Reflection Paper
Reflection Paper
Reflection Paper
Chandler Isbell
Paul Roberts
HLTH 1050
4/25/19
Reflection Paper
Throughout this class we have covered various different types of drugs, how they are
produced and the effect that they have in today’s society. In this reflection paper I will discuss
the impact of drug use and production has on our international/global community.
The first module we covered was drug Mexican and South American Drug Cartels.
These dangerous organizations impact the international community in many ways. They cause
environmental damage by destroying property and they are the means by which so many drugs
enter into the United States. They also cause lots of emotional pain internationally. These are
violent organizations where the people who are willing to do the most risky things get the
highest rewards, but they didn’t just come out of nowhere these type of organizations have
come about because of the money that people are willing to pay for illegal drugs.
The second module was Opiates and Heroin. Opium is the plant that is used to make
pain killing drugs. This plant is used to make various legal and illegal drugs. Opiates are getting
a lot of attention within the United States currently. More and more people are becoming
addicted to this drug which is to overdose on. Even if it is used as directed people can become
addicted. Fentanyl, heroine, and krokodil are opiates that are frequently abused. Drugs like
these mobilize drug trade. These type of drugs are easy to move around and are more discreet.
This drug affects the rate of mortality and is getting people world wide hooked. The production
of opium also brings about many jobs in the country of Afghanistan around 400,000 people are
employed by this industry.
The third module was Cocaine. Cocaine is a drug that can become extremely addictive
and makes large impact on the world. This drug causes global issues in its production. The
coca leaf which is used to make cocaine must be grown in a specific climate in South America.
Here many families get involved with drug cartels by producing the plant to make cocaine. The
global issues this causes are environmental, because the government often comes to the farms
to destroy them with fumigations that destroy the land. The production of cocaine impacts the
global community economically. Various Cartels and South American people receive their
income from producing this drug.
The fourth model was about Marijuana. In this module we discussed how this drug can
probably actually benefit the world by it’s usage. As it is becoming legal in the United States to
use it medicinally and recreationally. This act has impacted the cartels in Mexico. Before when
the growth of marijuana was outlawed people had to get marijuana through illegal ways. Now
there are dispensaries. This change has impacted the global community in that this change
undermined an existing business of smuggling.
The fifth module was Tobacco. In this module we learned about the various tactics that
tobacco companies have used. Tobacco has impacted the world because it has been a leading
cause of death in the world. The world’s health has been impacted by this drug. As people are
becoming more aware and actually changing their thoughts on this drug tobacco companies
have switched their strategies. Communities where it is not illegal to advertise cigarettes and
where they can easily market to young people are being targeted.
Isbell
The sixth module was Alcohol. In this module we talked about the social dilemma that
alcohol is at the center of. It seems that no matter the culture alcohol is always apart of the
social realm. In this article we talked about how when alcohol gets out of hand it can take over
communities and affect the quality of life of the global community. Alcohol is probably the most
widely used psychoactive drug with more than 2 billion people that currently drink. Like during
the Gin crisis we have seen throughout history the devastating effects that alcohol can have on
communities. This drug impacts the world economically because internationally we spend lots of
money on alcohol.
More than anything it interesting see how these drugs are impacting the world. Cocaine
and opiates are highly addictive and can come to effect the health of their users, but it is more
than the drugs that damage our communities world wide. It is the dangerous power of drug
cartels and the demand of these drugs that cause many issues. This isn’t just an issue of a
single country or nation, but it is an international issue.