Extent of drug use and abuse
Drug abuse in the United States has increased since 1920 when a legislation declaring the prohibition of drug use was effected. A study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reveals a rising use of illicit drugs among people above 12 years. The study indicated that 24.6 million people in the US, which represents about 10% of the population, have use illicit drugs in the month preceding the survey in 2013 (Des Jarlais, 2015). The number reflects an increase of 8% since 2002. 19.8 million People used marijuana in the period before the study.
Comparison
A survey conducted by World Health Organization revealed that the United States leads the world in the use of illegal drugs in spite of stringent anti-drug laws. The study conducted among seventeen countries around the globe found out that American citizens were likely to use drugs compared to second country. The United States had the highest use of marijuana in comparison to other countries. Warner (2008) opined that America’s lead in drug use has not changed substantially. The legalization of marijuana by some states in the US has provided necessary conduits for the drug barons to sell and distribute drugs.
Legislation
The use of drugs in the United States has experienced a long history of legislation. In January 17, 1920, a prohibition on the use of drugs was effected. This law exempted the use of opium. The drug use policies during the Regan administration failed to observe fundamental. The decision by California voters to legalize the use of marijuana in 1996 marked a significant milestone in the history of legislation (Des Jarlais, 2015). In 1989, the drug-free schools and communities amendments were passed as a prerequisite for providing financial aid to schools and communities that embraced drug programs aimed at preventing the use of drugs. In 2015, the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs supported the opposition by Office of National Drug Control Policy on the legalization of marijuana (Des Jarlais, 2015). Going forward, the federal and state governments will be very strict given the increasing cases of illicit drug use in the nation. There will be a need to enforce rough legislation which shall encompass incarceration of drug peddlers and users.
References
Des Jarlais, D. (2015). Drug use data, drug use theories and drug use policies in the United
States: a combinatorial lack of connections. Addiction, 110(5), 739-740.
Warner, J. (2008, July 1). U.S. Leads the World in Illegal Drug Use. CBSNEWS. Retrieved
