Deck 17: Drug Abuse Prevention

Question 1

Figure lists many factors that can influence drug use. Design and detail a drug prevention program by selecting any one of the concentric circles; include all factors within that circle and how you would deal with these factors.
Figure Potential factors that influence alcohol and other drug use.

Answer 1

Drug prevention program:-
The drug prevention program is mainly associated with significant environmental factors associated with AOD. The below figure provides information about factors responsible for individual emotions and their attitudes related to drugs.
Figure:
Potential factors that influence drug prevention:-
• The significant factors that influence drugs prevention are environmental, societal, interpersonal, and individual influences.
• The environmental influences are the governing factors, which is associated with attributes such as promotion of alcohol, cost of alcohol, minimum age for purchase of alcohol, and laws governing them.
• The societal and interpersonal influences are the situations, which are associated with social environment, personal situations, friends, local laws, and communities.
• The individual factors are associated with traits, his beliefs and attitudes and interpersonal skills.
• All the three influences are important in drug prevention program.

Question 2

Look at all of the findings in the section of this chapter entitled "How Serious Is the Problem of Drug Dependence?" Which two findings regarding dependence were the most interesting, and why were they the most interesting?

Answer 2

Statement:-
"Two most interesting findings found in the chapter "how serious is the problem of drug dependency"
Explanation:-
The problem of drug dependency is better explained through analyzing two situations which are as follows:-
Situation: 1
The seriousness of drug dependency is highlighted in the year 2012 when SAMHA published its report, getting in aware of the fact that approximately 20.6 million people aging 12 or older were categorized in substance dependency.
The following population of 20.6 million we again categorized as per their types of abuse that are as follows:-
• 2.6 million human beings are categorized with dependency of alcohol and prohibited drugs.
• 3.9 million human beings are dependent of illicit drug excluding alcohol.
• 14.1 million People have dependence of alcohol only.
Justification:
SAMHA report suggest that age group above 12 have reliance or abuse of illicit drug and alcohol, which is higher than all other age groups.
Situation No:-2
Marijuana is an illicit drug become highlighted in previous year's addiction and abuse in the year 2011, trailed by pain relievers.4.2 million Individuals have marijuana addiction which represents 1.6% of total population 12 or elder, and 63.8% of persons are characterized under dependence.
Justification:-
Marijuana is widely used illicit drug amongst all other requirement and abuse along with widely abused in age group of 12 and above.

Question 3

Comment on the harm reduction model as presented here and in other literature you may have. What are the major strengths and weaknesses of this model in comparison to the way the United States views drug users and/or abusers? Why do you think the U.S. government largely remains opposed to this approach? How do you think the United States would change if it were to adopt the harm reduction model?

Answer 3

Harm reduction model:
This method is a broad and comprehensive method of mass prevention of drug dependence and abuse.
This method was adopted by some the major countries like UK Netherlands etc.
Advantages and disadvantages of Harm reduction model:
• Harm reduction seeks to reduce the harm of drug policies which provide felony record
• This method provides freedom in expression and liberty to person to t quit dependence and abuse by his own
• Disadvantage is that this method of approach provided more amount of black market and retailers
• This approach is better in mass drug abuse communities
• By educating the public about drugs, create inquisitive nature especially in young adults
Justification:-
• This method of approach has the both ends; the positive approach might have given in the form of drug abuse education
• If the US country has approach of using this method results may on any side, this will be unexplainable until it is probed and tested.

Question 4

What would you emphasize in a primary prevention program for junior high school or middle school students? High school students? College students?

Question 5

How would you design a drug prevention program for undetected committed or secret users? What would you emphasize? Similarly, how would you design a drug prevention program for addicted drug users? What would you emphasize?

Question 6

What do you think is more likely to work today in drug prevention programs for America's youth: teaching moderate use or total abstinence? Why?

Question 7

Your boss says, "We received a much smaller amount of money than expected from the federal government to create a drug prevention program. Can you focus on either a community-based approach, a school-based approach, a family-based approach, or an individual-based approach/harm reduction psychotherapy prevention program?" Which would you select and why?

Question 8

How effective has the BACCHUS Network been on your campus? Have you ever participated in any of its social gatherings? Do you think it is effective in curbing alcohol and/or drug use on your campus? Why or why not? Can you give specific experiences with the BACCHUS social activities?

Question 9

List and explain three major strengths of drug courts in comparison with traditional criminal courts in the United States. Do you perceive any problems in preferring drug courts versus our criminal courts?

Question 10

From everything you read in this chapter about the D.A.R.E. drug prevention program, what do you think are the major problems with this comprehensive drug prevention program? How would you improve it?

Question 11

What is your assessment of using the alternatives approach and meditation for preventing drug use? Do you think it would be effective for alleviating drug use? Why or why not?