Across genders, generations and demographics, there has been an increase in drug use in the United States (Chang, Liao, Huang, & Guo, 2018). In this case, the incidences of drug abuse among Americans have reached alarming levels due to the increased use of prescription drugs, heroin, synthetics, and marijuana. It is for this reason that the headlines of major news outlets have been filled with the news on opioid overdoses and abuse (Joe, Knight, Becan, & Flynn, 2014). According to the World Drug Report, America’s heroin users hit a 20-year high in 2016, thus demonstrating the extent and increased prevalence of drug use in American society. Other conducted surveys have pointed out high rates of illicit drug use among the American teens compared with the European teens. In this case, 18% of European students admitted to using illegal drugs in their lifetime compared to America’s 35% (Metz, Brown, Martins, & Palamar, 2018). As a demonstration of the menacing problem of drug use in American society, the incidences of deaths as a result of the drug overdose in the United States has quadrupled since 1999. This paper will seek to outline drug use in American society among men and women.
Review of Literature
Gender Differences in Drug Use
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the prevalence of drug abuse among women is lower than men in American society. Despite this, a general trend shows that there has been an increase in the number of women abusing illegal and prescription drugs in the recent times (Chang, Liao, Huang, & Guo, 2018). In addition to this, it has been outlined that men have a higher likelihood to abuse drugs compared to the female counterparts. However, when an escalation in drug use evaluates this, then it has been pointed out that women have been increasing their rate of consuming drugs such as marijuana, alcohol, cocaine, and opioids compared to men (Joe, Knight, Becan, & Flynn, 2014). Additionally, studies have emphasized that once women are addicted to a drug, then it will be difficult for them to quit, this is contrary to the suggested behavior among men. Such a trend of finding it difficult to quit drugs after being addicted to women has been observed for the case of drugs such as nicotine that is commonly abused by women. 4
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A majority of researches on America’s gender difference in the abuse of drugs has been investigating psychomotor stimulants. For this reason, nicotine, opiates, and alcohol are grouped for convenience purpose (Paul, Simms, Mahesan & Belanger, 2018). Even though the gender difference in the pattern of opiate use has been questioned, conducted studies show that women have the likelihood of rapidly escalating their use of heroin, thus becoming addicted within a short timeframe than men. For the case of cigarette, shorter intervals have been reported among women. However, it has been outlined that women usually find it difficult to quit cigarette smoking compared to men. Other conducted studies have also shown that fewer women (7%) typically abuse alcohol compared to men (20%). Despite this, there has been a worrying trend lately whereby young women have increasingly been intoxicated on alcohol (Chang, Liao, Huang, & Guo, 2018). There have also been cases of severe alcohol consumption among women compared to men. As a result, more women have been victims of negative medical consequences attributed to chronic use of alcohol.
For the last decade, the abuse of cocaine has significantly increased among women. It is for this reason that out of an approximated 1.8 million Americans using Cocaine, women accounts for 39.5%. Recent reports have also indicated that among the 12-17 years uses of cocaine, 51.5% are women (Joe, Knight, Becan, & Flynn, 2014). It is for this reason that the dependence and use of stimulant drugs among women has been a significant health concern in the United States. Nonetheless, this only highlights the protracted manner in which the American society is on drugs. For instance gathered evidence has suggested that women have a higher vulnerability to abuse psychostimulants, thus showing the exhibited trend in the differences of drug use by gender.
Analysis of gender differences in drug use shows that women usually begin using amphetamine and cocaine before entering treatment at early ages compared to men. It is for this reason that a high intake of cocaine is attributed to women (Metz, Brown, Martins, & Palamar, 2018). Even though there may be differences in progression to dependence, conducted studies have established that women have a faster rate of progressing through the landmark stages from the initial use of such drugs. On an additional note, there are higher levels of craving among abstinent women following their exposure to cocaine-related cues compared to men. This suggests that women are characterized by more extended periods of use after abstinence from drugs, a phenomenon that is opposite from the trend exhibited among men. However, conducted studies have attributed such differences due to biological and sociocultural factors (Chang, Liao, Huang, & Guo, 2018). When narrowed down, it is suggested that women are highly sensitive to addictive properties of cocaine, a trend that is different from what is observed among men. Nonetheless, it is important to note that such suggestions are based on retrospective reports; hence the neurobiological basis of such interpretation is not considered.
Analysis and Discussion
Based on the conducted review of the literature, it is evident that drug use, abuse, and addiction is devastating for both women and men. However, conducted nationwide studies have suggested that females and males are drawn to different drugs. Similarly, one addicted, they are affected differently. Additionally, it is also evident that gender has an impact of influencing the response of an individual to drugs as well as the likelihood of addiction (Kamimura, Panahi, Rathi & Ashby, 2018). Therefore, this has reiterated some of the existing core differences regarding drug use and dependence among both males and females. It is for this reason that when examining drug on a gender basis, it is advisable to explore the consequences and patterns of such substance abuse and the subsequent effective recovery therapies.
Even though the studies on the influence of gender on drug abuse are relatively new, it has been pointed out that drug abuse among male has always been used as the standard basis when conducting addiction studies (Chang, Liao, Huang, & Guo, 2018). However, as the use and abuse of drug among American women continue to increase, researchers have been exploring different ways in which drug use and abuse affect females. On this basis, conducted comparative studies have shown that drug use and addiction is common among American men than American women. Even though there may be differences based on gender, the reality is that such results suggest a society that is on drugs.
As a way of highlighting the existing difference in drug use among males and females, it has been pointed out that men usually start using and even abusing drugs at a comparatively earlier age. Additionally, males have the tendency of abusing drugs in large amounts compared to their female counterparts (Metz, Brown, Martins, & Palamar, 2018). Whereas males have a higher likelihood of engaging in the abuse of tobacco and alcohol, similar males are also likely to engage in binge drinking. This implies that unlike females, males have a higher likelihood of consuming more alcohol drinks within a short timeframe. It is for this reason that the National Survey on Drug Use and Health suggests that 12% of American males aged 12 years and above currently use drugs (Caetano, Vaeth & Canino, 2018). This is comparatively higher considering that a proportion of 7.3% of females engages in illegal use of drugs. Surveys also indicate that males have higher cases of multi-drug use compared to females.
The surveys tracking drug use among young American adults and adolescents have suggested that the abuse of illicit drugs is common among males in high school and even college (Paul, Simms, Mahesan & Belanger, 2018). At senior high school, it has been indicated that 9% of males use marijuana daily whereas less than 4% of females use the same drugs daily.
Implications
Considering that there is a considerable difference in drug use among male and female, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) highlights that increased use of drugs among males at earlier stages of their lives is attributed to access to more opportunities for using drugs compared to females (Metz, Brown, Martins, & Palamar, 2018). In this essence, it has been pointed out that teenage males have a higher likelihood of being exposed to drugs by their peers compared to teenage girls that are believed to be inducted into drug use by boys. It is for this reason that upon being initiated into the use of drugs, females and males are equally likely to continue using them (Brown, Harris, Srivastava & Zhang, 2018). Despite the existing differences in drug abuse and addiction between males and females, analysis of studies shows that females have the likelihood of being addicted to being introduced to drugs compared to men. Unlike men, women also have higher relapse rates when going through rehabilitation. Similarly, they also suffer severe consequences to their finances, relationships, occupational status, and health.
Conclusion
An increase in abuse of prescription and illegal drugs in the U.S has elicited serious concerns. Over the last few years, American society has been characterized by the increasing incidences of drug use and abuse. However, there have been significant differences among men and women. In this case, analyzed surveys show that men have a higher likelihood of abusing drugs compared to women. This has been attributed to the assertion that men usually start using drugs at an early age of their lives compared to men. Besides this, males are also prone to using drugs in large amounts compared to their female counterparts.
References
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