Term Paper on "How Drugs Affect Society"
Term Paper 8 pages (2392 words) Sources: 1+
[EXCERPT] . . . .
Drugs Affect SocietyDrugs have always had a negative effect on society and this issue is presently more visible than ever. While society prefers to employ most of its forces in fighting drugs in first world countries, the masses generally ignore the effects that drugs have on underprivileged groups. With South America being one of the main locations where drugs are produced, it is important for this paper to focus on the effects that drugs have on South American communities that deal with drug producers and traffickers on a daily basis. These respective drug producers and traffickers develop a relationship of interdependence with people living in the communities that they live in. The media falsely influences the general public in employing discriminatory attitudes in regard to particular groups as a consequence of associating them with drug production, use, and trafficking. Many addicts have successfully overcome their problem through adopting alternative treatment methods that made it possible for them to focus on more important aspects of their lives. This essay is meant to discuss how contemporary society experiences great trouble in fighting drugs because of the series of elements that are related to illegal substances and how underprivileged individuals suffer the most as a result of this warfare.
The effects of the use and sale of drugs on communities that initially seemed thriving
It would be absurd for someone to consider that drugs have little to no effect on society, especially considering individuals who die every die as a consequence of being involved in the business. Keith Dannemiller's article presents readers with insight regarding cond
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Dannemiller emphasizes the fact that it is very difficult for an outsider to understand matters from the perspective of someone living in Ciudad Juarez (2010:137). Most people fail to observe that society has only experienced progress in some areas while it endured significant regress in others. Drugs affect a wide assortment of environments, ranging from local street shops to photographers wanting to create a story regarding critical conditions in the city. It is very difficult and almost impossible for an ordinary individual to live in Ciudad Juarez, considering that he or she is likely to be "assaulted, beaten, and robbed" by the violent individuals dominating the scenery (Dannemiller 2010:139).
In their attempt to find individuals who could establish a form of control in their communities, some people came to respect and encourage drug dealers who assumed positions of leadership. Ben Penglase's article proves more information regarding how these people take on neutral and even supportive positions in regard to drug lords because they have no alternative and because they generally consider that their condition is likely to improve as a result of employing this attitude (2010:318). Penglase demonstrates that they practically choose the lesser evil and use their survival instinct in trying to make it in conditions that threaten their way of life and their families (2010:322). Individuals who are not involved in the drug business are influenced to believe that as long as they act in accordance with legislations imposed by drug lords they will experience lesser problems as a result of being located in an area where drugs dominate people's lifestyles.
Penglase relates to how by taking on positions as masculine figures leading communities located in Brazilian favelas, drug dealers manage to exercise influence over these groups and are presented with lesser resistance from people living in their areas (2010:320). The fact that communities in favelas have gotten accustomed to respecting men because of their superior strength and because they are provided with authoritarian roles over their families contributed to having people in these groups feel less hesitant about supporting drug leaders who used power as a means to control individuals in their communities. Violence is typically a principal means of ensuring that power stays with particular persons and that no one dares to challenge their position. Although this strengthens groups involved in the drug business, it also has a harmful effect on men who are not engaged in drug trafficking. As they are left with virtually no opportunity to exercise their roles as leaders of their groups, these men come to abuse their families or to get involved in the drug businesses with the purpose of regaining their self-esteem.
The lack of official powers that can impose justice over their communities makes it difficult for individuals to stay honest. They are thus vulnerable to entering the drug business in an attempt to strengthen their position in their community. This is especially worrying, as more and more individuals fall victim to temptation and go from being honest to being unhesitant about performing criminal acts in a matter of days. It appears that this system is responsible for gradually turning the majority of individuals in a community into drug dealers.
Addicts are generally neutral in drug communities, as they fuel the drug business but have no influence on how it operates. Even with that, officials need to focus on reducing the number of addicts within a community in order for their efforts to have a negative effect on the drug business. Society has used a series of diverse methods meant to assist addicts in overcoming their problems, but most of them failed. International centers that have the mission of treating addiction have recently turned their attention to traditional healing methods as an alternative to modern means of treating addiction, given that the latter have proved to be ineffective in most cases. Techniques such as "biofeedback, meditation, faith healing, and other traditional and folk addiction treatment methods are being evaluated" (H. K. Heggenhougen 1984:3).
The general public needs to accept that the world is currently experiencing a crisis as a result of the fact that the number of addicts is constantly growing and treatment methods are in most cases inefficient. According to Heggenhougen, alternative addiction treatment methods operate by causing physiological changes in people's bodies and diminishing their craving for drugs (H. K. Heggenhougen 1984:5). Although most experiments using alternative treatment techniques are still in their incipient phases, it is only safe to assume that investing money that are currently being wasted on standard treatment methods (that generate little to no positive results) into perfecting alternative techniques is likely to help a great deal of addicts in overcoming their addiction.
Perspectives concerning drug users and dealers
It is generally accepted that mass media devices presently hold great power over people's opinions concerning popular matters. Feelings in the U.S. regarding illegal substances are especially intriguing when considering the way that people are influenced to adopt attitudes that they would not normally employ if they were not persuaded to do so. The media portrays certain minorities (such as African-Americans) as being predisposed to committing crimes and as playing a negative role in U.S. affairs as a whole. Mainly because of the way that the mass media portrays African-Americans and Hispanics as being vulnerable to getting involved in drug-related matters, the general public has come to consider that people belonging to these two groups are actually more likely to use drugs than their white counterparts. Angela Gilliam's article focuses on this issue and presents readers with more information. Modern countries apparently share feelings when it comes to discriminating particular communities as a result of having access to media devices expressing similar points-of-view (1992: 19).
Gilliam shows how people's thinking is shaped by media devices and how many are normally unable to filter information they receive through the media (1992: 19). While people are bombarded with false information coming from questionable sources, actual studies are obscured by the media because of the tension that they would generate and because companies are reluctant to present the public with news that would directly attack a dominant white public. According to Gilliam, "a Michigan research report demonstrated that nationally 40% of White male high school seniors smoked marijuana, while 12% of them used cocaine, as compared with Black males, 30% of whom had smoked, and 6% had used cocaine" (1992: 19).
When considering strong drugs such as heroin and crack cocaine, it appears that White people are more likely to fall victim to addiction. Moreover, these individuals typically come from middle class environments, virtually contrasting lower class African-American addicts pictured by the media.… READ MORE
Quoted Instructions for "How Drugs Affect Society" Assignment:
1. I*****'m an international student, so please don*****'t make the paper too complicated. =]
2. I already did Bibliography, please use mine.
3.I already did thesis statement and 3 key themes, please write this paper based on my thesis and 3 key themes.
4. each theme should have at least 3 articles to support the theme, even it*****'s a small part from the article, it*****'s fine. ( I already had idea in my thesis, please look at them)
5. Please use AAA style when writing the paper, and I*****'ll upload the AAA style guide.
Here*****'s introduction about how to write this paper, please follow these introductions:
You will be responsible for writing a critical review of at least five peer-reviewed cultural
anthropological articles on a related topic. This review should be 8 pages doublespaced
(Times New Roman, 12pt font) and should draw from the ideas and concepts that
you have learned about in the course. Your final critical review essay should be structured as
follows: 8 pages, 12 pt Times New Roman font, & double-spaced. The 8-page requirement is
neither a minimum nor a maximum. The total number of pages you are required to turn in is
8 pages, no more or no less. The bibliography is not included in the 8-page requirement.
Be sure to support any and all claims that you make in the paper with specific reference and
citation to particular pages and passages in the articles or to relevant lecture or section
material. You are required to use in-text citations for every paraphrase or reference you
make to the articles you discuss in the paper. Be sure to cite specific page numbers. You are
asked to use as few direct quotations as possible. It is always preferable for you to
paraphrase an author*****s argument rather than cite directly from the text. Again, when
paraphrasing, please be sure to cite all relevant sources and page numbers.
5
For all in-text citations and bibliographic entries you are required to follow the American
Anthropological Association Style Guide. If you choose to use information taken directly
from class lecture or from ideas that were discussed in section be sure to provide the
citations as follows: (Throop, Lecture, 03/1/11), (Bae, Section, 02/29/11).
You should assume that your TAs have not read the articles you will be critically reviewing
in the paper. That means that you are responsible for making the various authors***** positions
intelligible to your reader.
Please recall that you are responsible for doing your own research, thinking, and writing for
this paper. Be sure to cite all of the ideas, definitions, paraphrases, or any direct quotes that
you use in your papers. Any and all suspected cases of plagiarism, academic dishonesty,
and misconduct will be directly submitted to the Office of the Dean of Students.
Your 8 pages should roughly break down as follows:
Introduction (1pg) The introduction should introduce the reader to your thesis statement
and the three themes you will be critically examining throughout the paper. It is important to
explain how the three crosscutting themes are relevant to your thesis statement and the
extent to which they support or counter the claims you wish to make in the paper.
Discussion & Analysis of Three Themes (2 pgs per theme = 6 pgs) For each of the three
themes be sure to clearly state the theme and why the theme is relevant to the paper*****s
specific thesis. For each theme, at least 1 page should be allocated to illustrating how the
theme is addressed in the various articles. Please be sure to use at least 3 articles (or more if
possible) for each theme. Finally, be sure to provide some critical reflection on the theme in
question that demonstrates its relevance for key problems or perspectives we explored
together in the class and that are relevant for your paper*****s thesis.
Conclusion (1pg) The conclusion should summarize again how the three themes you have
examined are relevant to your paper*****s thesis and how they are relevant to cultural
anthropology and other readings or topics we have discussed together in this class. *****
How to Reference "How Drugs Affect Society" Term Paper in a Bibliography
“How Drugs Affect Society.” A1-TermPaper.com, 2011, https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/drugs-affect-society/5575137. Accessed 4 Oct 2024.
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