Narcotics have always been a part of human society. Since ancient times people had used them for various purposes. They were integral parts of some religious rituals, medicine, source of pleasure. With the development of science and human thought, the sphere of their usage and attitude to them altered. These substances became an essential component of medicines as an effective way to alleviate pain and treat some illnesses, while the perspective on their use for pleasure and addition started to alter and shifted to negative.
The discovery of the direct correlation between the abuse and adverse effects on health preconditioned the appearance of the need to control the spread of these substances; however, the majority of attempts were not effective. Today, drugs remain one of the important issues for a coherent society as they are vital for people in acute states or chronic pain, but the tendency towards the growing number of addicted people stipulates the need for some intervention.
The topicality of drugs and various forms of addiction is not a new topic for society. For decades, multiple authorities and regulatory agencies had been trying to create a sufficient approach to guarantee the safe use of narcotics and avoid problems associated with their distribution for illegal purposes. The second half of the 20th century and was characterized by fast growth in the number of addicted people and the increasing relevance of the problem (Kantor et al. 1818). At the same time, the need for drugs in healthcare also increased.
In the 21st century, there is still no practical solution that can help to improve the situation. Statistics show that about 31 million persons have disorders associated with drug use, and 11.8 million people die from addictive substances every year (Ritchie and Roser). The growing demand for narcotics preconditions the growth in its production as the manufacture of illicit cocaine grew by 25% (Ritchie and Roser). The given numbers demonstrate the scope of the problem and its topicality for society.
Another factor that should be mentioned regarding the problem of drugs is a strong connection with crime. The addictive character of substances and people’s inability to stop using them create the basis for the development of illicit drug business. Organized crime tries to control the manufacturing and distribution of abusive substances as they serve as a stable source of high income and power to affect people and compete with other structures.
Reports show that the drug business remains one of the most criminalized spheres characterized by a high level of violence and numerous deaths (Alexandris Polomarkakis 400). For some Latin American countries, the problem acquires a national character as criminal clans oppose the government and the police (Thompson and Jeffords 180). These facts demonstrate that drugs transform into one of the main social stigmas today.
Finally, the problem of drugs becomes even worse because of the massive involvement of the younger generation and children. By statistics, people under 50 comprise the bigger part of deaths from narcotics (Ritchie and Roser). It is explained by the peculiarities of this age group, such as the desire for pleasure, joy, and the significant impact of peers.
Additionally, regardless of all attempts to stop the spread and popularization of drugs, there is a tendency towards the growth in the number of teenagers who use these substances and acquire an addiction (Ritchie and Roser). It means that drugs transform into a serious threat to the future of nations as they deteriorate the health of the younger generation and precondition the appearance of multiple diseases and chronic problems.
Nevertheless, the role of drugs in modern medicine cannot be overestimated. They are a critical element of multiple medications and pain killers that help people with acute or chronic pain and improve their states. Therapeutic use of addictive substances remains high as about 73.9% of physician office visits involve drug therapy, and 12.6% of persons used five or more drugs during the past month by their prescriptions (Kantor et al. 1819).
It means that society needs narcotics as one of the integral elements of healthcare, and the complete prohibition of their manufacturing is impossible because of the growing need for analgesics and anesthesia. The existence of this requirement preconditions the appearance of the dilemma as the increased production of drugs might exacerbate the situation and introduce new issues.
Altogether, the factors mentioned above show that drugs remain one of the most important concerns of contemporary society. Addictive substances have always been a part of people’s lives; however, today, with the growing need for medicines containing these substances and the increase in the number of addicted people along with the criminalization of the sphere introduce a disputable and complex dilemma regarding the future of this question. There is still no effective solution that might help to control the spread of drugs effectively and provide patients with the painkillers they require. For this reason, there is a need for future investigation and discussion of the problem with the primary goal to outline all factors that should be considered and elaborate on a practical approach.
Works Cited
Alexandris Polomarkakis, Konstantinos. “Drug Law Enforcement Revisited: The ‘War’ Against the War on Drugs.” Journal of Drug Issues, vol. 47, no. 3, 2017, pp. 396–404. Web.
Kantor, Elizabeth, et al. “Trends in Prescription Drug Use among Adults in the United States from 1999–2012.” Journal of the American Medical Association, vol. 314, no. 17, 2017, pp. 1818-1831. Web.
Ritchie, Hannah, and Max Roser. “Drug Use.” Our World in Data, 2019. Web.
Thompson, Alexi, and Chris Jeffords. “Retail Margins in Illegal Drug Markets.” Economic Analysis and Policy, vol. 62, pp. 187-191. Web.