Drug Abuse among Women - Assignment Example

FEMALE DRUG USERS By (Student Name) Course Instructor Institution City/State Date Female Drug Users Summary At least 50% of women aged between 15 and 44 years have abused drugs at least once in their lifetime. Large percentage of male drug users participates in treatment programs as compared to minority ethnic and women drugs who does not participate in considerable numbers Among drug users, the male to female ratio amounts to 3:1 At least two-thirds of imprisoned women have drug related problems Three theories applicable in explaining drug abuse include Self-derogation theory, Cognitive-Affective-Pharmacogenic (CAP) Control Theory and Control Balance Theory Introduction Nowadays, drug abuse has become a common phenomenon across all genders. According to statistics by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, there are at least 4 million women who abuses drugs in United States of America. The number of drug abusers is regardless of culture, race and/or age. In addition, in the year 2012 alone, there number of women who abused drugs totaled up to 9 million. Another fact is that at least 3.7 million women drug abusers took prescription drugs without proper doctor’s instructions. Subsequently, another concern is that the rate of HIV and AIDS cases among women drug users was about 28,000 which translate to about seventy-percent. Accordingly, at least 50% of women aged between 15 and 44 years were found to have abused drugs at least once in their lifetime. It is also worth noting that almost 2 million women drug users abused cocaine whereas as more than 6 million abused marijuana in year 2012. Therefore, it is worth noting that the majority of women who abuses drugs abuse more than one drug with common ones being heroin, cocaine and marijuana. In this regard and based on the aforementioned statistics, it is quite clear that drug abuse among women is a serious concern nowadays. The purpose of this report is to justify through a case study approach and criminological theories the need to for the council to deal with drug abuse among women (NIDA, 2013). Case Study on Drug Abuse among Women According to Simpson and McNulty (2008), drug abuse among women in UK is a big problem, and it has forced the government to institute a strategy referred to as ‘Tackling Drugs to Build a Batter Britain’. The main reason behind the strategy was to intensify the participation of drug users in drug treatment programs. In a research survey, Best and Adulrahim (2005) found that a large percentage of male drug users were participating in treatment programs. However, minority ethnic and women drugs were not participating in considerable numbers in treatment programs. The under-presentation of women in drug treatment is as well found out by Best and Adulrahim (2005) in their research study, in Wales and England. It is worth noting that women drug users do experience particular and complex needs that are not always encountered or recognized by current drug treatment programs. In this regard, Zilberman et al. (2003) the drug treatment and correlated services of women who abuses drugs are significantly different from those of male counterparts. In the context of UK, there is the need to increase efforts in order to tailor customize provision of services substantially. In a research study by Chivite-Matthews et al. (2005), a British Crime Survey found out that 2 % of women in UK abused ‘Class A’ drugs for instance heroin, cocaine and ecstasy as compared to 5 % men. In that case, Roe and Man et al (2006) argues that, among drug users, the male to female ratio amounts to 3:1. This is similar to a research study by Hepburn (2002) which found out that the same ratio applies in United States and across the world. However, according to Hay et al (2001), in UK the number of drug users among women varies considerably in respect to regions. Conversely, in regard to age, drug misuse starts at a younger age and continues progressively during lifetime according to Zilberman et al. (2003). It is worth noting that initiation of drug abuse among women in UK is caused by a range of factors. They are for instance in close relationships with male drug abusers and having wider social factors. It worth noting that, in most cases, male drug users prefer to have close relationships with non-drug user women partners. In contrary, women who use and abuse drugs do usually continue to maintain customary gender role anticipations acting as caretakers to their spouses’ drug use. This is through an attempt to restrict drug use for both parties and/or increase their use to match that of their counterparts. According to Hernandez-Avila et al. (2004), in spite of shorter progression from starting drug users to full dependency problem of female drug users may exhibit greater or comparable severity of addiction to psychological and physical reactions. On the other hand, among drug users in UK, female gender is more likely to share injecting equipment more than male users. As a result, Bennet and Holloway (2005) found out that there is increased risk of infecting each other with Hepatitis C and HIV. Besides, in another study by Gichrist et al. (2005), 95 % of street sex workers in UK do abuse drugs. In another aspect, female prisoners in UK who have been incarcerated on drug related cases have in the last two decades increased significantly. For instance, according to research by Borrill et al. (2003), at least two-thirds of imprisoned women have drug related problems. A case in point is that, in the period between 1992 and 2002, there was a record 414% rise in the number of women who were imprisoned on drug related cases. It is therefore clearly evident that drug abuse among women is a big problem in current times. Criminological Theories Related To Drug Abuse among Women There are various theories that have been put forward by researchers in order in an attempt to explain what influences drug use and abuse in the society. The first theory is the self-derogation theory, which is closely related to labeling theory, strain theory, control theory and social learning theory. Self-derogation theory is mainly used to explain drug use and delinquency. According to his theory, abusing drugs for instance marijuana and alcohol is sometimes referred to as a substitute unexpected response to self-rejecting attitudes that are produced in the course of normative membership-group experiences. Such functions more or less efficiently resulting in reduced experiences of the instinctively distressful self-rejecting feelings. Self-derogation theory is based on the precept that characteristically and universally, an individual supposedly behaves in a way as to maximize the experiences of positive self-attitudes. On the other hand, the individuals put a lot of efforts to minimize negative self-attitudes. The self-attitudes refers to an individual’s negative and positive emotional experiences on evaluating and perceiving his/or her own behaviors and attributes. As such, self-rejecting attitudes mostly results from historical membership of group experiences in which case the subject is not capable of defending him or herself against and or adapt with circumstances. This leads to self-devaluing repercussions or in other words devalued behaviors and attributes as well as negative assessments of a subject by others. A range of variables applicable to this is for instance parental neglect, peer rejection, school failure, social stigmata, physical stigmata, ego deficiencies, sex-role identity and low coping capabilities (Lettieri, D et al., 1980). Another applicable theory in the context of drug abuse by women is the Cognitive-Affective-Pharmacogenic (CAP) Control Theory which puts an emphasis on the correlation between a person’s effective experiences and style of drug use with the pharmacogenetic effect of the drugs. The theory can be related with the aforementioned case study in which young woman starts abusing the drug at a tender age and subsequently abuses it fully. The theory argues that an individual starts by experimenting a drug and go on to abuse it totally. In regard to cognitive approach, CAP control theory posits that process of abusing drugs starts with conflict as a predisposing factor. In this case, a person is usually in conflict of meeting expectations and/or demands that are placed on them by their peers or themselves. Therefore, drug users are usually in the problem of eliminating various sources of stress and/or decreasing any factor that may affect their environment. In the same regard, the Control Balance Theory applies in the context of female drug abuse especially for those who have been imprisoned on drug related issues. This theory is fundamentally based on an individual’s deviant and criminal behavior on the need to increase their level of independence through drug abuse. De-individuation and anonymity are the aspects of opportunity and means to reduce the likelihood of normal constraints interfering with the capacity to commit crime (Williams, 2008). Conclusion In conclusion, therefore, it is worth noting that drug abuse among women has increased significantly. As discussed in the introductions section, drug abuse at least two-thirds of women across the globe does abuse drugs. Such ratio is notable in developed countries for instance in the US and UK. Such drug menace has forced the UK government to initiate a strategy referred to as ‘Tackling Drugs to Build a Better Britain’. In most cases, drug abuse among women starts at a younger age and continues progressively during the lifetime of an individual. In that respect, three theories, which have been applied in explaining drug abuse, include Self-derogation theory, Cognitive-Affective-Pharmacogenic (CAP) Control Theory and Control Balance Theory. All the three theories rotate around the need by an individual to eliminate natural elements that may restrict him/her from committing a crime and abusing drugs. Bibliography Best, D., & Abdulrahim, D. (2005). Women in drug treatment services. London: NTA. Bennett, T., & Holloway, K. (2005). Understanding drugs, alcohol and crime. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Borrill, J., Maden, A., Martin, A., Weaver, T., Stimson, G., Farrell, M., et al. (2003). Differential substance misuse treatment needs of women, ethnic minorities and young offenders in prison: Prevalence of substance misuse and treatment needs. London: Home Office. Chivite-Matthews, N., Richardson, A., O’Shea, J., Becker, J., Owen, N., Rice, S., et al. (2005) Drug misuse declared: Findings from the 2003/04 British Crime Survey England and Wales. London: Home Office. Gilchrist, G., Cameron, J., & Scoular, J. (2005). Crack and cocaine use among female prostitutes in Glasgow: Risky business. Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy, vol. 12, no. 5, pp. 381–391. Hay, G., McKeganay, N., & Hutchinson, S. (2001). Estimating the national and local prevalence of problem drug use in Scotland. Centre for Drug Misuse Research, University of Glasgow. Hernandez-Avila, C. A., Rounsaville, B. J., & Kranzler, H.R. (2004). Opioid, cannabis and alcohol dependent women show more rapid progression to substance abuse treatment. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, vol. 74, pp. 265–272. Hepburn, M. (2002). Drug use and women’s reproductive health. In T. Peterson & A. McBride (Eds.), Working with substance misusers: A guide to theory and practice. London: Routledge. Roe, S.,&Man, L. (2006). Drug misuse declared: Findings from the 2005/06 British Crime Survey, home office Statistical Bulletin 15/06. London: HMSO. Williams, K. S. (2008). Using Tittle's control balance theory to understand computer crime and deviance. International Review of Law, Computers and Technology, vol. 22, no. 1-2, pp. 145-155. Zilberman, M., Tavers, & Gubelay, V. (2003). Gender similarities and differences: The prevalence and course of alcohol and other substance-related disorders. Journal of Addictive Disease, vol. 22, no. 4, pp. 61–74. NIDA. (2013). Women and Drug Abuse. [online] Available at: < http://archives.drugabuse.gov/WomenDrugs/Women-DrugAbuse.html>. Lettieri, D. J., Mollie, S. and Pearson, H. W. (1980). Theories on drug abuse: Selected contemporary perspectives. [online] Available at: . Read More