Matt Haeffner

Drug Use & Abuse

Final Paper
Coming into this class I new I would be interested in the curriculum but
I never imagined I would have the experience that I did. I was part of a very
tightly knit class, which aids learning more than youd think, and it allowed
for a very open and accepting/understanding environment for all students to
share their perspectives. When first seeing the syllabus and taking the
syllabus quiz I was intimidated by the amount of homework on a weekly
basis, but that worry was terminated quickly after getting into a groove and
having a legitimate interest in the subject matter of each weekly
documentary. By discussing the prevalence of issues related to drugs of all
sorts, this course had the ability to shift students opinions, formulate new
ones, or enforce opinions that had already been made. Drugs, whether you
like or not, are almost always a part of the college campus environment even
if you dont intend to be around them; so by taking this course I felt that I
have changed a lot of my perspectives and vantage points on drug related
issues prevalent around the world, and particularly in the United States. One
thing I learned about myself throughout the course is that I am incredibly
liberal in my beliefs regarding drug policies and research. I think the reason I
tend to lean towards the liberal side of the spectrum regarding drugs is
because this class has made me skeptical/optimistic, about the possible uses
of many illicit drugs in the medical field and far more open-minded. As a
result of this open-mindedness and skepticism about current drug practices
in the U.S. I have begun to question the current health care system and even
food system. Not only have I become more open-minded and liberal, but I
have become more self-aware of what I am putting into my body in regards
to food and substances. I actually have noticed a decreased desire for
consuming copious amounts of alcohol on weekends, like many of my peers;
this is a huge moment for me, because as my distaste grows for alcohol on

both moral and physiological levels I am straying further from the potential
for alcoholism that there is in my familys bloodline and history. Not only
have I decreased my alcohol consumption on a weekly basis, but also I have
significantly removed sugar from a good portion of my diet (i.e. beverages,
no candy, no desserts etc.) and I no longer see many processed snack foods
as actual food. By increasing my self-awareness of what I am putting into my
body (sugar & GMOs), I have also found myself more in tact and self aware
of my spiritual beliefs. By physically reflecting what I believe regarding drugs
and how they influence our society, I have found it easier to connect with my
true deep-seeded beliefs in a spiritual sense and impose them upon others to
spread awareness for the dangers of many drugs, but also the common
misbeliefs and false interpretations of others. This class has exposed me to
the many ways that humans have been mislead by the economically driven
U.S. government, and I feel that the importance of many issues presented in
this class are things that are pushed to the side by our society and the
federal government, who unfortunately hold the real ability to create change.
I have learned so much more about the world and the way it functions after
taking this class, I never could have told you when I started the course that I
would have changed as much as I have mentally and physically. Most college
courses do not affect students on the level that this course has impacted and
influenced me.
Alcohol:
Drug that binds directly to acetylcholine, serotonin and GABA receptors
It makes NMDA receptors hypersensitive to glutamate while
desensitizing GABA receptors; essentially what creates a tolerance
(desensitization of neurotransmitter receptors)
Alcohol affects the cerebellum functions- and area of the brain that
controls vision, speech, coordination/mobility, and reaction time. This is
what makes it so dangerous to operate a vehicle of any sort. Almost all
senses are altered by alc.
Long Term Effects: cirrhosis (liver disease), brain damage, nerve
damage, anxiety/depression, and other mental health issues

Highly addictive, legal, and leads to approx. 100,000 deaths per year in
U.S. alone
Prescription Drugs:
Estimated that 52 million people abuse prescription drugs (majority
males)
Since the turn of the century, unintentional overdose deaths from
opioid prescription pain killers have QUADRUPLED
Illicit substances (heroin & cocaine) are responsible for 10,000-20,000
American deaths per year, while prescriptions that were properly
given by medical professionals kill at least 106,000 Americans per
year.
Prescription drugs kill more people per year than traffic accidents,
heroin and cocaine combined.
11 percent of Americans ages 12+ now use prescription antidepressants/psychotics

WILL THE REAL WAR ON DRUGS PLEASE STAND UP?!

Sugar:
Sugar causes behavioral and neurochemical changes that resemble the
effects of an abused substance (so is sugar a drug?)
Suppresses immune system, reduces learning capacity, contributes to
diabetes, can cause appendicitis
Consuming more than 10% of your daily calories in sugar can lead to
Cardiovascular disease
Poor blood sugar regulation is linked to an increased risk of cognitive
impairment and dementia
Sugar can impair the structure of DNA
GMOs
GMOs cause increased allergic reactions in humans to plants/animals
that have been GMO altered
GMOs can lead to infertility, faulty insulin regulation and infertility
Cause tumors
Altering of genes is not a natural process and therefore will not have a
natural or beneficial effect on products altered or humans ingesting
them
Change how major organs function, particularly in the gastrointestinal
system
Debate: Prescription Drugs in U.S.A.- Detrimental or Beneficial?

FOR Prescription Drugs #1- With the advances that have been made in
technology and medicine combined in the past 15 years, it is no question
that the United States is heading in the right direction in healthcare. With the
use of synthetically produced prescription pills we will be able to effectively
treat many mental health issues and physical conditions that we previously
were not able to offer solutions for. Recently, there have been more steps
introduced into the clinical trial process of testing drugs versus a placebo, in
order for the FDA to be able to better determine how effective a drug would
be on a group of individuals. By facilitating more clinical trials, the FDA has
more time to evaluate a drugs beneficial properties and effects on those
who participated in the trial. What this process is designed to do, is give
doctors more certainty and confidence in the substances they are providing
to their patients. Along with the increased clinical trials, there have been
ideas of creating some form of electronic prescription monitoring for doctors
and pharmacies to better regulate drug use/abuse and assimilate new forms
of technology into the medical field. This will allow for more precision and
accuracy in proper dosage, and monitoring prescriptions using electronic
systems that document prescriptions and costs.
FOR Prescription Drugs #2- There are very few things that have had as
crucial an impact on the healthcare industry as prescription drugs. Not only
do they ensure the physical and mental health and safety of those in need,
but also they have created economic prosperity for the United States
government and companies everywhere. There are multitudes of companies
that produce these synthetic drugs in the best interest of the general health
of the public. A study done by the Mayo Clinic states that approximately 70%
of American citizens take a prescription drug of some sort. There are almost
400 million people in this country, so the fact that nearly 300 million people
rely on prescriptions to carry out their daily lives means this industry is
providing a valuable service which is also generating massive revenue for
the United States government, being that they own the agencies approving

and producing many of these drugs. Last year alone, 11 major drug
companies in the U.S. brought in a combined $85 billion in revenue. From a
capitalist perspective, which is the economic system our government most
supports and reflects, the amounts of money generated from these medicinal
products is all that truly matters because the more money the U.S.
government has, and the sturdier the financial situation, the better position
we remain as a global power. Money makes the world go round!

Sources for Arguments supporting Prescription Drugs use/production:

- http://www.ohsu.edu/blogs/brain/2013/01/11/risks-benefitsprescription-drugs/
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19320680
- http://www.mtsmt.com/Products_and_Solutions_For_Pharmacy/Pharmacy_Automation_
Systems.aspx
- http://www.alternet.org/11-major-drug-companies-raked-85-billion-lastyear-and-left-many-die-who-couldnt-buy-their-pricey
AGAINST Prescription Drugs #1- Despite advances in technology and
medicine throughout the 2000s, prescription drug use has hindered and
depleted the health of many U.S. citizens rather than benefited it. Still today,
prescription drug use is a leading cause of death in the U.S., particularly in
people ages 18-26, leading to at least 106,000 American deaths per year.
Not to mention that almost every time there is an ad for elderly citizens on
television it is an ad for a prescription drug or pain killer designed to draw in
citizens who are less aware of the dangers of these drugs (college students
and senior citizens). Last year 11 of 12 new approved drugs by the FDA was
set to cost American users $100,000 per year per prescription! The costs of
prescription drugs alone are a crime, but the death toll and health issues that
come as a result of these drugs is the real crime. Essentially, the government
is making so much money off of keeping Americans unhealthy that they are
basically intentionally keeping us unhealthy to generate a profit. The
healthcare system is messed up. If a person is having substance issues with

alcohol or other drugs, they turn to the government approved substances

like anti-depressants or anti-anxiety medications to seek help with their
original problem; thus inevitably leading to a vicious cycle of recirculating
drug problems and eventually most likely, death, unless real help is sought
out for. There are many alternatives before ever having to turn to synthetic
products for health related issues, whether mental or physical.
AGAINST Prescription Drugs #2- Prescription pills and other synthetic
drugs are not the answer, and as a matter of fact, many forms of alternative
medicine, natural/herbal substances and even foods can be used for
medicinal purposes. The problem is that the government has created this
stigma that they know what is best for all people, so complementary and
alternative medicines are rejected because we constantly see ads and
promotion for synthetic drugs, they surround us. We are one of the only
countries in the world that advertises prescription substances and then we
wonder why our mortality rate is so high and our rehab centers are so full;
because of a falsified image that prescription drugs are not as bad for you
as illicit drugs, and that prescription drugs are the only forms of medication
or treatment available to people. There is a need for more awareness to be
spread in the public eye about alternative and complementary forms of
treatment that are foreign to most citizens of the U.S. If the prescription
companies continue to generate as much money as they are currently, they
will gain more power and most likely make it more difficult for people to seek
out access to alternative medicines. The people have a right to know that
many of the drugs they take prescription pills and pharmaceuticals for, can
be treated or cured with natural or herbal supplements, and that they are
being manipulated into a system devised to simply make money no matter
what.

Sources for Arguments against Prescription Drugs use/production:

http://www.alternet.org/11-major-drug-companies-raked-85-billion-lastyear-and-left-many-die-who-couldnt-buy-their-pricey
http://www.narconon.org/drug-information/lsd-information.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2579498/
http://www.helpguide.org/harvard/natural-mental-health-remedies.htm