Activity 6!

       I think it’s insane to hear that Florida is becoming a “pill popper’s paradise” out of all the many states in the country. I think it’s an issue that needs serious attention and needs to be reformed immediately. Some of the experiences shared in the video were devastating. I didn’t realize how dependent people could become on drugs, specifically oxycontin. I also didn’t realize how easy it is to get a prescription or how someone could buy it from another peer. In the video, when the guy failed to get the drug from the doctor’s office, he went to visit a 70 year old women who sold him oxycontin. As several doctor offices were contacted throughout the movie, they continuously rejected the offer to be interviewed when asked about the easy release of prescription drugs or why all appointments were filled up so quickly. I think the issue came from doctors prescribing oxycontin for minor health problems, which led to addiction of the drug. They just need to write something down to prescribe the drug. We also discussed in class how it’s legal in Florida to have pharmacies at doctor’s offices, which allows them to prescribe and dispense drugs at a quicker pace. People from other states come to Florida to get drugs because of this.

         As far as the drug itself, it’s interesting to learn about how people become addicted. In class we talked about how drugs affect individuals differently and how the biggest effect will only come the first time it is used. However, one may need more of the drug the second time to have the same effect as the first time. The guy in the video described it in a similar way. After a point, he just needed the drug to feel “normal” again. At that point, it didn’t make him feel anything more than normal. As people become more dependent, they will find any possible way to find the drug. As far as a policy to stop the pill pipeline, I think it’s important to make pharmacies at doctor’s offices illegal, just like other states. There needs to be more restrictions on the release of pills. A series of tests should be required before being prescribed a drug. I also think that all doctors’ offices should be required to provide other forms of treatment beside drugs. I don’t think pain clinics should only take cash either; this prevents us from knowing the source of the drug, if sold to someone.

Activity 5!

        As far as a brief overview about the research process, the author, an ethnographer, went to Manhattan from the years 1982 until 1986 in order to do research on the cocaine world. During those years, he spent a lot of time with a group of eight teenagers whom he titled “Cocaine Kids.” His research mainly consisted of sharing what he observed and taking notes on each person involved and their role with the business. He focused on sharing every detail without incorporating stereotypes. By the end of his research, he had about six thick books of notes as well as a huge insight on the lives of these kids and how the business of obtaining and selling cocaine works.
         One of the drug aspects which I found the most intriguing was regarding the people involved in the process and what led them to be involved in such a business. The book touched on how growing up in such areas in Manhattan can make drugs more accessible to young people. Poverty can lead these young teens to try anything, which can lead to more money in the least amount of time. Also, if they had a rough childhood, they are given the opportunity to find a home with the new people they would work with when dealing drugs. When dropping out of high school to work in the cocaine business, the teens are more likely to feel like they are actually doing something with their lives because of the profit they receive.
         Another factor, which I found interesting, was the reasoning behind why teens are used in this business. The book mentioned how children are more easy to control and aren’t likely to snitch to someone with more authority. Also, people caught with drugs under the age of 18 wouldn’t receive prison time or severe consequences, which was even more beneficial to people more higher up in the business. The teen majority of the time would rather receive their payment in the form of drugs rather than money too, which was extremely surprising to me.
         My third factor of drug culture would have to be the process of transporting the drugs from overseas to the seller and how the drug is priced. As I was reading the book, I read about the many positions involved in the process, such as the swimmer, supplier, guard, and seller. It was interesting to read about the many forms of cocaine and how the seller determines the price based on how pure the substance is. As the author described the crew about how they made the cocaine and packaged it in their office, I was very intrigued to read about it and know that this kind of stuff actually happens around the country. The author observed many things, which we have discussed in class. Cocaine in general is something, which we have discussed, including its schedule, effects and many forms. The purity of drugs is also something we discussed and how that can play a role on how effective it is when in use.
 

Activity 4!

As I originally heard about this topic, I was completely against the idea of using a drug, specifically amphetamines to enhance the alertness of pilots. However, reading the three articles has definitely broadened my view and reading about the pros and cons had led me to side for the use of amphetamines. As the articles mentioned, the pill provides the opportunity for pilots to have a backup plan incase the fatigue gets to a point where they can’t handle it anymore. It can prevent a person from having a fatal crash just because the pill provided them with the alertness they needed. It has been used in the past and has proved to be very effective.

             The military is definitely distributing the pills in an ethical manner. According to the second article, each pilot is given the pill prior to going on flight just as an option. No pilot is ever pressured in to taking it. There is clear record of who has taken the pill and who hasn’t and the remaining pills are taken back after the mission. They also make the pilot sign a form, which allows them to acknowledge that the FDA hasn’t approved it and that it is completely voluntary. Two of the articles stated a quote the following Gulf War commander: “If you can’t trust them with the medication, then you can’t trust them with a $50 million airplane to try and go kill someone.” They trust that the pilots won’t abuse the pill and they don’t pressure them it to taking it. They understand that it affects everyone differently and there are side effects. It just serves as a last resort in a life or death situation.

            I think the careers of pilots can suffer without the pill because of the long hours of their job and the focus needed to succeed. They’re putting their lives at risk and if given the opportunity to help them from losing focus, they should be given the chance to take it. As far as consequences, the drug is classified as a schedule II. In class we discussed the different schedules and I think this may be a little too strong or dangerous for the pilots. It can affect certain individuals differently. The drug might have differing effects on people who are tired as oppose to people who are well rested. Also, there has been research done on whether the drug can help someone with alertness or impair his or her judgment. It runs the risk of a pilot not making the right decision because of the negative effect of the drug. The side effects that include high blood pressure and a fast heart rate can also affect the pilot negatively. In order to reduce these consequences, research needs to be done on the effects the drug can have in several different behavioral states. I think scientists also need to look in to other forms of methods, which can enhance the alertness of pilots or find another medication, which doesn’t have as many negative side effects.