Drug Abuse Essay, Research Paper

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DRUG ABUSE

The term drug abuse is most often referred to as the use of a drug that causes physical or mental harm to the user or impairs the bodies functions (Drug Abuse 279). The information in this paper will help inform the reader on the sale, effects, and types of illegal drugs.

Drugs, crime, and children play a huge part on today s society. The drug enforcement is getting longer, so the drug dealers and gang members are not willing to do their own dirty work. Adolescents are treated differently by the law. The criminal justice system is much easier on children and the dealers would rather let the teenagers take the blame for their wrong doings (Adint 27).

Young people work as lookouts, spotters, couriers, and prostitutes. Lookouts watch the street and if they see any unfamiliar faces, they warn the dealer. Spotters are usually used at the sales location. They direct the

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dealers to a safe place to buy drugs. Couriers carry the drugs around the town and are sometimes young children who don t know exactly what s in the bag or carrier. Enforcers are generally gang members. The gangs are recruited or created to control certain areas. Prostitutes are called slaves because they are owned by people in the drug business (Adint 29).

The effects that drugs can have on the brain are very harmful. One of the reasons that drugs have such an effect on the brain is because they act directly on the brain stem and limbic system. These are called essential parts of the brain because they control the basic functions of the brain such as breathing, eating, and sleeping. When drugs act on the brain stem and limbic system, they can override the cerebral cortex (Grabish 23).

There are many types of drugs, but Opium and Heroin are two of the most serious drugs and are referred to as narcotics. Narcotics are drugs that cause, sleep, lethargy, and relief from pain. Opium comes from the seeds of a poppy plant. Opiates have been used to treat headaches, anxiety, epilepsy, and depression. Heroin is one of the most

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Dangerous opiates. It comes in a white and dark brown powder and can be smoked, injected, or inhaled (Grabish 24).

In conclusion drugs can be very fatal when abused. They can effect you mentally and physically as well as the people around you. I hope that this document has a better understanding and awareness to you the reader.