Society and Drug Use: a Sociological Perspective
In all societies, there are substances that are deemed as both not acceptable and acceptable for consumption. The laws today are a result of ever changing societal norms. Before a particular drug is discovered, it is not illegal; it simply exists in nature. When that substance is introduced into a society, it must be determined if its effects are in line with the societies morals which may be in large part regulated by the dominate religion. If it is proven to be beneficial to the society and abides by the social morals its use is largely unregulated. If an individual in that society that is not a part of the dominate religion uses an illegal substance, are they exhibiting deviant behavior or practicing their freedom of religion? Of course, religion is not the only factor when it comes to the complicated issue of drug laws, especially in today’s society. The legality of a drug differs from country to country and one society’s perception of a harmful drug may be seen as just another recreational drug such as alcohol. In the case of cannabis use in tourism, such motivations might include the loosening of social control as a reason for use (Belhassen, et al, 2007).
Different Societies, Different Acceptance levels
The use of drugs varies widely from country to country. For example, in the United States, it is illegal to use opium from the opium poppy plant in it’s for any reason. By contrast, in Afghanistan, it is commonplace to use this drug for medicinal purposes. One might imagine if in a remote location of a desert with no medical services nearby, a broken limb would be very painful and the use of opium as a painkiller would be a welcomed thing. Of course, not everyone lives in the remote locations and their view of this use might be different. But a lot of these people unknowingly use Opium many times in their life. It is simply in the disguise of a pill or injection such as Codeine, Morphine, and Oxycodone to name a few. Is it immoral to use the plant to
Different Societies, Different Acceptance levels
The use of drugs varies widely from country to country. For example, in the United States, it is illegal to use opium from the opium poppy plant in it’s for any reason. By contrast, in Afghanistan, it is commonplace to use this drug for medicinal purposes. One might imagine if in a remote location of a desert with no medical services nearby, a broken limb would be very painful and the use of opium as a painkiller would be a welcomed thing. Of course, not everyone lives in the remote locations and their view of this use might be different. But a lot of these people unknowingly use Opium many times in their life. It is simply in the disguise of a pill or injection such as Codeine, Morphine, and Oxycodone to name a few. Is it immoral to use the plant to
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