Codes of behavior, etiquette rules, and social norms

Any of the areas of emphasis in society are codes of conduct, etiquette laws, and modern manners. They demonstrate society's regard for human experience. At all times, social norms must be followed. However, the majority of people have resorted to antisocial activities. Substance abuse is one of the practices that is becoming increasingly common among the youth population. According to the World Health Organization, substance abuse is described as the harmful or dangerous use of psychoactive drugs. Some illegal substances, as well as alcohol, are among these drugs. Users of psychotropic medications can develop a dependency syndrome as a result of their use. Dependence syndrome is a physiologic, behavioral, and cognitive phenomenon that affects a group of people. Continuous use of these drugs leads to the development of the condition. Most of the world’s population has been affected by this growing habit especially among the communities in the urban areas because of exposure. “If a child is exposed to several of these risk factors, there is a greater likelihood that he will abuse drugs later in life.”

Habit A

In most cases, the community does not react well towards substance abuse. The practice has been outlawed in most of the countries, and therefore, it is viewed as a form of evil. Most people believe that drug abuse is not in line with social norms of the community. All over the world, substance abuse is condemned, and the drug addicts are victimized. There have been cases where victims of drug abuse are shunned in the community. In such cases, they are viewed as worthless people in the society who cannot help in the various developmental activities. The society has also developed a negative perception towards drug abuse and the drug addicts. The reason for this may be because of the crimes associated with the act “Drug abuse carries with it a bevy of potential side effects, depending on the specific drug being used." The other reason may be as a result of the collective beliefs that the society holds regarding the drug addicts. Many factors have led to the rise in drug abuse. One of the elements has been poverty. According to the National Council on Drug Abuse, the cases of substance abuse have been high in the less privileged societies. The research has been found to be true despite the fact that lack of money does not necessarily mean that a victim will turn to drug abuse. The relationship between poverty and drug abuse is a multifaceted and complex one. Some of the features of scarcity are low-skilled occupations. These jobs sometimes offer lower status, and therefore, the people are unable to meet their basic needs. Individuals living in impoverished conditions can sometimes opt to use drugs as a way of coping with the dangerous environments they may be living in. Substance abuse can also seem like a way of dealing with emotional, financial and physical stress. In many situations, substances can be easily accessed in the impoverished areas. The case may be because most of the residents of these regions resort to the selling of substances with the aim of becoming rich. According to Robert Kaestner, research shows that the use of cocaine and marijuana are prevalent in the needy families. The society is against this habit because of the numerous negative impacts it has on the people. Substance abuse has been condemned in the society because of the immorality and loss of society value that has been associated with it.
Substance abuse has been linked to the rising cases of criminal activities, especially in the penurious communities. Most of the people who have resorted to abusing drugs have been involved in crimes such as theft. The misconduct comes about when the youths and other drug users engage in stealing to be able to get money to buy the drugs. During the purchases, a misunderstanding may mean that the users look for more money to purchase other drugs. In most cases, this comes up due to addiction. Some residents get arrested for being part of dangerous criminal activities such as robbery, assault, and murder. Substance abuse also comes with some health effects on the users. In this case, the drugs may have detrimental impacts on the standard functions of those people who abuse drugs. Health wise, consistent use of drugs may lead to increased vulnerability and susceptibility to some infections. A person’s immune system may become weak as a result of abusing drugs for an extended period. The use of some illicit substances can also lead to cardiovascular conditions. The conditions sometimes range from heart attacks to irregular heart rates. The drugs can lead to nausea and in some cases abdominal pains. These health problems become more intense as the person continues to use the drugs. Addiction is another problem that comes with substance abuse. Drug dependence refers to the state in which a person cannot live or function normally without using drugs. Some substances are problematic not only to the users but also to the other people in the society. A person suffering from addiction is likely to neglect his or her duties in the family and instead use their finances to buy the drugs. Substance abuse, therefore, has a lot of challenges both to the users and the community at large. Drug abuse has led to change of behavior in the users. A number of the victims of drug abuse suffer from impaired judgments, and in some cases, the users lose their self-control. Aggression has also been recognized as one of the social impacts of substance abuse. The addicts may become violent in the society and engage in several fights. These fights cause a commotion in the community thereby leading to loss of peace and disunity among the people. Addicts may also lose their self-control. In this case, they engage in unwanted activities and behaviors which undermine the social values their community. Cases of hallucinations have been reported in a number of the drug addicts. These people end up seeing invisible enemies, and sometimes they tend to fight them. These are some of the factors that have made people to outlaw drug abuse in the community. Drugs have several impacts on the environment. Most of these problems may arise from the cultivation of bhang and the production of methamphetamine. The substances used in the production of the drug also known as meth are highly flammable and therefore possess a lot of hazards to the environment. If the chemical is stored in dangerous situations, they may cause explosions and fire. The process used in the production of methamphetamine leads to the production of a lot of wastes. These wastes are released into the streams or the forests and may contaminate the water sources. The residues cause a lot of damage to the environment and even to the inhabitants. The society may suffer from the dangerous effects of the illegal dumping. Smoking of drugs such as tobacco products and bhang pollutes the air and poses some risks to the other people in the society. Many people suffer from lung and liver infections because of using tobacco.

Habit B

The community members must be able to change their perception towards the problem and instead focus on helping the victims who often suffer from different drug addiction problems. The community members must stop their victimization and offer their support to these people. The society must also acknowledge the fact that a number of the victims are forced into the act by circumstances that are beyond their control. The members of a community can adopt several solutions. Education of the people is essential in controlling the adverse impacts of drug abuse. The members of the society must be taught about the practical ways of handling the drug addicts. In this case, the people will be able to cope up with the addicts and accord them necessary assistance. The community will also be able to come up with ways of helping these people and give them a sense of belonging. Rehabilitation of the drug addicts is a collective effort, and unless the other members of the community participate in it, the struggle can never be successful. Education of the society is also vital in enlightening the public about the harmful effects of drug abuse. When people are taught on how to live healthy lifestyles, few will engage in substance abuse. Therefore, the society will remain united. The education will also assist in ensuring that a given society minimizes the incidences of crime that come as a result of substance abuse. Several regulations must be enacted in the society to bring the issue of substance abuse to an end. The laws will help to control the accessibility and the sale of the drugs to people. If the governments focus on those selling drugs to the people, they will be able to reduce the number of people suffering as a result of excessive use of illegal drugs. The regulations must provide stern actions that will be used in case a person is found in possession of drugs. The rules must also stipulate steps to be taken against those people who trade in illegal drugs. Counseling services must also be offered to both the drug users and the public as a whole. The service will help in ensuring that those people who have been involved in the use of drugs can recover from their addiction. Counseling is also vital in making sure that the people can deal with the mental and psychological conditions they face. In such a situation, the people will look for an alternative means of dealing with their problems rather than resorting to substance abuse. The governments and other authorities must work together to ensure that the citizens can afford their basic needs. Developmental plans must be put in place to ensure that the living standards of the people are raised. Provision of employment to the citizens and giving them fair wages for their labor is also crucial in ensuring that the people do not resort to drugs as a way of running away from their problems. Another effective method of controlling drug and substance abuse is the determination of the risk factors involved in the practice. The technique entails looking into the factors that predispose a person to use drugs. Authorities must have the information at their fingertips and be able to help the people shun the use of illegal drugs. The government and other concerned parties must ensure that they change the perception of the people towards the drug addiction. That will enable the people to treat the addicts with respect and be able to help them overcome the habit. “This complex disease requires a multifaceted approach to treatment for it to be effective.” Treatment is also vital in helping people to overcome their addiction problems. With proper rehabilitation, the health authorities can provide effective medication to the drug addicts thereby giving them another chance to live healthy lives. Moreover, most of the health problems associated with drug misuse can be managed by using drugs.
In conclusion, drug abuse is a menace that is threatening to tear communities apart. If the problem is not controlled, many people will get involved in the practice. As it has been evident, a number of the individuals do not try to help drug addicts. On the contrary, this class of people condemns the drug addicts. The fact that the addicts are associated with criminal activities alone makes it difficult for them to associate with the other members of the community. Most often, the drug addicts are shunned by the other members of the community which makes them feel lonely and depressed. To control the use drugs in a community, all the members of the society must come together and work towards ensuring that the problems of the people are solved. The drug users must not be left to suffer yet they can be treated. The society must also note that not all of the addicts involve themselves in criminal activities. Circumstances force a number of those who abuse substances into using the drugs. Given an opportunity, they may be able to change and become useful people in the community.

Works Cited

DRUG ABUSE.COM. n.d. Monday December 2017 <https://drugabuse.com/library/drug-abuse-information/>.