Drug Addiction
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In Alcoholism, Drug Addiction, and the Road to Recovery, M.D. Barry Stimmel (2002) argues that drug addiction or substance abuse is “a complex, serious and treatable condition” (3). Drug addiction treatment is often viewed with skepticism by politicians, policymakers, and the public, who view such treatment as ineffective at reducing the demand for drugs or rehabilitating substance abusers. However, the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) argues “Addiction treatment works. That much we know,” (Hunsicker 1997, 5). That addiction treatment works and is effective were beliefs at the core of the Hughes Act, signed by Richard M. Nixon, establishing the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Treatment protocols and policies flourished, with public and private reimbursement available.Beginning in the 1980s, rising crime rates, a public skeptical of rehabilitation, and politicians keen to gain public approval by looking tough on drugs caused a paradigm shift in U.S. drug policies, including rehabilitation and treatment resources. In Drug Addiction and Drug Policy, Mark H. Moore discusses drug-prevention strategy and policy in U.S. society. His essay provides insight into why rehabilitation policies and protocols are seldom favored by contemporary policymakers. Conservatives or those on the right politically tend to favor “zero tolerance” policies and those designed
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atment center, Hazelden, only 53% of its patients stay clean for a period of 12 months (Adler 2003, 49). Such statistics often reinforce the views of the right that treatment programs are an unwise use of resources with respect to effective drug policy.
The drug addict often experiences a variety of withdrawal symptoms when suffering from the physiological and psychological impact of detoxification. Alcohol, cocaine, and marijuana are three of the most abused substances in U.S. culture. While marijuana is relatively easier to withdraw from than alcohol or cocaine addiction, its prevalence of use among teens poses a serious threat from its proven gateway effects. Alcohol and cocaine detoxification or withdrawal poses a number of challenges for the addicted. Individuals dependent on alcohol or cocaine will experience the following withdrawal symptoms for a period of 3-7 days in the case of alcohol dependency and even longer for cocaine dependency:
ALCOHOL WITHDRAWAL/DETOXIFICATION SYMPTOMS:
COCAINE WITHDRAWAL/DETOXIFICATION SYMPTOMS:
Anxiety and depression
Depressed mood
Dry mouth
Fatigue
Hand tremors
Increased appetite
Headache
Intensely sluggish
Increase in pulse, blood pr
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 2950
Approximate Pages = 12 (250 words per page)
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