Identify the two most widely abused drugs in the U.S., the extent of their effect on health, and reasons why these drugs are the most popular
What will be an ideal response?
The three most widely used drugs by high school seniors are alcohol, nicotine (cigarettes), and marijuana. Alcohol is the standard recreational drug of all Americans. The average American consumes 25 gallons of alcoholic beverages a year. Considering this is the average, it factors the non-drinkers with the drinkers, meaning many drinkers consume considerably more than this amount. Alcohol-related accidents are common. Practically everyone has a friend or family member who has been involved in, or a victim of, a DUI incident. Alcohol is also a factor in thousands of household accidents, crimes, and other adverse events. Although excessive drinking causes additional health concerns, drinking in moderation (one or two drinks a day) may actually reduce the rate of heart attack and stoke. Alcohol may be the recreational drug of choice but nicotine is the most lethal of all recreational drugs causing cancer of the lungs, kidneys, larynx, and other body parts. Other health problems are also increased including heart attack, stroke, cataracts, and pneumonia. Alcohol and nicotine are the most popular drugs because they are legal and highly advertized. There are cultural implications as well, including drinking being an expected behavior of college students and smoking being a sign of being grown up.
You might also like to view...
In U.S. society, schooling is more important than class origins in getting a good job
a. true b. false
According to strain theory, ____ occurs when individuals reject both success and the legitimate means for achieving it, and also substitute a new set of goals and means to replace them
a. innovation b. ritualism c. retreatism d. rebellion e. conformity
Laumann found that class ______ (or in-group marriage) was especially notable in the upper-middle class.
A. exogamy B. endogamy C. conformity D. restriction
Early social scientific research on human sexuality addressed what type of questions
a. frequency of sexual intercourse b. extent of homosexuality in the populations being studied c. questions about deviance and crime d. childhood sexual experiences