Past and Current Trends

Past and Current Trends

Illicit drug use in the United States has been around for many years. Just because it has been around for this long does not mean that it is good for the people. This type of illegal activity has been known to bring around violence, gangs, prostitution, and other illegal activities. To see how the use of illegal drugs has evolved, one must look at the past trends of drug use and the current trends as well.

Past and Current Trends

The past trends of drug use can be seen from the 1960s. During this time, recreational drug use was thought to have been the thing to do. Drugs such as LSD and marijuana were the mainstays of drug use. Throughout the years new drugs were created that became just as popular. Drugs such as ecstasy, crack, and even the newer bath salts became popular choices in drug use. Each of these drugs have their own side effects, some worse than others. An example of this would be bath salts. The side effects of this can cause a person to go temporarily insane, and also cause the user to become very sick. There even has become a trend to use everyday household items as inhalants to try to get high.

Cultural Uses of Illicit Drugs

Many different cultures use illicit drugs in their own ceremonies and religious practices. This has been done over and over throughout the history of their culture. For these people, the drugs that most people would consider to be illegal are a normal part for their lives. An example of this would be different Native American tribes in the United States. Some tribes use certain mushrooms to develop dream-like states to try and communicate with the Great Spirit that they revere, (Alcohol and Other Drugs, 2013). To them, this is a natural way for them to get closer to their beliefs, and their deities. There are other ways that illicit drugs can be used for good. Some of them are used for medicinal purposes. An example of this is using marijuana as a type of pain reliever for certain illnesses. In older times some drugs were used as an anesthetic in surgical operations. There are some situations that these drugs can be used for good, but newer methods of controlling pain have made using these methods outdated.

Health and Social Issues

When someone is abusing illicit drugs, there are many different health issues that can arise. Some of these can be as simple as an addiction to the drug. Other bad side effects can be developing breathing problems, skin problems, rotting teeth, and rapid weight loss. When these side effects start to take place, the person may not even notice it because