Sociology 2140 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Depressant, Drug Rehabilitation
24 Oct 2017
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Addictions: stereotypes surround those with drug-related problems, people who take drugs, are morally weak, have criminal tendencies, are only addicted to street drugs, are uneducated, should be able to stop, are hopeless, come from bad families. Interfere with normal brain functioning (alcohol = depressant) Drugs: create powerful feelings of pleasure, affect brain metabolism and activity, drug abuse becomes addiction, treatment necessary. Improved social/psychological wellbeing: decreases criminal behaviour/violence, reduces spread of hiv, needle use, cost of society, need to replace ideology with scientific knowledge. Why estimate social costs of substance abuse: 1. Argue high priority on the public policy agenda if you know the cost you can argue about its priority to fix it: 2. Target specific problems and policies know who needs help/how to help: 3. Identify information gaps, research needs and refinements needed in national statistical reporting systems: 4. Provide baseline measures to determine effectiveness of drug policies and programs.
