Drug addiction is a highly complex disorder of the nervous system. Addiction is sometimes seen as a “choice,” where addicts suffer the consequences of their actions. On the other hand, many psychoactive substances cause physical dependence and only the illusion of choice. Visit the website for the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) – “Drug Topics”: https://www.drugabuse.gov/drug-topics. Scroll down to the “Research by Substance” list of drugs where you can click on the name of each to learn more (make sure to click “see more topics” for the full list). Choose one (1) of the psychoactive drugs listed below, read more about its health effects and/or drug facts as provided on the NIDA website (or the NIAAA website for Alcohol below), and address ALL the numbered prompts which follow the list.
Alcohol (click here)
Cocaine
Hallucinogens
Inhalants
Cannabis (Marijuana)
MDMA (Ecstasy/Molly)
Methamphetamine
• Opioids (Fentanyl, Heroin, etc.)
• Over-the-counter Meds
• Prescription Meds
• Synthetic Cannabinoids (K2/Spice) • Synthetic Cathinones (Bath Salts) • Tobacco/Nicotine/Vaping
Briefly summarize your chosen drug: where does the drug come from? What is its physical form and typical mode(s) of consumption? How does the drug affect the user’s physical health and psychological state? Can the drug lead to physical dependence (addiction) and if so, what are some of the withdrawal symptoms? Can the drug be overdosed, and if so, what are the consequences? What medical and psychotherapeutic treatments are available to help people who abuse this drug?
Using lecture material from this semester, propose a hypothesis to explain how your chosen drug might affect the user’s organs, tissues, and cells. Try to explain the drugs psychological AND physical impact, as well as any withdrawal and/or overdose symptoms. BE SPECIFIC.
Under what circumstances is your chosen drug considered an illegal substance and why? Using your newfound scientific knowledge about the drug, argue for or against the effectiveness of criminalizing this drug. Frame your answer as part of the debate between seeing addiction as a choice vs seeing it as a disease outside the control of the user. You may find it helpful to read some of the topics under “Drug Use and Addiction” on the NIDA website. Here is a list of OPTIONAL points you may find helpful when crafting your argument:
How much or how little of a role does free will and personal responsibility play in the development of an addiction and/or in its treatment?
Who are some of the second or third parties that can be hurt by an addict’s substance abuse?
Why might somebody abuse drugs in the first place (are there any mental illnesses that might lead someone to take drugs)?
What role if any does tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal play in the development of drug addiction, and what does that mean for someone trying to quit?
Is prison the best environment to help addicts break their addiction, and if so, how? If not, how might it make addiction worse, and what better alternatives might there be?
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