Hope Badger
4/17/20
Drugs in Society
Abstract #3 after Spring Break
Drug use and drug abuse have been criminalized and this criminalization has been ineffective in
reducing drug use and abuse. Drug use treatment has been able to reduce or even eliminate an
individual's drug use and can reduce their criminal activity. Drug abuse is caused by multiple
issues including biological and economic factors that have to be dealt with together rather than
have one approach used for treatment. Opiates have been the focus of drug research despite
cocaine becoming a major drug problem in the United States. Opiate treatment has been reliant
on methadone maintenance. Detoxification programs focus on the medical approach of treatment
with drug withdrawals but are not as effective as other programs unless used in conjunction with
another program. Drug treatment programs increase positive outcomes, but the dropout rates are
high in every program except methadone maintenance. Those with legal obligations stay in
programs longer than those without legal obligations. Correctional system programs are
involuntary while medical health care system programs are voluntary. Methadone maintenance
provides drug abusers with methadone to substitute their opiate and are mainly outpatient and
may have requirements such as mandatory counseling sessions and routine urine testing.
Therapeutic communities provide treatment involving the development of social relationships
and have structured environments. This form of treatment does not use medical or psychiatric
usage unless prescribed and uses group therapy, education, and job training as treatment.
Therapeutic communities are made up of mainly heroin addicts and long-term outcomes for
patients shows a significant improvement for them. Urine testing has not been monitored enough
to support its effectiveness, however, the evidence that is there supports that it doesn't positively
affect the outcome of the individual. Overall, the longer an individual is in treatment, the higher
Hope Badger
4/17/20
Drugs in Society the positive outcomes of the program are, such as longer employment, reduced criminality, and
reduced drug use/abuse. For a drug program to be effective, it must include a significant length
of time for intervention, it must have a significant amount of structure, it must be flexible, and it
must go through evaluations. These regular evaluations are to maintain the programs
effectiveness and to change the program as needed.