Comparitive Drug Policy Analysis

            With a population of 80,996,685 people, Germany is the seventeenth largest country by population, making the United States seem much larger in population comparison. “As Europe’s largest economy and second most populous nation, Germany is a key member of the continent’s economic, political, and defense organizations” (Compare the United States to Germany, 2015). After a brief comparison, it is evident that in 2012, health spending accounted for 11.3% of Germany’s GDP, which is still much lower than that of the United States of America. Overall, the United States typically exceeds Germany in most general economic categories such as exports, per capita income, purchasing power parity, and gross national income. On the contrary though, Germany has a lower unemployment rate compared to America (Germany and United States Compared, n.d.). If we consider drug policy, German policies are considered among the strictest in Europe when referring to large quantities of drugs. Smaller scale possession or use usually results in no criminal action, however (Drug Laws Around the World, 2015). This is already seemingly different from the United States’ drug policy.

In 2012, a new definition of ‘high-risk drug use’ was adopted that focuses on recurrent drug use that puts a person at a high risk of harm (EMCDDA, n.d.).  Unfortunately, most drug use statistics that would display what the drug culture is like in Germany haven’t been updated since 2012, according to any information online that I could find. The 2012 data displays the prevalence of drug use in Germany as decreasing. However, cannabis is still definitely the most used drug, especially by young adults, primarily men more than women. It is also the most frequently seized illicit drug in Germany, whereas cocaine, ecstasy, and amphetamine seizures decreased in 2012 in comparison to years prior. Germany’s drug culture, in a way, reminded me of the United States’, in that cannabis was prevailing and users were often times young and primarily male. Additionally, alcohol use was very common among the younger class of Germany. “The proportion of 12-17 year old adolescents who have drunk alcohol within the 30 days prior to the study being administered was 42%” (Drug War Facts, n.d.). This is expected, considering the relaxed drinking laws present in Germany. As young as 14, you are permitted to drink in public with an adult present and consenting. Age 16 allows for the consumption of beer and wine, and 18 includes liquor (Drinking Age in Germany, n.d.). While the consumption may be legal, it is still a crime to sell alcohol to a minor.

            “The German Federal Narcotics Act defines schedules of narcotic substances, the framework and procedure for legal turnover and prescription of narcotics, criminal and administrative liability; and alternative measures for drug-addicted offenders” (EMCDDA, n.d.). In Germany, the unauthorized possession of drugs is considered a criminal offense, however there are many outlets to avoid prosecution if small amounts of narcotics for personal use are involved (n.d.). When evaluating these exceptions, the amount, type, involvement of others and personal history are all taken into consideration. Most of Germany has defined values for small amounts of cannabis, and some have even extended these values to include drugs as serious as heroin, cocaine, amphetamine, and ecstasy (n.d.).  More so, Germany is a leading advocate for treatment instead of punishment.  The National Strategy on Drug and Addiction Policy was adopted in 2012 and aims to help individuals reduce their consumption and abuse of illegal narcotics in an effort to reduce harm (n.d.). Germany has also permitted the introduction of supervised drug rooms, much like that of the Netherlands. The purpose of these rooms is to provide a safer environment for drug consumption that keeps addicts off of the streets. This fosters safety not only in the drug user society, but in society as a whole due to the fact that others in the community aren’t being exposed to illicit drug activity against their will.

            In comparison to drug policies in the United States, German policies tend to be a little more lenient. The previously stated policies outline what is tolerated in Germany, and obviously allow for more than the United States, such as minor personal possession and drug rooms. It is also evident that Germany takes more of a treatment approach, instead of punishment. While serious drugs present in large amount are very much still considered a crime in Germany, small amounts for personal use are often allowed. In the United States however, as we fight the “war on drugs”, we crowd jails with “criminals” that get caught with half of a joint of marijuana. Perhaps in the future we will see American drug policies and laws shifting to take a stance like that of Germany.

Drugs tend to have a negative effect on society, regardless of the country in discussion. In Germany, common effects of illicit drug use include HIV, AIDS, and unfortunately, death. Although a clear downward trend is evident, according to the Robert-Koch-Institute, 4% of those newly diagnosed with HIV in 2012 were people who inject drugs (n.d.). Drug induced death is documented by two different German systems: the Police Register of the Federal Office of Criminal Investigation and the General Mortality Register of the Federal Statistical Office (n.d.). Recent data indicates that in 2012 a total of 944 people died with the cause being illicit drug use. The average age of the deceased was 37, with males accounting for the majority. “Opioids alone or in combination with other substances were involved in 616 drug-induced death cases. Of these cases, heroin alone was linked to 177 cases, while in 250 drug-induced deaths heroin in combination with other substances had been reported” (n.d.). While these rates seem significant, they actually have declined from years in the past. It is not new information that drugs have a negative connotation and impact on society. However, it is interesting to see how a country other than the US approaches the matter of regulating illicit drugs.

References

Compare the United States to Germany. (2015). Retrieved from             http://www.ifitweremyhome.com/compare/US/DE

Drinking age in Germany | DrinkingMap.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from             http://www.drinkingmap.com/drinking-age-in-germany.html

Drug Laws Around the World – Drug Laws and Policies in Different Countries. (2015).   Retrieved from http://www.drugabuse.net/drug-policy/drug-laws-around-the-world/

"Economy: Germany and United States Compared", NationMaster. Retrieved from             http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/compare/Germany/United-States/Economy

EMCDDA | Situation summary for Germany — up to date summary of the national drug situation in Germany (Country overviews). (n.d.). Retrieved from             http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/country-overviews/de

Germany Drug Control Data and Policies | Drug War Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved from             http://www.drugwarfacts.org/cms/Germany#Problem

Activity 10

Mohammad and Fritsvold’s research involved ethnography, in which they closely observed daily interactions between the dealers and their clientele.  This meant building close relationships with the subjects in order to accurately observe what went on in their daily lives. The descriptions of the Dorm Room Dealers disproves traditional views about the stereotypical drug dealer. When picturing the typical “drug dealer” profile, often times people think of a stereotypical “stoner” with the qualities portrayed by things like rap music. Some might think of people that have no primary job, or have no prior obligations. Frequently, the idea of a drug dealer involves someone with a lack of formal education. These are not characteristics of the drug dealers depicted in Dorm Room Dealers, however. This study of about fifty participants were all college students at varying Southern California universities, one private university in particular. This alone is contrary to how society views the average drug dealer. 

There are, however, some similarities between the dealers in this study and others in society. For example, some of the Dorm Room Dealers claimed that they dealt drugs as a way to underwrite the cost of personal drug use and other expenses. This is much like that of the “average” drug dealer. Additionally, common thought of drug dealers involve their desire for flashy things, similarly to the drug dealers in Dorm Room Dealers as they use their drug activity to be able to pay for nice rims on their cars and new clothes, cars, etcetera. On the contrary, Dorm Room Dealers also goes into much detailing explaining how the subjects of this study are “Anti-Targets” to the criminal justice system. The dealers seemed to be never worried about getting caught in their drug dealing antics, which could be a difference between this group of drug dealers and the “average” street dealer.

 

Personally, I know people in college that sell marijuana as a way to get a little extra money on the side. The general train of thought is if they smoke it and usually have a supply of it, why not sell it and make an easy profit. Therefore my description of a drug dealer is probably a little different than the rest of society’s negative views, due to the fact that most of the drug dealers I’ve encountered have been college students or educated people just trying to flip marijuana to make a profit as is the case in Dorm Room Dealers. One primary difference though is that most college drug dealers, at least to my knowledge, discontinue their sale of marijuana after graduation or getting a better job.

Activity 8

In 1971, President Richard Nixon described illegal drug use as “public enemy number one in the United States” (Head, 2015). This announcement of a “war on drugs” is still prevalent today. The term refers to the federal government’s attempts to ideally end the use, sale, and import of illegal drugs, allowing for the reduction of drug abuse. In my opinion, we have lost this war against drugs for the following reasons.

To begin with, the direct monetary cost of taxpayers on policing, court personnel, and resources spent on imprisonment is estimated at $40 billion per year (Becker & Murphy, 2013). These monetary costs are only a portion of the overall costs when we think about human well-being, particularly when referring to the amount of people incarcerated because of the much more severe punishments that the war on drugs has inflicted. Even minor drug users or possessors suffer the hardship of finding employment with a background that includes jail time. From 1980 to today, the U.S. prison population has dramatically increased from about 330,000 to 1.6 million, with 50% of federal prison inmates being convicted of the sale or use of drugs (2013). Hypothetically speaking, if I had been in jail for a drug offense and had to put that on my application for admission to the University of Florida, I probably wouldn’t be a student right now. Besides the money lost and people impacted, evidence has shown that drugs such as cocaine and heroin have actually been getting more potent in the last twenty or so years, further suggesting that our efforts to fight drugs has failed. It can also be argued that when a substance is illegal and highly punishable, it is harder for addicts to get the treatment they so desperately need because they might be frightened to speak up about their problem. It doesn’t seem logical that we can confidently say we as a nation have won the war against drugs when we have seen such an increase in the use and prevalence of a problem that we began trying to eliminate over 40 years ago. 

References 

 

Becker, G. S., & Murphy, K. M. (2013, January 4). Have We Lost the War on Drugs? - WSJ. Retrieved from http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324374004578217682305605070

Head, T. (2015). The War on Drugs - Key Facts. Retrieved from             http://civilliberty.about.com/od/drugpolicy/p/War-on-Drugs-Facts.htm

Activity 7

I think the UF Law Review Panel did a great job of detailing some arguments both for and against the legalization of marijuana. Some of the most compelling arguments, in my opinion, were centered on the removal of marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug down to a Schedule 2 drug. Advocates of legalization stated that whether or not a drug has a potential for abuse should not dictate the legality of a drug, due to the fact that essentially most if not all drugs have a “potential” for abuse. From this, it was argued that some very serious drugs such as cocaine are Schedule 2, and these lower scheduled drugs have been involved in epidemics such as the OxyContin epidemic that we recently discussed in class. As a counter, a panelist stated that this was a weak argument. He questioned why we would repeat the problem seen with prescription drug abuse by making marijuana available to multiple people who don’t really need it. 

A panelist against the legalization of marijuana pointed out that as the perceived danger decreases, the use increases, and that taken chronically, a daily use of marijuana will result in addiction 50% of the time. This statistic seems significant, as it was also mentioned that marijuana use in high amounts will compromise significance in terms of learning, memory, sensory and time perception, and display signs of paranoia. These arguments are all relative to public health, although it was mentioned that it is difficult to project what the exact effects of marijuana on public health would be because there are many factors that need to be accounted for, such as will there be a tax on the product, what type of production will be permitted, and so on. 

 

A counter argument was that the perceived risk-degree of use argument could simply imply correlation, not that a lower risk necessarily caused more use. Additionally, panelists pro-legalization stated that science has severely exaggerated the harms of marijuana. Furthermore, an outdated study displayed that approximately 9% of marijuana users will exhibit dependence. However, these results can’t be generalized because the potency and frequency of consumption are unclear. 

In terms of policy, it is clear that the three levels of government all currently disagree about what the policy for legalization or prohibition should look like, however regardless of if you are for or against legalization, it was agreed that states are stuck with their “experimentation” until the federal government can react, because this must start and end at the federal level. 

The debate over marijuana legalization both for medicinal and recreational purposes is definitely a heated topic. There are great arguments on both sides, and as was stated, there is equal research for both. However, I think it become a matter of just uncovering what research is the best. The long term safety consequences are unsure. One of the panelists stated that there are two things you don’t do with medicine –smoke it and vote on it. It’s definitely something to think about. I really enjoyed this video.

Activity 6

I really enjoyed the OxyContin video about Florida become a “pill popper’s paradise”. I wasn’t informed about any of this, so it was all very interesting. The “OxyContin Express” video definitely shed some light on the severity of the problem, stating that Florida is responsible for dispensing pills at five times the national average, which in turn accounts for eleven deaths per day in Florida. It was mentioned in the video and I definitely agree that these statistics alone seem like enough to qualify this as an epidemic. As depicted, there were approximately ten pages of ads for pain clinics in Broward County, some accompanied with coupons. It’s scary to think that a drug addict can get a coupon out of the local paper to get half-off OxyContin.  So as a first step, I would try to at least reduce the amount of advertising that goes into these clinics, because eliminating their advertisement doesn’t seem feasible. Additionally, since Florida did not previously have a prescription drug monitoring plan, it was impossible to track who is getting what and how much they are getting. A monitoring plan in place would reduce some of the trafficking of OxyContin and such to other states, such as Kentucky. While Florida has now introduced a system such as this one, it is very lenient and arguably inefficient. These pain clinics alone don’t always have a computer system in place that keeps track of people’s history. Probably because it would hurt their business. Ultimately, I think the most effective way to stop the pill pipeline would be to make these “pain clinics” illegal. And that might mean revoking the doctor’s medical license if they’re caught participating in what is basically just handing out pills for cash and thereby violating the Oath they took. The deputy in the video said himself that it is easier to chase someone illegally selling the pills they’ve gotten from the clinics, because the clinics are technically legal. Personally, I know selling pills is illegal, but the pain clinics are having a much bigger impact on people who buy pills. And they are also the leading cause of the sale of pills in states such as Kentucky. If it weren’t for their easy access, people wouldn’t be so tempted to buy and sale pills to make the profit that they do. At the end of the day, while punishing those selling drugs on the street is a start, it will never be able to fully terminate the problems that pain clinics are creating. 

This is relevant to class material as we discuss substances such as OxyContin. Additionally, we have previously talked about addiction and ease of access, both of which are factors here that keep pain clinics in business. My friend is a pharmacist, and she constantly turns away people that show signs of addiction or have ran out of pills before their next scheduled filling, which suggests addiction or selling. It’s sad that pain clinics feed the addiction of so many people, and they’re currently allowed to.  

Activity 5

In The Cocaine Kids, Terry Williams provides insight to the lives of the eight featured juvenile cocaine dealers through a form of research known as ethnography. This research process involves the close and personal observation of the individuals in their own social setting, along with systematic recording of their actions and speech (Williams, 1989). Ethnography, as described by Williams, is often a slow process as it employs building a close relationship with those being studied (1989). While it is often times potentially dangerous, having a close, personal encounter with what or whom one is researching can be beneficial. Ethnography provided Terry Williams with a better understanding of the cocaine drug culture and the behavior and lifestyle of a group of kids involved in it.

I found many aspects of the drug culture pretty interesting, particularly how the preference for methods of use changed. For example, in the beginning, customers and the Kids alike preferred snorting cocaine. As the book and time progresses, a new method is introduced in the form of base or crack. I found it interesting that the Kids still refrained from this use, even though they were constantly surrounded by it. “Those who snort are thought to have more discipline and control than those who smoke crack or freebase” (1989). Along with this, the entire method of selling was always changing, adapting to what the costumers wanted and what was in demand. For example, cocaine was distributed in foil, then waterproof packets when that was not accepted, and so on. Although this is an obvious aspect of business in general, it was interesting to see it working in the drug context.  

 

Two of the questions that Terry Williams was seeking when writing The Cocaine Kids were how do kids get into the cocaine business, and how do they get out. These were by far the most interesting aspects of the book to me personally. Kids are attracted to the idea of making good money easily, and if you are born into a line of cocaine dealers such as the way Max was, then there’s a high chance that you will end up doing it as well. Granted, this is by no means a requirement, but in the case of The Cocaine Kids, all of the cards just seemed to line up. Additionally, Williams addressed how one gets out of the business. While they all had plans to get out one day, the shooting of Chillie definitely hurried up the process and seemed to provide an out, in my opinion. Williams described the cocaine business as a stepping stone for the kids and I agree (1989). However, often times people, adolescents especially, are not so lucky as to get out safely or out at all.  Therefore I found this aspect of the drug culture very interesting. There were definitely other aspects that I think should at least be noted, specifically the way the hierarchy system worked and the establishment of reputations through the streets and the after-hours club.

 

The author’s observations are relevant to class material as we talk about cocaine and other stimulants. There are a few instances when class material crossed my mind, such as the talk of cocaine leading to heroin use—this brought the “gateway drug” idea to my mind. Also, Williams was specific in stating the type of language and slang that was used, and it’s interesting to see that change and progress over time. He also observed side effects of cocaine which we address as well, along with the idea of addiction as it was seen throughout the book, if not in the kids then in the costumers and occupants of the base and crack houses. 

References

Williams, T. M. (1989). The cocaine kids: The inside story of a teenage drug ring. Reading, MA: Addison Wesley Pub. Co.

Current Event

Thus far, it has been discussed that the DEA and FDA regulate drugs based on the drug’s potential for abuse, accepted medical use, and the overall safety of using the drug. Methamphetamine and cocaine are both Schedule II drugs. This is relative to past course material as we are now aware that this particular schedule of drugs has some accepted medical use, with a high potential for abuse and potentially a severe amount of dependence. New drugs are constantly being introduced, sometimes that combine multiple different drug qualities. For example, Molly is said to be the purest form of Ecstasy, but it is often found cut with a range of dangerous drugs, ranging from cocaine to bath salt. The bottom line is that when you buy drugs, there can never be certainty without a doubt concerning what you’re actually taking. That’s why the newest drug introduced to the streets of South Florida is getting the attention that it is.

Going by the street name of Flakka, it’s basically a mixture of meth and bath salts, although a different conflicting article describes Flakka as a combination of cocaine and meth. Created in labs overseas in a process similar to that of crystal meth, Flakka is then shipped around the world to be sold. One of the serious concerns as it’s being introduced to the streets are the negative and often violent side effects associated with it, which negatively impact society and can include paranoia, psychosis, hallucinations, heart problems, anxiety, and extreme violence (“Flakka—A New Designer Drug”, 2015). According to WPBF News, a local news channel out of West Palm Beach, a man was arrested in Boca Raton, Florida after robbing a woman at an ATM and stealing her SUV. Duaine Knisely, while severely intoxicated, claimed that he had been under the influence of Flakka for most of the week and committed a series of similar acts (2015). This raises the question of how dangerous and addicting is this new drug.

I think more importantly than the effects of Flakka are the variety of ways that it can be consumed, most notably with the ease of e-cigarettes and vapes, along with smoking, injection, or snorting. I was reading a forum a while back that talked about how someone got a joint laced with what was said to be Molly but turned out to be Flakka. The user described the feeling as different, but not bad. Vaping and e-cigarettes have become a new trend, although as we have discussed in class, they were originally designed as an outlet to help people stop smoking. Currently though, it is argued that e-cigarettes are being used by non-smokers and can still be considered a gateway to other drugs. However, since they are legal in most settings as of now, e-cigarettes provide an easy way for people to hide amongst the crowd while using more serious drugs such as marijuana or in this case, Flakka (“Flakka—A New Designer Drug”, 2015). 

The introduction or use of any drug has an impact on society, whether it be good or bad. I think the introduction of Flakka is relevant as it is arguably the newest version of crystal meth on the market. Once there is evidence of production in the United States, the impact on society will continue to expand. What I think is important to realize is that while the immediate side effects of Flakka are alarming, we are uncertain about the long-term side effects, thereby adding to the level of danger. People get hooked on a drug and unlike those that have been vigorously studied, Flakka is currently uncharted territory. Despite any monetary costs to society, there are also personal costs to society that come in the form of physical damage and addiction. Just like with any new drug, Flakka doesn’t come without a cost.

References

Flakka - A New Designer Drug To Watch Out For. (2015, January 19). Retrieved from http://www.serenityrecovery.com/news/flakka-a-new-designer-drug-to-watch-out-for/

 

Man robs woman at ATM, tells police he spent most of week high on 'flakka' | Local News WPBF Home. (2015, January 13). Retrieved from http://www.wpbf.com/news/man-robs-woman-at-atm-tells-police-hes-too-high-to-recall-many-details/30682302