Criminology

Growing up, my parents, older relatives and teachers always stressed on the importance of staying clear of bad practices like drug abuse. Growing up in a society that thought excessive drinking of alcohol and smoking was cool, my parents and teachers took every opportunity to insist that the practice led to addiction and health problems like cancer and other respiratory difficulties. Drugs were painted as a bigger monster by authority figures, which I later on came to appreciate as I saw the effects of addiction of such by coming across people who had been affected and reading stories of others who had fallen victims of drug abuse.

A drug can be defined as a substance used either for medicinal purposes or as a narcotic. The U.S Drug Enforcement Administration identifies narcotics as having been derived from a Greek word that means stupor, which was the description for a variety of substances that numb the human senses to relieve pain (2010). Currently, the term is being used in different ways. Some people use the term to indicate any illicit matter while others describe it as the substances that blind receptors in the body making them non receptive to feelings. The cell membranes in the body have proteins that are activated by substances such as morphine and heroin hence creating the numbing effect (US Drug Enforcement Administration, 2010). Narcotics are defined in the legal context as opium, its derivatives and substitutes of their semi-synthetic form. The department adds that Coca leaves and cocaine are also considered as narcotics under the specifications of Controlled Substances Act. The Act claims that opiate receptors do not produce effects like the ones witnessed in morphine and are therefore considered as stimulants. Drugs and substances that generate effects similar to morphines are also considered as narcotics.

Therapeutic Use of Narcotics
Narcotics are used for therapeutic purposes in the treatment of pain, alleviation of diarrhea and stubborn coughs, and also using the substance as anesthesia (Drug Addiction Support, 2010). Administration of narcotics involves taking them orally, injections and skin patches.  Narcotics are abused by sniffing, smoking or in form of injections. The effect they generate majorly depends on the dosage taken and the means of administration in relation to the individuals predisposure to the substance.

Narcotics are also administered to generate a feeling of well being to individuals by reducing tension, aggression and feelings of anxiety. This does not mean that narcotics are the only means of relieving such conditions. Other medical solutions like alternative depression and pain medication is prescribed by doctors worldwide. Despite the positive effects that therapeutic administrations of narcotics generate, abuse of narcotics can lead to adverse effects. The effects of drugs depend on the dose taken, route of administration, and any previous exposure to the drug.

Causes of Drug Abuse
Although intended for medical purposes of healing and suppressing pain, individuals may be carried away by taking the narcotics even long after they get better leading to them getting addicted to the drugs. Recreational needs for taking drugs are however triggered by different factors. Some tendencies to take drugs are inherited (Drug Addiction Support, 2010). Research by the Drug Addiction Support organization shows that children born by parents who are dependent on drugs end up with a higher probability of taking drugs than those whose parents do not take drugs. The research conducted based on evaluation of the members supported by the organization revealed that individual personality also affects the individuals likelihood of taking drugs. This owes to external factors like peer pressure and ones capability to stay clear of such pressures. The support organization also revealed that ready availability of drugs to a certain region may make more people to start the habit of drug abuse and end up addicted even though they did not initially set out to be such. Anxiety, loneliness and depression is seen to be a contributing factor that is likely to see individuals start taking drugs and end up addicted to the habit as a result of the short calming effect that drugs may offer them. Due to the reasons for drug abuse being different for diverse population indicate that different people are trapped into the habit as a result of different causes.

Drug Abuse and its Effects
Aside from their medical use, narcotics produce a general sense of well-being by reducing tension, anxiety, and aggression. The US Drug Enforcement Administration reports that the effects of narcotics are helpful only in a therapeutic setting but can tribute to their abuse causing unfavorable results. Drug use may lead to drowsiness, lack of interest, a reduction in physical activity, pupil constriction, constipation, nausea, respiratory disorders and flushing of the face and neck. An increase in dosage worsens the effects of abusing the drug. Excessive intoxication may even lead to loss in motor coordination or deterred speech as reported by the department (2010).

More serious hazards of drug abuse include the never ending risk of infection by diseases associated with the practice and overdose. Street drugs have unknown elements that may not be compatible to the users body hence causing unfavorable outcomes. Sharing of illegal drugs which leads to the likely use of non sterilized equipment to inject oneself with drugs may see the user infected with HIV, hepatitis, endocarditis which is the inflammation of the fine lining of the heart and other affiliate complications. Repeated use of narcotics may lead to tolerance to the substance and later on full fledged addiction. Addiction to drugs causes social and financial problems to both the direct user and the people around himher. These individuals end up being unable to provide to their families or even themselves.

The ready unavailability of drugs and an accompanying high cost may lead to the exhaustion of the users financial resources which may lead to social problems like theft and violence as the addict ensures they do everything they can to acquire the drugs. Psychological dependency on narcotics is a more serious yet complex effect of drug abuse according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA, 2010). The end of physical dependency marks the onset of the psychological dependence in situations where users continue to administer the drug. Addicts are overwhelmed with the daily conduct of normal life without the use of the drugs hence feel the need to use them to be able to even perform simple duties like concentrating on one thing or even making simple conversations. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reveals that drug abuse by pregnant mothers may have undesirable effects such as premature births, low birth weight, miscarriages, death of the unborn baby or at times cognitive and behavioral difficulties to the unborn child should they survive development.

Withdrawal Symptoms
The probability of the occurrence of a relapse after the leaving the habit is more often than not likely to take place. Symptoms of relapse associated with most narcotics are manifested shortly after the stop of the last dose and the administering of the next (Drug Addiction Support, 2010). Symptoms include watery eyes, sweatiness, running nose, restlessness, loss of appetite, irritability, tremors, nausea and cravings for the drug which vary from one addict to another depending on the kind of the drug the individual is addicted to. Depression and severe vomiting is a common symptom to most withdrawals from most drugs. The symptoms may fade away without any intervention in most cases after about ten days. However, some addicts may fall back onto their addiction after being unable to function without the drug.

Conclusion
Drug abuse results to effects that are not beneficial to users or other people. Negative effects that range from financial constraint, poor social and physical heath and a possibility of the occurrence of death are the most likely outcomes of the vice. With this in mind individuals should stay clear of the practice and also create awareness to others on how to avoid the unfavorable outcomes associated with drug abuse in an effort to protect life and live it with utmost sanctity. Parents should also educate their children about the dangers and outcome of drug abuse.