While researching the several legal drugs that are available to worldwide, I will be focusing on alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine. Within this paper I will be addressing why it is legal to be use these drugs recreationally. As well as, how addictive each drug can be, the benefits that may accompany each drug along with the damages that can occur, and how much money is each industry worth along with the national amount of money spent on medical care and treatment following the effects of the drugs.
The drug that began the prohibition that wasn’t so successful was alcohol. Alcohol was once illegal on January 16, 1920 (Drugs, Society, and Human Behavior p.194). Despite the government’s attempt to control alcohol it only made problems worst resulting …show more content…
Such as lung disease, cancer in the lungs, nose, mouth, throat, and esophagus, bone loss, blindness, heart attack, stroke, preterm birth, asthma, and chronic bronchitis. ("CDC - Fact Sheet - Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking - Smoking & Tobacco Use," n.d.) These effects while some are short term, the more an individual smokes the long term the effects will be. Tobacco has also been proven in some cases to alleviate symptoms of mental illnesses, anxiety and schizophrenia. The nicotine is said to reduce psychiatric, cognitive, sensory, and physical effects in schizophrenia. As well as lower the risk of Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. ("CDC - Fact Sheet - Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking - Smoking & Tobacco Use," n.d.) Just like the medical and treatment costs for alcohol users those who use tobacco reach $170 billion dollars a year for health costs. ("Cigarette smoking costs weigh heavily on the healthcare system| Reuters," n.d.) According to most facts and research on drug the effects of a drug should make the drug illegal however, tobacco legal and widely …show more content…
Caffeine is legal because most users don’t experience the severe problems because their usual intake of the drug isn’t significant enough to cause any complication. Caffeine products such as coffee, tea, soft drinks, and some pills are common in most cultures where it is a social norm to get a cup of coffee or energy drink that most people don’t really think about the effects of the caffeine within the drink but they still don’t consume enough to cause any serious effects. (Drugs, Society, and Human Behavior p.253- 260) Caffeine can be toxic on large doses, deaths usually by caffeine are the result of the effects of the drug on the heart. Caffeine can be physically and psychologically addicting which can produce tolerance in some users. Users can experience withdrawal symptoms of headaches, irritability, concentration issues, drowsiness, insomnia, stomach pain, cravings and etc. However, when someone has reached the point of overdosing symptoms of heart racing, increased urination, restlessness, drowsiness, mania, anxiety, and stomach disturbances. ("Caffeine - Drugs Forum," n.d.) It is said to become dependent on caffeine very easily. However, caffeine is known for its benefits, such as decreased in fatigue, physical and psychological stimulation, increased feeling of energy, increased metabolism, faster ability to think and react, increased focus and
The drug that began the prohibition that wasn’t so successful was alcohol. Alcohol was once illegal on January 16, 1920 (Drugs, Society, and Human Behavior p.194). Despite the government’s attempt to control alcohol it only made problems worst resulting …show more content…
Such as lung disease, cancer in the lungs, nose, mouth, throat, and esophagus, bone loss, blindness, heart attack, stroke, preterm birth, asthma, and chronic bronchitis. ("CDC - Fact Sheet - Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking - Smoking & Tobacco Use," n.d.) These effects while some are short term, the more an individual smokes the long term the effects will be. Tobacco has also been proven in some cases to alleviate symptoms of mental illnesses, anxiety and schizophrenia. The nicotine is said to reduce psychiatric, cognitive, sensory, and physical effects in schizophrenia. As well as lower the risk of Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. ("CDC - Fact Sheet - Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking - Smoking & Tobacco Use," n.d.) Just like the medical and treatment costs for alcohol users those who use tobacco reach $170 billion dollars a year for health costs. ("Cigarette smoking costs weigh heavily on the healthcare system| Reuters," n.d.) According to most facts and research on drug the effects of a drug should make the drug illegal however, tobacco legal and widely …show more content…
Caffeine is legal because most users don’t experience the severe problems because their usual intake of the drug isn’t significant enough to cause any complication. Caffeine products such as coffee, tea, soft drinks, and some pills are common in most cultures where it is a social norm to get a cup of coffee or energy drink that most people don’t really think about the effects of the caffeine within the drink but they still don’t consume enough to cause any serious effects. (Drugs, Society, and Human Behavior p.253- 260) Caffeine can be toxic on large doses, deaths usually by caffeine are the result of the effects of the drug on the heart. Caffeine can be physically and psychologically addicting which can produce tolerance in some users. Users can experience withdrawal symptoms of headaches, irritability, concentration issues, drowsiness, insomnia, stomach pain, cravings and etc. However, when someone has reached the point of overdosing symptoms of heart racing, increased urination, restlessness, drowsiness, mania, anxiety, and stomach disturbances. ("Caffeine - Drugs Forum," n.d.) It is said to become dependent on caffeine very easily. However, caffeine is known for its benefits, such as decreased in fatigue, physical and psychological stimulation, increased feeling of energy, increased metabolism, faster ability to think and react, increased focus and