legal & illegal drug abuse & addiction

Position essay on what the US should do to address the problem of legal & illegal drug abuse & addiction in our country
Psychology and Education

Paper instructions:
The focus of this class has been to explore the phenomena of drugs; their pharmacological actions and physiological reactions, and the history and psychological ramifications of drug use, abuse, and dependency within this country, and to some extent in all parts of the world.

For your final assignment you are to write a position paper. A position paper is defined
as: An essay in which the writer presents his or her position, or opinion, with regard to some issue and backs up that opinion with factual evidence and/or persuasive rhetoric. (wordnet.princeton.edu, 2007)

For this assignment you are to present your opinion (backed up with evidence) on what the United States should do to address the problem of legal & illegal drug abuse and addiction within this country.

As you are putting together your position, consider the following questions and provide a response and rationale to each. While these questions are required to be discussed in the paper, you are not limited to these questions alone.

1. Briefly describe the current policy regarding the use and abuse of illegal drugs in the United States? Has this policy and its subsequent implementation been effective in your opinion? Why or why not?

2. There has been a marked increase in the use of legal (prescription) drugs in this country as well. What has been the impact of the use of these legally (and illegally) obtained substances upon adults, teens & children?

3. As we continue to interdict the flow of illegal drugs, and incarcerate the dealers and users of these drugs, the money available for the prevention and treatment of substance abuse continues to disappear. Does the solution to our drug problem lie in reducing the supply of drugs, or do we reduce the demand to start & continue using them? Why? Can we do both?