Substance Abuse In B. C: A Case Study
Substance Abuse In B.C
The overdose problem in B.C has seen a recent spike in the last four years, this has been largely due to overdoses related to fentanyl use. There has been a steady increase in overdose fatalities since 2014; the amount of deaths caused by overdose in B.C were 119, in 2015 the number was 136, and in 2016 the number reached 256 (Britten, L. 2016). Another major problem that corresponds with illegal substance use is criminal behaviour. Illegal drugs are often linked in the involvement of organized crime as well as the supply and distribution of illegal substances, the social disorganization that can be associated with drug abuse, and individuals who commit crime for the purposes of acquiring illegal drugs or while under …show more content…
the influence of drugs (Cotter, A., Greenland, J., & Karam, M. pp 1, 2013). Police respond to drug related incidents much more often than they have in the past. Since 1991 the police reported crime rate has decreased by half, however over the same period the rate of police reported drug offences has increased by 52% (Cotter, A., Greenland, J., & Karam, M. 2013). This can show the increase in illegal substance use in the public and how it has been a growing problem since the 1990’s. The drug problems are more prevalent in B.C than any of the other Canadian Provinces with the highest rate of drug-related crime among the provinces each year, apart from 2012, where Saskatchewan reported a slightly higher rate (Cotter, A., Greenland, J., & Karam, M. 2013).
Substance abuse and risk factors.
No one sets out to be a substance abuser, it often starts off as just experimental and can progress into substance dependence or addiction (Nevid, Rathus, Greene 2014).
Leyton & Stewart (2014) write about risk factors that can be identified as early detection indicators of substance abuse those are; genetic factors, early brain development, and environmental factors. As Leyton & Stewart (2014) write about genetic risk factors that contribute anywhere from 40-60% of the vulnerability to drug use; this is an important finding because it allows for early intervention to take place. Environmental risk factors are those which are present in a person’s life that contribute to shaping their personality and characteristics. The rates of alcohol abuse differ between religions and cultures, this can reflect the social environment that the individual is in. Peer pressure and exposure to substances are major influence when it comes to developing substance abuse for example; if a child has grown in a neighborhood which has high drug use rates as well as associating with groups who use drugs have an exposure to substances, and pressure from their peer groups to part take (Nevid, Rathus, Greene 2014). It has been found that children from divorced parents are exposed to more risk factors that contribute to abnormal development which can lead to drug abuse problems later in life. Parental divorce has the most impact on the youth if it occurs at the age of 16 (Leyton, M., & Stewart, S. 2014). Other factors that contribute to abnormal development as well such as maternal depression, parental substance abuse, and parental antisocial
behavior.
The overdose problem in B.C has seen a recent spike in the last four years, this has been largely due to overdoses related to fentanyl use. There has been a steady increase in overdose fatalities since 2014; the amount of deaths caused by overdose in B.C were 119, in 2015 the number was 136, and in 2016 the number reached 256 (Britten, L. 2016). Another major problem that corresponds with illegal substance use is criminal behaviour. Illegal drugs are often linked in the involvement of organized crime as well as the supply and distribution of illegal substances, the social disorganization that can be associated with drug abuse, and individuals who commit crime for the purposes of acquiring illegal drugs or while under …show more content…
the influence of drugs (Cotter, A., Greenland, J., & Karam, M. pp 1, 2013). Police respond to drug related incidents much more often than they have in the past. Since 1991 the police reported crime rate has decreased by half, however over the same period the rate of police reported drug offences has increased by 52% (Cotter, A., Greenland, J., & Karam, M. 2013). This can show the increase in illegal substance use in the public and how it has been a growing problem since the 1990’s. The drug problems are more prevalent in B.C than any of the other Canadian Provinces with the highest rate of drug-related crime among the provinces each year, apart from 2012, where Saskatchewan reported a slightly higher rate (Cotter, A., Greenland, J., & Karam, M. 2013).
Substance abuse and risk factors.
No one sets out to be a substance abuser, it often starts off as just experimental and can progress into substance dependence or addiction (Nevid, Rathus, Greene 2014).
Leyton & Stewart (2014) write about risk factors that can be identified as early detection indicators of substance abuse those are; genetic factors, early brain development, and environmental factors. As Leyton & Stewart (2014) write about genetic risk factors that contribute anywhere from 40-60% of the vulnerability to drug use; this is an important finding because it allows for early intervention to take place. Environmental risk factors are those which are present in a person’s life that contribute to shaping their personality and characteristics. The rates of alcohol abuse differ between religions and cultures, this can reflect the social environment that the individual is in. Peer pressure and exposure to substances are major influence when it comes to developing substance abuse for example; if a child has grown in a neighborhood which has high drug use rates as well as associating with groups who use drugs have an exposure to substances, and pressure from their peer groups to part take (Nevid, Rathus, Greene 2014). It has been found that children from divorced parents are exposed to more risk factors that contribute to abnormal development which can lead to drug abuse problems later in life. Parental divorce has the most impact on the youth if it occurs at the age of 16 (Leyton, M., & Stewart, S. 2014). Other factors that contribute to abnormal development as well such as maternal depression, parental substance abuse, and parental antisocial
behavior.