Drug abuse is an imminent threat to the livelihood among Americans due to the profound hindrance to social growth and development. The issue highly affects the governance structure hence the popularization regarding the war against opiates. On the one hand, some of the pharmaceuticals provide medical relief to the users. On the other hand, other drugs foster addiction among individuals. As a result, different media platforms and entities cooperate towards ensuring the incorporation of effective measures alleviating the problem (Aday et al. 179). Drug trafficking is a lucrative business at the expense of the users’ poor health, thus the necessity of assessing the attribution of capitalism philosophy to the framework.
Drugs pose a significant risk to the health of an individual due to the chemical compounds used during manufacturing. In this case, it is essential to classify elixirs based on the synthetic composition due to the relational risks and impact. Researchers argue that there is a significant possibility that an individual addicted to a substance becomes dependent on a pharmaceutical with a similar actinic constellation (Dewhirst and Secomb 738). Therefore, the categorization of medicine provides an insight regarding the peril of abuse. The legalization of nostrum refers to the level of abuse and the impact on the victims (Dewhirst and Secomb 738). Despite the similarity or differences in the compounds, individuals showcase dynamic body responses such as relaxation, anxiety, violence, and excitement. The classification of a panacea as either legal or illegal provides a baseline foundation to the effect on victims and the attribute of addiction.
Drug distribution across America is a framework that poses significant risk among the citizens cause of the inherent vulnerability. Lipari and Hughes (2021) argue that addicts access the elixirs through various channels. In the study, the researchers note that the diverse means of purchasing the chemical compounds include friends, relatives, doctors, drug dealers, and directly from the suppliers. A significant percentage of the remedy emerges from the confidantes with a minimal gender disparate based on the accessibility of the dope. Fundamentally, assorted approaches to obtain regards the proficiency in the attribution of prescriptive essence and the dependency risk among the users. The multiplicity in obtaining is a consequence for the long-term effect of the components that enshrine behavior, decision-making, judgment, learning, stress, and memory (Bridgeman and Abazia 180). It is the responsibility of the Federal Drug Administration to ensure the regulation concerning the buying and the distribution aspect of the entities to reduce the risk of misuse. Nevertheless, understanding the variate effect of the elements encapsulates the indication of dynamic compositions and the inherent addictive properties.
There are different categories of drugs based on chemical make-up. These constitute alcohol, opioids, benzodiazepines, cannabinoids, and barbiturates. Liquor is highly addictive due to its significant impact on the body leading to inhibitions and euphoria. The significant effect rendered by the consumption and abuse encompasses compromising the person’s perception, reactionary behavior, and judgment. It is a depressant to the central nervous system but renders profound damage to the liver, a condition referred to as liver cirrhosis. Patra et al. argue that alcoholism is a perspective that fosters the dependence of the victims on other family members (494). The main reason patients become dependent involves the overutilization of financial resources, loss of jobs, and health issues. The unproductive and dependence rate amid the participant causes psychological abuse among the family members since they resolve violence for a desperate solution.
Opioids are drugs with a chemical compound of opium or other synthetics that mimic the consumption effects. The intake of opioids affects the brain’s neurotransmitters by blocking the transmission of impulses to the different sections, such as the frontal lobe. The function of the particular part of the brain contributes to decision-making and reasoning. Therefore, the substance acts as a strong and efficient painkiller and boosts the intense feeling of pleasure among the victims. An excellent example of an opioid is heroin, with a significant dependence rate among the users. In research by Tanweer et al., the researcher stipulates that heroin compromises the brain’s proper functioning by influencing the dopamine receptors (777). The consumption leads to an elevated release of the dopamine hormone to the body system and ensures the significant association between the dopamine release and the drug’s consumption. Primarily, it is an element highly abused amid Americans due to its effect on the body.
Benzodiazepine is another drug with a different chemical composition but pose a significant addictive rate between the users. The main reason for the abuse of the element encompasses its influence on the brain’s neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid-A (GABA-A). As a result, the compounds foster a dynamic effect on the victim’s sleeping pattern and psychiatric conditions (de Wit and Sayette 936). Therefore, it is harmful to the body due to the dependence rate and altering the brain’s functioning. Excellent examples include Xanax, Ativan, and valium with high amounts of benzo. The abuse of the substance is a high risk to a person’s body and behavioral response.
Cannabinoids is a different drug with chemical compounds similar to the active element in marijuana: Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The composition leads to elation among the victims, a condition considered as high due to the impairment of physical and mental functioning. Although a significant percentage of the American states consider legalizing the drug, it is significantly addictive and causes damage to the victims’ health (Gordon 1). An excellent example is marijuana, whose utilization is an ongoing controversy in America as a result of its medicinal advantage. Although it provides therapeutic value, it is a health risk to the human body once consumed in large amounts.
Barbiturates comprise the barbiturate compounds that affect the body’s system by slowing down the functioning of the central nervous system. On the one hand, it is a drug primarily used to treat sleeping disorders, psychiatric conditions, epilepsy, headaches, and anesthesia (Gordon 3). On the other hand, the element causes a profound risk of abuse due to its impact on the body system shutdown. An excellent example is amytal. It is crucial to establish the restricted consumption amount to avoid the likelihood of dependence.
The different categories regarding the drug effect spectrum enshrine the stimulants, depressants, hallucinogens, and inhalants. Depressants cause the relaxation of the body from anxiety and stress hence the significance to the mental and physical health conditions. However, the elements mainly include opioids, barbiturates, and alcohol, causing a high risk of abuse due to the chemical compounds. The substances affect the brain functioning, thus leading to dependence based on the consequential feeling. The consumption of stimulants causes a rush in the body system that boosts wakefulness and energy among the users. Excellent examples include cocaine and meth that enhance productivity and elevated pleasure feeling, a condition that improves the high addiction rates (Dewhirst and Secomb 734). In a different spectrum, hallucinogens pose less addiction among the users despite the negative dissociative behavior through visual and auditory receptors. Examples include LSD and PCP, whose intake is a severe immediate effect on the body’s functioning. Inhalants are a category of drugs that encompasses the ingestion by puffs of dangerous materials such as gasoline, nail polish remover, and paint thinner. Although they cause relaxation, substance abuse poses serious health issues.
The legal framework in the U.S. classifies drugs fewer than five schedules based on the level of addiction and impact on the health of an individual. In 1970, the government developed the Controlled Substances Act that addresses the issue of utilization of medicine across American society (Aday et al. 179). Schedule I addresses the illegalization of highly addictive drugs, that is, ecstasy, quaaludes, and GHB. Schedule II focuses on the unlicensed second-degree addictive substances from the first schedule, including methadone, codeine, and Ritalin. In Schedule III, the drugs banned comprise anabolic steroids, ketamine, and Vicodin. Schedule IV establishes that the drugs prohibited enshrine tramadol, Ambien, and Darvocet. Finally, Schedule V includes the legitimatization of drugs such as Lyrica, motofen, and Lomotil. Primarily, the American legal framework addresses the ban of drugs based on the addictive properties under the different levels of schedules.
In the film “Love and Other Drugs,” there is a profound demonstration of the effect of capitalism concerning the popularization of drugs. The movie’s plot engulfs the impact of the elixir’s expensive level that prompts sick people to travel to Canada for cheaper medicine (Zwick 31:09-45:56). In a different spectrum, the main character, Jamie, is recruited to sell Zoloft against Pozac among the doctors for marketability and profit margin. It is an approach that renders the effect of prioritizing profitability against the well-being of patients. Although the theatrical performance showcases the interdependent relationship between human behavior and healthy living, it is essential to establish the concept of the high costs of acquiring prescriptions from medical care institutions. Popping and pushing pills is an ideology that contributes to the increase in addiction rates.
It is the primary responsibility of relevant stakeholders to establish initiatives that alleviate drug abuse. Different pharmaceuticals pose a dynamic effect to the users hence the importance of determining the relative regulation. Over the decades, the American government focused on incorporating policies that enhance the responsible distribution of the elixir. An excellent example is implementing a law about the pharmacists being accountable for the remitted medicine among people (Patra et al. 494). It is an aspect that restricts the heedless purchasing of a certain nostrum. However, the healthcare records a higher percentage of dependence among the citizens with the opiates dominating the streets. The prevalent state fostered the steering of the entertainment context, demonstrating the prominent trickle-down affluence to the sociological growth and development.
The presence of drugs in the household plays a crucial role in the abuse and addiction rates among Americans. On the one hand, the elixirs provide a solution for random headaches and stomachaches. But, on the other hand, the medications risk the health of the residents, especially among the teenagers and youths, due to the essence of overdosing to get relief (Crowley et al. 734). Therefore, it is the responsibility of the household owners to focus on regulating the nostrum within the house to prevent such instances as overutilization.
Drug abuse is a significant topical discussion within American society; it is an opportunity for the entertainment industry to exploit to intensify its popularity. Although the government advocated for the use of cocaine during the World Wars, the primary objective encompassed improving the performance outlier. Nevertheless, it is a practice that contributed to the addiction rates among the soldiers in the long run. In another aspect, traffickers take advantage of the dependence among the users to increase the profit margin (Aday et al. 179). In this case, the industry thrives due to the financial returns hence rendering the invention of advanced pills from illegal manufacturing and processing. Therefore, researchers articulate that the persistence in the war on drugs faces major controversy as a result of the effect on the economic spectrum in America that enhances the accumulation of wealth among the dealers. The distinct approaches used in eliminating drugs and foster minimal utilization involves the regulation on pharmaceuticals’ ability to sell drugs while counterchecking in the system.
In conclusion, capitalist influence plays a significant role in the prevalence of drug abuse through the entertainment and healthcare sectors. On the one hand, the filmmakers focus on popularizing the issue of addiction and the inherent effects, both negative and positive, on the community. Although it is an approach that enhances the enlightenment of the citizens, the product steers the income flow from the sale records. On the other hand, medical care advocates for certain pharmaceuticals, such as marijuana and cocaine, with higher addiction rates due to the treatment relief among patients. The classification of a panacea as either legal or illegal provides a baseline foundation to the effect on victims and the attribute of addiction. In this case, it is difficult regulating the purchase and consumption of the elixirs due to the controversial healing properties and the essence of wealth creation.
Works Cited
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Bridgeman, Mary Barna, and Daniel T. Abazia. “Medicinal Cannabis: History, Pharmacology, and Implications for the Acute Care Setting.” Pharmacy and Therapeutics, 42.3, (2017): pp. 180.
Crowley, Ryan, et al. “Health and Public Policy to Facilitate Effective Prevention and Treatment of Substance Use Disorders involving Illicit and Prescription Drugs: An American College of Physicians Position Paper.” Annals of Internal Medicine, 166.10, (2017): pp 733-736. Web.
de Wit, Harriet, and Michael Sayette. “Considering The Context: Social Factors in Responses to Drugs in Humans.” Psychopharmacology, 235.4, (2018): pp 935-945. Web.
Dewhirst, Mark W., and Timothy W. Secomb. “Transport of Drugs from Blood Vessels to Tumor Tissue.” Nature Reviews Cancer, 17.12, (2017): pp 738-750. Web.
Gordon, Harold W. “Differential Effects of Addictive Drugs on Sleep and Sleep Stages.” Journal of Addiction Research (OPAST Group), 3.2, (2019). Web.
Lipari, Rachel and Hughes, Arthur. How people obtain the prescription pain relievers they misuse. SAMHSA. (2021). Web.
Patra, P., et al. “Intimate Partner Violence: Wounds are Deeper.” Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 60.4, (2018): pp 494. Web.
Tanweer, Hafsa, et al. “The Social Impact of Substance Abuse on Male’s Livelihood in Punjab, Pakistan.” European Online Journal of Natural and Social Sciences, 8.4, (2019): pp-777. Web.
Zwick, Edward. “Love & Other Drugs”. Fmovies.To, uploaded by Fmovies.to, 2010, Web.