Research Paper of Psychoactive Substance (Alcohol)

The use of psychoactive drugs is a dangerous phenomenon worldwide. Psychoactive substances are drugs that alter the state of consciousness, perceptions, and moods by acting on the nervous system. The elements have been discovered to activate dopamine receptors in the reward pathway of the brain. Research has proved that the reaction
in the brain begins from the limbic system, specifically the ventral tegmental area (VTA) then to the prefrontal cortex the nucleus accumbens. Psychoactive drugs occur in various categories, though when abused they tend to have a severe health burden on the user and the society as a whole. The common types of psychoactive substances abused worldwide include cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, amphetamines, alcohol, tobacco and cannabis. The paper herein is a discussion on the use of cocaine in the United States of America (Boyer, Shannon, & Hibberd, 2005).
 Statistics show that America has the largest percentage of the of 200 million psychoactive drug abusers worldwide. Drug use in the US has is observed among high school going children and the youths. It is very unfortunate that the percentage of high school seniors in psychoactive abuse is fluctuating between 14%-39% in the past and present times. For example, in 39% was recorded in 1978, 14% in 1992 and 25% in 2002. From the statistics, it is clear that drug abuse is not likely to reduce in the coming years if stricter measures are not put place. The United States has the largest market as well as users of cocaine. Cocaine production and trafficking have been rampant in the US since the 1960s with a total of 42% being seized by the authority years ago. However, in the current times, the seized percentage has increased by 24%. In consideration to this, it is possible that the amount of cocaine in consumption and trafficked has risen in the US and beyond (Maxwell, 2014).
Cocaine is a potent, addictive stimulant substance manufactured from the leaves of the coca plant (Erythroxylon) native to South America in Peru and Bolivia. The drug was extensively used and discovered in the 1980s and 1990s. It is a content deemed with the features of producing short-term euphoria, energy, and talkativeness. Additionally, it has serious effects on the physical body such as raising heart rate and blood pressure. In the US and other sections of the earth, cocaine is used in the form of powder snorted in through the nose, injection and smoked after cracking. The three systems get to the nervous system at different rates with smoking and injection being the most rapid mechanism to get the substance into the body (Julien, 2013).
Psychoactive drugs have different effects on the human brain. The difference has resulted in their division into four main categories namely, depressants, stimulants such as cocaine, opioids, and hallucinogens. Despite the existing difference in the grouping, the substances have effects on different parts of the brain involved in motivation. Cocaine substance has a severe impact on the human brain as it is a form of brain disorder. People with cocaine addiction have difficulty in controlling its consumption and suffer from withdrawal symptoms upon discontinuation of use of the drug. Psychoactive substances affect communication in the brain cells in some sectors of the brain. Cocaine is reported to mimic as well as block effect the process of natural occurrence of molecules such as neurotransmitters that help in carrying specific messages from one brain cell to another (Hall & Degenhardt, 2009).
It is stunning to know that the US that is mainly known worldwide to have the stricter legal systems is faced by a serious social phenomenon of cocaine trafficking and consumptions among children and adults. Cocaine is also reported to have a serious effect on individual’s health as well as the societal well-being. The American government is reported to spend billions of shillings to rehabilitate drug addicts and captivate traffickers. The use of injectable cocaine has led to the spread of deadly diseases such as HIV and AIDS as the drug users share the needle among themselves. In the contemporary society, majority of injectable cocaine fall in the age of 20-40 years who isolate themselves from the family unit. The addiction enhances the isolation of the stimulant substance pushing addicts into theft and other criminal practices to get money to fulfill the desire of cocaine. Use of cocaine in the US has hard a severe effect on the social equality of the nation as it records several high school drop-outs leading to increased criminal cases (Hall & Degenhardt, 2009).
The use of cocaine in the US has not only enhanced social disorder but also affected the behavioral position of its users. Some abusers of cocaine report different kinds of behavioral addiction influencing their holistic performance in the society. Many rape cases in the American courts have the offender having a history of behavioral addiction in pornography or compulsive sexual behavior as a result of cocaine. Additionally, the economic and political performance of is influenced as the addict is not in a position to reason in the right way in making appropriate decisions beneficial to the nation and self. Cocaine addicts like any other psychoactive users tend to experience low self-esteem when discovered publicly. The effect on esteem is quite drastic as it affects one's belief in self-taking away the confidence to function in the society (Julien, 2013).
Despite cocaine consumption and trafficking being several techniques have been employed by the government and non-government institutions to reverse the situation. Several bodies such as the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and program have emerged driving the campaign against cocaine. The campaigns spread information on the effects of, and solutions to cocaine addiction. Additionally, the organizations provide hotlines to call in case of any trouble enhanced by cocaine. The government, on the other hand, has developed policies and laws to govern the use and sale of such an illegal commodity. Furthermore, it has gone as far as setting aside billions of dollars to help in rehabilitating and treating of addicts. Regardless of the efforts, it raises eyebrows as to why the US still leads in use and sale of cocaine. It is arguable that the state and the organizations have not done enough to curb the situation (Stockwell, Gruenewald, Toumbourou & Loxley, 2005).
The efforts of the states and non-state groups have added value to the reduction of cocaine use in the region. The techniques may not have attained the desired goal due to the consistently changing technology and development of the global world. Technological advancement has provided avenues for extensive trafficking and sale of cocaine within and outside the US. It is then necessary for the government and all the involved bodies to improve on the existing techniques as well as develop new ones to match the rapidly growing technology. Prevention of cocaine abuse in the US has also been inhibited by the high degrees of social inequality. The instability in social position in the nation is continuously building the gap between the people leading to increasing in drug trafficking and consumption as less concern exists among neighbors. Therefore, US need to work towards achieving social equality to meet the goals of their intended efforts towards cocaine (Volkow & Li, 2005).
In conclusion, psychoactive substances are components that alter the consciousness, moods and perceptions by tampering with the position of the brain. Cocaine as a psychoactive drug is a stimulant got from the cocoa plant in South America. Research has shown that cocaine mimics and inhibits the natural production of the brain cells that help in the communication of particular messages. Additionally, cocaine also affects the social structures in America. The government has been deemed with the responsibility to spare billions of dollars for rehabilitation and treatment of addicts. Furthermore, the family unit and learning institutions are highly destroyed and broken by cocaine consumption in the region.
The severe effects have led to the development of appropriate measures by the government and other bodies to deal with the phenomenon. However, a proper result has not been achieved based on the rapidly growing technology and the global world. Moreover, the inadequate levels of social equality in the US have continuously opened gates for consumption and trafficking of cocaine in the past and current times. Therefore, the US community needs to re-construct their cocaine fighting structures to achieve the intended goal of reducing its addiction in the nation.











References
Boyer, E. W., Shannon, M., & Hibberd, P. L. (2005). The Internet and psychoactive substance use among innovative drug users. Pediatrics, 115(2), 302-305.
Hall, W., & Degenhardt, L. (2009). Adverse health effects of non-medical cannabis use. The Lancet, 374(9698), 1383-1391.
Julien, R. M. (2013). A primer of drug action: A concise nontechnical guide to the actions, uses, and side effects of psychoactive drugs, revised and updated. Holt Paperbacks.
Maxwell, J. C. (2014). Psychoactive substances—Some new, some old: A scan of the situation in the US. Drug and alcohol dependence, 134, 71-77.
Stockwell, T., Gruenewald, P., Toumbourou, J., & Loxley, W. (Eds.). (2005).Preventing harmful substance use: The evidence base for policy and practice. John Wiley & Sons.
Volkow, N. D., & Li, T. K. (2005). Drugs and alcohol: Treating and preventing abuse, addiction and their medical consequences. Pharmacology & therapeutics, 108(1), 3-17.