further exacerbated by the fact that deadlier and more potent synthetic alternatives are emerging, making the ramifications worse. Since technology is playing a role in facilitating drug abuse and addiction, similar tools can be used to combat it. Brain implants can be a promisingly effective solution to drug abuse if ethical rules are established properly and cultural awareness is integrated appropriately.
Discussion
One should be aware that there are already chip implants being developed. Neuralink is a brain implant microchip, which has become the next breakthrough technology with massive impacts in helping people quit drugs (Armstrong & Michael, 2020). Addiction and abuse are the results of reward circuit neurons wiring strongly, rendering it impossible to escape the habit and desire. Neuralink and similar technologies can rewire these circuits internally, making drug abuse an issue of the past (Cernat et al., 2022). However, this capability poses serious ethical concerns as well, which is why having strong, competent, and strict administrative bodies will be essential (Aj, 2021). In addition, drugs are not inherently ‘bad,’ and they can be a vital part of one’s culture. Therefore, ethical engineering principles must be culturally aware and non-ethnocentric when it comes to designing these solutions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if ethical rules are established properly, and cultural awareness is integrated appropriately, brain microchip implants, such as Neuralink, can be a promisingly effective measure against drug abuse. Such devices will enable a brain neuronal circuit to rewire in a positive direction, but it evidently raises major ethical concerns, which need to be addressed first. In addition, many cultures have different views of some drugs, which is why it is necessary to be culturally aware when engineering these technologies.
References
Aj, J. (2021). Engineering ethics of Neuralink brain computer interfaces devices. Annals of Bioethics & Clinical Applications, 4(1), 1-5. Web.
Armstrong, W., & Michael, K. (2020). The implications of Neuralink and brain machine interface technologies. IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society (ISTAS), 2020, 201-203. Web.
Cernat, M., Bortun, D., & Matei, C. S. (2022). Remote controlled individuals? The future of Neuralink: Ethical perspectives on the human-computer interactions. Proceedings of the 24th International Conference on Enterprise Information Systems, 2, 348-354. Web.