Midway Discussion : Pulling it Together
Overview
Discussion Preparation
The last module taught us about how widespread drug use and its cost to society. These costs are real and cannot be ignored, including the role of drugs and addiction with crime,, but,,,,
Earlier we also learned about us theories of addiction. You now know that drugs literally change your brain by largely impacting dopamine, pleasure, and the reward systems in the central nervous system. (image:Brain metabolism and drug addiction.jpg)
Is it practical to think locking someone up will change that?
We also learned about how family, trauma and environment contribute to addiction and how race and socioeconomics make it more likely for minorities or those from lower socioeconomics to be jailed for drug offences. How do you reconcile a flawed system?
Add to this, the immense amount of money fueling substance use and the economic benefits for many employed in the industry.
The major pathway in the USA to control drugs is criminalization. That means doing drugs is a crime. There is also, decriminalizing, that does not exactly mean it is legal. Decriminalizing focuses on reducing penalties, like removing jail time, without allowing a legal market. Legalization allows the use of the substance, with or without limits such as age requirements. Then we have treatment for those that can find and afford treatment.
We KNOW drug use is costly and dangerous. We also know, that once you are addicted it is VERY HARD to stop for many people. And now we have added in we just might be taken advantage of by marketing and commercial interests. NOW lets talk policy, economics and society!! You need to understand ALL sides of the issue to have great ideas.
Can we find something better? Maybe start preventing addiction younger.
Objectives
Explore political, social and economic impacts of drug use then propose solutions. (SLO 6)
Discussion Prompt
Use what you learned about addiction to show why the solutions to criminalize or decriminalize substances cannot solve the issue of SUD. Then come up with an intervention or program idea that also considers the millions of dollars made of even legal substances. make sure to include healthy eating.
Focus your idea on kids or young adults to try to prevent habits that promote addiction from forming or to distract kids from pressures to use substances.
(This is about drug possession and USE, not trafficking. Those are 2 different issues!)
1.Discuss why both drug criminalization AND decriminalization/legalization has been a problem from the following angles.
Neurochemical: Give a reason based on what you learned about the brain why fully criminalizing (sending to jail) is not an adequate response to drug use. Then provide a reason why decriminalization (allowing) poses risks.
Social: Find a fact to remined your reader about how poverty and other social stressors increase addiction. Then state why criminalizing is not idea considering social factors. Then do the same for decriminalization.
Intervention: Then suggest a solution for a program that addresses preventing addiction at younger ages. What could be done? Think extracurricular programs, contests, trends, work-study opportunities, etc. Tell us the age and overview of your idea.
Economic: Recall that companies make vast amounts of money on legal substances such as coffee, alcohol, cigarettes and vapes. Then consider the second tier that makes money off these products, stores, stadiums, music venues etc,
First, think of a company that could help pay for your program. Tell us why they would support it. Add in a second-tier company or organization to help support your idea. For example, a restaurant chain, sports team, artist, venue or brand that may also support your idea. Tell us shy these companies might want to support your cause.
Peer Reply
This week, you won’t just “high-five” your peer. Pretend you are a team member helping them develop the project. Provide one detail to add to their program and tell us what the detail adds.
Grading Rubric
RubricTo doWrite a post in the provided format
Be sure to: .
POINTS 50 total
10Neurochemical argument against criminalizing and decriminalizing (5 each)
10Social fact (4 with ref) and then relate it to criminalizing (3) and decriminalizing (3)
15Intervention idea (10, age 2, population 3)
5Company sponsor and why
5Other partner and why
5Peer suggestion
Feb 27 at 9:29pm
This discussion is worth 50 points. 30 and above (62%) to meet SLO6
(image: Bathing in Despair.png)
(image:Brain metabolism and drug addiction.jpg)
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