The Effects of Drugs and Their Relationship to Crime

There is the Systemic connection between drugs and crime which is the pattern of drug use as part of criminal behavior but not necessarily driven by or the result of drug use. Only continuous research can, with hope produce a valid answer for this question which is perhaps more of a moral issue than a scientific issue.

The Effects of Drugs and their Relationship to Crime The use of illegal substances is a serious problem in the United States today and there are several drugs of choice among drug addicts and in this article we will discuss 3 of the most commonly used drugs and list their effects on the user. Marijuana One of the most commonly used controlled substances today is Marijuana. Marijuana is a product of the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. The main active chemical in marijuana, also present in other forms of cannabis, is THC or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (NIDA, 1984). Of the roughly 400 chemicals found in the cannabis plant, THC affects the brain the most. Short-term effects of the use of Marijuana Short-term effects of marijuana include problems with memory and learning, distorted perception, trouble with thinking and problem solving, loss of motor coordination, increased heart rate, and anxiety (NIDA, 1984). A user may also experience dry mouth and throat (NIDA, 1984). Long-term effects of the use of Marijuana Marijuana smoke contains some of the same cancer-causing compounds as tobacco, sometimes in even higher concentrations (NIDA, 1984). Research shows that a user who smokes five times per week may be consuming as many cancer-causing chemicals as someone who smokes a full pack of cigarettes everyday (NIDA, 1984). When a person smokes marijuana, the body responds immediately to the chemical THC in the smoke (NIDA, 1984). THC causes a short-term increase in blood pressure, heart rate, and the flow of blood from the heart as well as causing the narrowing of the arteries (NIDA, 1984). Carbon monoxide reduces the amount of oxygen the blood can carry and when this is combined with the effects produced by THC, it creates an imbalance in the demand for oxygen by the cells and the amount of oxygen the blood is able to supply (NIDA, 1984). Cocaine Another very popular illicit drug is cocaine. Cocaine can be snorted or dissolved in water and injected. The effects of cocaine can be deadly. Below is a list of some of the short and long term effects of cocaine on the body. Short-term effects of the use of cocaine Short-term effects of cocaine include constricted peripheral blood vessels, dilated pupils, increased temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, insomnia, loss of appetite, feelings of restlessness, irritability, and anxiety (NIDA, 1984). The duration of cocaine's immediate euphoric effects, which include energy, reduced fatigue, and mental clarity, depends on how it is taken (NIDA, 1984). The quicker the cocaine is absorbed into the body, the more intense the effects are (NIDA, 1984). However, the quicker the absorption, the shorter the high effects last (NIDA, 1984). The high from snorting may last 15 to 30 minutes, while the high from smoking cocaine may last 5 to 10 minutes (NIDA, 1984). The effects of cocaine are short lived, and once the drug wears off, the user experiences a "crash" that includes depression, irritability, and fatigue (NIDA, 1984). Long-Term effects of the use of cocaine High doses of cocaine or prolonged use can trigger paranoia (NIDA, 1984). Smoking cocaine can also produce aggressive paranoid behavior in users (NIDA, 1984). Cocaine addicts who stop using cocaine, often become depressed (NIDA, 1984). Prolonged cocaine inhalation can result in ulcerations of the mucous membrane of the nose causing sinusitis and frequent nose bleeds (NIDA, 1984). LSD Finally, we will discuss Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, otherwise known as LSD. LDS is primarily taken orally however it can be taken by liquid eye drops. This method of ingestion is far rarer however the effects are the same. The effects of LSD can are listed below: Short-term effects of the use of LSD The effects of LSD are very unpredictable. The effects of LSD depend greatly on the amount taken, the user's personality, mood, and expectations, and the social environment in which the drug is taken (NIDA, 1984). The physical effects of the use of LSD include the dilation of the pupils, higher body temperatures, an increased heart rate and blood pressure, sweating, the loss of appetite, sleeplessness, dry mouth, and shakes (NIDA, 1984). Physical sensations and feelings change much more dramatically than the physical signs (NIDA, 1984). LSD users may feel a variety of different emotions at once or experience rapid mood swings (NIDA, 1984). If taken in a large enough doses, LSD produces delusions and visual hallucinations (NIDA, 1984). The LSD user's sense of time and self is altered. Physical sensations may seem to "cross over," which gives the user of LSD the feeling of hearing colors and seeing sounds (NIDA, 1984). These changes can be frightening and can cause panic to the user, and can result in a 'bad trip' which causes the user to have intensified feelings of pain and fright (Abadinsky, 2004, p. 148). Time beomces distorted and the bad experience can seem to last forever (Abadinsky, 2004, p. 148). The user may have feelings of losing control and anxiety that the experience may never end (Abadinsky, 2004, p. 148). The user may experience sensations of paranoia (Abadinsky, 2004, p. 148). Long-term effects of the use of LSD Some users of LSD experience flashbacks, or recurrence of certain memories of an experience without the user having actually taken the drug again (NIDA, 1984). A flashback can occur suddenly and often without warning, and may occur within a few days or years after the use of LSD (NIDA, 1984). Most LSD users voluntarily decrease use or stop its use altogether over time (NIDA, 1984). LSD is not considered to be an addicting drug because it does not produce compulsive drug-seeking behavior like cocaine, amphetamines, heroin, alcohol, or nicotine (NIDA, 1984). The Effects of Drugs and their Relationship to Crime What are the relationships of drugs, particularly cocaine to crime? Does cocaine cause the crime, or is the person who engages in criminal activity simply prone to drug abuse? The answer is not 100% clear, and below are 2 examples of just why this is the case. The first case takes place in Leesville Louisiana. On Tuesday night, March 22, 2005, two individuals were arrested by Leesville police officers. Nicholas Blake, 18, of Leesville, was arrested on charges of speeding, reckless operation of a vehicle, flight from an officer, resisting an officer, unattended motor vehicles, and no driver's license (Drug-Rehab, 2005). In addition to this, criminal damage to property, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute were also charged (Drug-Rehab, 2005). Blake was booked and remains in Leesville City Jail (Drug-Rehab, 2005). This is clearly a case in which the person and his associated paranoia were mostly responsible for the crime. Blake may not have even been under the effects of the drug, however he knew he was breaking the law, and it lead him to take measures which caused his arrest and numerous criminal charges. Sometimes the drug however is the root cause of a crime. Such is the case with many prostitutes. Cocaine does not only cause a breakdown in family standards, but causes people to be financially ruined because after using it for the first time they come back for more and more (Drug Wars, n.d.). This alone is not a crime, however it was found during interviews with people in Johannesburg, South Africa that they have seen persons that arrive in a luxury sports car and then after three months find the person as a total bum on streets where he has lost all his money because of cocaine (Drug Wars, n.d.). Cocaine is the drug of choice amongst prostitutes (Drug Wars, n.d.). Cocaine provides the street prostitutes with a high level of energy and breaks down all their inhibitions that result in the crime of selling their bodies for sex, also known as prostitution, which is a crime in Johannesburg, South Africa as well as in most states in the United States (Drug Wars, n.d.). Cocaine holds a serious danger for prostitutes, due to the fact that this psychological change breaks down their inhibitions (Drug Wars, n.d.). The prostitutes are caught in a web where they need the drug to do their work and need the work to get the drug. This is in such cases where the prostitutes are in debt with the smugglers and cannot pay their debts anymore. It has been reported that in some cases many prostitutes use as tens of thousands of dollars worth of cocaine a month (Drug Wars, n.d.). When the effect has worn off it is not uncommon to find that these women have sold themselves for sex to between 15 and 25 men per day to be able to finance their cocaine habits (Drug Wars, n.d.). This is a clear example of how cocaine is responsible for a crime. If the drug were eliminated, the crime would vanish along with it. Both of these examples illustrate that it is difficult to determine if drugs cause crime, or if crime is caused because of drugs. The answer is not clear cut and requires the study of several factors. Drug offenses that are psychopharmacology induced - in other words the crime is a result of the effects of a drug, for example a user of PCP becomes enraged and murders someone while under the effects of the drug (Abadinsky, 2004, p. 14). Secondly, the connection between drugs and crime can be Economically-Compulsive, or criminal acts committed in order to fund drug use (Abadinsky, p. 14). Finally, there is the Systemic connection between drugs and crime which is the pattern of drug use as part of criminal behavior but not necessarily driven by or the result of drug use (Abadinsky, p. 14). Only continuous research can, with hope produce a valid answer for this question which is perhaps more of a moral issue than a scientific issue.

REFERENCES

Abadinsky, Howard. (2004). Drugs: An Introduction. Fifth Edition. Thomson Wadsworth. United States. Drug Rehab Organization. (2005). Louisiana: 'Criminal Patrol' program leads to cocaine arrest. Retrieved on July 30, 2005 from http://www.drug-rehabs.org Drug Wars. (n.d.). Socio-Economical Effects of Cocaine. Retrieved on July 30, 2005 from http://www.drugaware.co.za National Institute on Drug Abuse. (1984). Drug Facts. Retrieved on July 30, 2005 from http://www.nida.nih.gov