A drug refers to a substance that has psychological effects when introduced into the human body. In the field of pharmacology, drugs fall into four primary groups namely stimulants, narcotics, hallucinogens, and depressants. The classification depends on the effects these substances have on the body and brain of a person when ingested (Yessafechoices.org, n.d). The use of the above drugs, notably, has been associated with numerous mental health issues. For instance, consumption of alcohol (a depressant) causes liver cirrhosis. They also lead to personal and social problems such as financial issues and an increased crime rate in the society. The use of cannabis, for example, has been linked with increased drug trafficking activities that have resulted in exponential rise homicides rates in the United States. In this paper, the author provides details about the above categories of drugs and their impact on crime in the United States.
Stimulants
Stimulants refer to drugs that can accelerate the performance of the central nervous system (CNS) (Yessafechoices.org, n.d). Cocaine, for example, is a stimulant can increase pulse rate, excitation, blood pressure, euphoria, and alertness (NIDA, 2016). The common outcomes of such activities include loss of appetite and insomnia. Initially, the user may experience pleasant effects such as an increased state of euphoria and high levels of energy. Additionally, a person may become talkative and relentless. They may also have trouble getting sleep.
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Excessive use of stimulants could cause personality changes. A person, for instance, could become violent or paranoid due to overconsumption of stimulants. The violence associated with cocaine correlates with increased domestic violence. Other side effects associated with chronic stimulant use include depression, anxiety, loss of appetite, confusion, and decreased desire for sex (NIDA, 2016). According to NIDA (2016), most cocaine users use other drugs such as alcohol and heroin. The use of cocaine and alcohol yields cocaethylene, a highly toxic compound to the heart. The article also shows that heroin could have a devastating effect on humans. Users of cocaine consume heroin to offset its stimulating effects. However, NIDA (2016) indicates that this could result in a heroin overdose.
Hallucinogens
Like other the stimulants, these hallucinogens affect the CNS by making it alter an individual’s perception of space, time, and reality (Yessafechoices.org, n.d). A drug like phencyclidine (PCP), for example, could cause one see or hear things that are not real or imagine nonexistent situations. In other words, they affect the complex inner operation of the human mind, and that explains why these drugs are known as psychedelics. While under the influence, a substance such as PCD could affect a person’s perception, mood, and cognition (NIDA, 2014). A report by Crane, Easton, & Devine (2013) found that users of PCP were more likely to engage in violence and drug-related crimes.
Depressants
A drug is deemed a depressant is it slows down or suppresses the activity of the brain and the CNS (Yessafechoices.org, n.d). People use depressants such as alcohol to relieve anxiety, stress, and boredom among others. Reports also show that people who struggle with emotional issues or lack of sleep consume alcohol for both emotional and physical relief. Excessive ingestion of alcohol could result in loss of coordination, slurred speech, abrupt mood swings, memory impairment, and blurred vision among other effects. Chronic alcohol use could also cause hypertension, liver cirrhosis, and irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia).
According to the NIAAA (n.d), alcohol consumption has a negative impact on the brain’s communication pathways. These changes could result in mood and behavioral changes. NIAAA (n.d) shows that alcohol affects an individual’s ability to think clearly as well as move stably. The report also acknowledges that alcohol consumption causes cardiomyopathy, arrhythmias, fibrosis, and cirrhosis among other health issues. The behavioral changes caused by excessive alcohol consumption have been associated with different types of crimes ranging from domestic violence to rape. For instance, a study by Sabia (2004) noted that there is a strong positive correlation between alcohol consumption among men and violence against new mothers. A report by the NCADD (2018) cited that alcohol users perpetrated 40% of violent crimes reported in the United States today. Precisely, the article indicates that of all drugs, alcohol was closely associated positively with violent offenses that include rape, murder, domestic abuse, and assault.
Narcotics
Medicinally, narcotics are used in hospitals as painkillers due to their ability to cause a strong sense of euphoria (Yessafechoices.org, n.d). These substances are derived from the poppy plant, and physicians prescribe these substances to patients suffering from intense pain. Nevertheless, these drugs could cause addiction since they are extremely habit-forming. Narcotic drugs include heroin, codeine, and oxycontin among others. Heroin, for instance, is one of the commonly abused substances in the world. Once this substance enters in the human brain, it is changed to morphine that binds to opioid receptors rapidly (NIDA, 2018). Often, heroin users experience a surge in pleasurable feeling, known as rush. The level of sensation, however, depends on the amount of drug consumed. The rush is often associated with vomiting, nausea, and itching in some instances (NIDA, 2018). The user could also experience drowsiness for some period, clouded mental function, slowed heart function, and reduced breathing.
The use of heroin has been associated with criminal activities in the United States. A comprehensive study by McGinty, Choksy, & Wintemute (2016) indicated that heroin was one of the abused substances that caused an increased prevalence of suicide and homicide cases in the United States. Jiang et al. (2017) justified this fact by indicating that the U.S. government spent a significant amount of money in arresting and prosecuting criminals who committed crimes while under the influence of heroin. In 2015, for instance, the U.S. spent over $51.2 billion on handling heroin-related issues including crimes. That is ample evidence to suggest that heroin use correlates with certain criminal activities in the United States.
In summary, this paper shows that pharmacologists divide drugs into four groups. The division is based on the impact the drugs have on the body and mind of an individual. Nonetheless, this article has explicitly demonstrated the drugs in each category are associated with criminal activities in the United States.
References
Crane, C. A., Easton, C. J., & Devine, S. (2013). The Association between Phencyclidine Use and Partner Violence: An Initial Examination. Journal of Addictive Diseases , 32 (2), 150–157. doi: http://doi.org/10.1080/10550887.2013.797279
Sabia, J. J. (2004). Alcohol consumption and domestic violence against mothers. Journal of mental health policy and economics , 7 (4), 191-205
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (n.d). Alcohol’s effects on the body, Retrieved on 15 October 2018, from https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/alcohols-effects-body
Jiang, R., Lee, I., Lee, T. A., & Pickard, A. S. (2017). The societal cost of heroin use disorder in the United States. PloS one , 12 (5), e0177323.
NCADD (2018). Alcohol, drugs and crime . National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Retrieved on 15 October 2018, from https://www.ncadd.org/about-addiction/alcohol-drugs-and-crime
McGinty, E. E., Choksy, S., & Wintemute, G. J. (2016). The relationship between controlled substances and violence. Epidemiologic reviews , 38 (1), 5-31.
Yessafechoices.org (n.d). Types if drugs you need to know. Yessafechoices.org. Retrieved on 15 October 2018, from http://www.yessafechoices.org/parents/types-drugs
NIDA (2014, January). Research report series: Hallucinogens and dissociative drugs . Retrieved on 15 October 2018, from www.drugabuse.gov/sites/default/files/hallucinogensrrs.pdf
NIDA. (2016, May 6). Cocaine . Retrieved on 15 October 2018, from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/cocaine
NIDA. (2018, June 8). Heroin . Retrieved on 15 October 2018, from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/heroin
