Question 1

Describe how the conservative, liberal, radical left, and radical right/libertarian views have different understandings of what the "drug problem" is, as well as what to do about it.

Accepted Answer

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Question 2

Following which political perspective do people argue that drug laws reflect the interests of the rich and powerful and criminalize poor people and minorities?

Accepted Answer

The perspective that drug laws reflect the interests of the rich and powerful and criminalize poor people and minorities is commonly espoused by the radical left. They argue that drug laws are used to control marginalized groups and maintain the status quo, and that drug policies should focus on harm reduction and social justice rather than punishment and criminalization.

Question 3

Which political position would lead you to claim that the government threatens civil liberties by using police power to make arrests, seize property, and monitor the lives of individuals suspected of using drugs?

Accepted Answer

Radical-right or libertarian positions prioritize individual freedom and limited government intervention. They would argue that the government's use of police power to enforce drug laws infringes upon the civil liberties of individuals suspected of drug use.

Question 4

From which political point of view would we say that young people who are raised by committed, involved parents and guided by religious beliefs and caring teachers are likely to resist any temptation presented by drugs?

Accepted Answer

This statement aligns with conservative values, which prioritize traditional family structures and the importance of personal responsibility and self-control. Conservative ideologies tend to view drug use as a moral failing rather than a societal problem that requires systemic solutions.

Question 5

Which theoretical analysis points out that the social standing of drug users is related to how severely our society punishes illegal drug use?

Accepted Answer

Social-conflict analysis explores how power, inequality, and social structure contribute to social problems. This analysis points out that the social standing of drug users is related to how severely our society punishes illegal drug use. In other words, individuals who are marginalized and lack power in society are more likely to be punished harshly for drug use than those who hold more privileged positions. This reinforces social inequality and perpetuates the marginalization of certain groups.

Question 6

What are four strategies for controlling drugs in the United States? Give an example of each strategy. If you were to formulate our nation's response to drug use, which strategies would you employ? Why?

Accepted Answer

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Question 7

What policy would remove the current criminal penalties that punish the manufacturing, sale, and personal use of drugs?

Accepted Answer

Decriminalization means that while drugs may still be illegal, the penalties for using, possessing, and selling them are reduced or eliminated. This approach seeks to treat drug use as a public health issue rather than a criminal justice issue.

Question 8

What important insights about drugs and drug use are offered by structural-functional analysis, symbolic-interaction analysis, and social-conflict analysis? What is one limitation of each approach?

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Question 9

People use drugs for many reasons. Identify five reasons for using drugs and provide an example of each.

Accepted Answer

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Question 10

President Reagan advanced a conservative position defining drugs as a moral challenge and urged parents to teach their children the importance of resisting drugs, capturing this idea in the slogan

Accepted Answer

The slogan "Just say no to drugs" was coined by Nancy Reagan as part of her campaign against drug use, but it was strongly promoted by President Reagan and became a symbol of his administration's anti-drug efforts. This slogan emphasizes personal responsibility and moral values, rather than just law enforcement or medical interventions.

Question 11

In which European city did an experiment in removing criminal penalties for use of drugs including heroin turn out badly?

Accepted Answer

The experiment in removing criminal penalties for drug use, including heroin, took place in Zurich, Switzerland in the 1990s. However, the experiment did not turn out well as it led to an increase in drug use and related problems, including crime and public disorder. The experiment was eventually abandoned, and drug policies in Switzerland have since shifted towards a harm reduction approach, which includes providing access to clean needles and medication-assisted treatment for addiction.

Question 12

The man who founded Alcoholics Anonymous is

Accepted Answer

The founder of Alcoholics Anonymous is commonly known as Bill Wilson.

Question 13

The structural-functional approach calls attention to

Accepted Answer

The structural-functional approach emphasizes the role of social structures and institutions in maintaining order and stability in society. Therefore, this approach would be interested in examining how drugs can either help or harm the functioning of society.

Question 14

Which political perspective is based on support for personal freedom and a tolerant view of "soft" drugs?

Accepted Answer

The political perspective that is based on support for personal freedom and a tolerant view of "soft" drugs is liberalism. Liberals tend to prioritize individual autonomy and personal freedom, as well as a more permissive approach to drugs like marijuana. This stands in contrast to conservative perspectives, which tend to be more focused on law and order and may support stricter drug laws, and radical left perspectives, which may prioritize issues like income inequality and social justice over drug policy specifically.

Question 15

Which theoretical analysis focuses on the changing ways we define any particular drug over time?

Accepted Answer

Symbolic-interaction analysis focuses on how individuals and society give meaning to objects, including drugs. Thus, it is the best choice for the analysis of changing definitions of drugs over time. Structural-functional analysis focuses on how institutions and society work together to maintain order, social-conflict analysis focuses on power struggles and inequality in society, and feminist analysis focuses on gender inequality and how it affects social structures. While all of these may have some relevance to the study of drugs, they do not specifically address the changing definitions of drugs over time.

Question 16

What are the different categories of drugs? What effects do these drugs have on people? Give an example of a drug within each category.

Accepted Answer

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Quiz 8: Alcohol and Other Drugs