Drugs+not+so+funny

Student Number: n7555369Tutor: Abby Diaz //Robin Williams video on drugs link:// []
 * Name: Andrew Bertram **

The artefact l have chosen is a video clip of the stand up comedian and actor Robin Williams. This video extract is from his stand up performance in Washington DC. This particular performance was called ‘Weapons of Self Destruction’. In this routine Robin focuses on everything from the weather to sport and the current and past presidents of America. At the present time this is his most recent show performed on the 28 August, 2011.
 * Artefact**

The public health issue that the artefact represents is illicit drugs in Australia. While focusing on the angle of abstinence vs. harm minimisation and prison vs. treatment. The reason why this is so important is because Australia is now considering legalising drug use. With 3 million Australians have admitted to using drugs in the last 12moths this will affect every 2 in 5 people. The artefact makes reference to treatment vs. prison and also what side affects legalising illicit drugs will do to the Australian population.
 * Public Health Issue**

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare have report that during their last survey approximately 7.3 million people in Australia reported ever having used illicit drugs, while around 3 million had used an illicit drug in the previous 12months prior to the survey (AIHW 2010). These statistics equate to 39.8% of Australians having taken an illicit substance during their lifetime. This is slightly higher than previously recorded by 1.7% (38.1%) according to the 2007 survey results (AIHW 2007). “In September 2009, there were almost 85,500 adult persons receiving correctional services in Australia, with over 30,000 (36%) people in prison” (AIC 2012). In the year 2010, two in every three offenders tested positive to drug abuse when detained, that’s 60%. A further study of 1884 detainees showed that “1,631 detainees reported using alcohol or illegal drugs on at least one day in the previous 30, and of these half (52%) indicated that substance use was a factor in their most recent offending”(AIC 2011). Drug users are often detained for such crimes as driving under the influence, violence/abuse, trafficking/importing, and dealing/distributing or property/ possession of drugs. These charges often go hand in hand with drug using and frequently lead to other criminal activity. Inmates that aren’t drug users/abusers often turn to drugs, leading to addiction. A possible solution would be to decriminalization illicit drugs/substances. Celebrity Russell Brand, once a drug addict now sober and clean has recently shared his ideas of the ideal. In an interview on BBC’s Question time Brand said, “I don’t think drug laws are working because people take drugs all the time. People will take drugs because of social, psychological and emotional reasons. For me it’s not about the drug laws, it’s about treating people with addiction issues in a compassionate and empathetic way”. Brand when on to say, “If you criminalize them and marginalize them, you place an industry in the hands of criminals and you make it difficult and shaming for them to get treatment. That is the wrong way to handle the situation”. Addiction is an illness and should be treated that way. Persons dealing with addictions need to have access to help. “We need to start regarding addiction in all its forms as a health issue opposed to a judicial and criminal issue” (Brand 2013). Decriminalizing drugs has its positives, but it also has it negatives. Society currently believes in the Methadone program, this program incorporates substituting the illicit drug for the methadone drug. This program lowers the crime rates and needle sharing/ HIV rates, but it doesn’t ever fix the problem of addiction. In fact drug addicts have said that trying to quite methadone is a lot harder then heroin, and when on methadone they seem to slip back into old habits doing the illicit drugs on top of the methadone (D Wyatt 2013). Recent studies and research have shown that the best result is achieved when drug addicts enter rehabilitation programs. In Brand’s documentary it’s shared that in Britain 80% of prisoners are drug addicts, of that one in ten receive treatment. Of those receiving treatment 70% have success and leave the prison clean and sober. This goes to show that prison, with the correct rehabilitation programs is the gold standard that will allow for change. Ultimately society would love to be drug free, but as previously mentioned, the best strategy is Harm minimization, as addicts need not only support but also re-esurience and education.
 * Literature Review**

Some of the social issues that this population group when using illicit drugs is the major concern of this behaviour being a health risk. Not just to the individual but also for those who associate with this person whilst under the influence of drugs. Some of the immediate physical effects include altered vision, reddened/bloodshot eyes, reduced coordination and balance, increased heart rate, low blood pressure, anxiety and mild paranoia. If this particular person has been using for a prolonged period of time or has taken a high dosage the symptoms are much worse. If a high dosage has been consumed there are more severe effects such as; detachment from reality, restlessness, hallucinations and paranoia. These side effects effect the persons mental health and also there physical health. The population that is most likely to have taken dugs are people between the ages of 30-39 with 60% of people having used an illicit substance in the past. People aged 20-29 are closely behind with 52% of the population having ever taken an illicit substance. Studies have also shown that men are more likely to have used an illicit drug than females (42.2% compared with 36.5%). The usage of illicit drugs also had different effects on particular population groups and was varied by social characteristics. The highest proportion of recent drug use across all subpopulations was for people who identified as homosexual/bisexual (35.7%). The lowest was for those who were on a pension or that had retired (6.1%). The importance of this health issue is that people are not affected equally. Some of the persons using illicit substances can have a greater addiction than others and therefore become reliant on the daily use in order for them to function. As this is a growing issue health experts need to focus on developing a range of solutions that can help people control and stop the addiction. A possible solution that is currently being discussed is the treatment vs. prison option. As this is a radical option Russell Brand a former drug user himself has offered his own opinion. “I don’t think drug laws are working because people take drugs all the time. People will take drugs because of social, psychological and emotional reasons. For me it’s not about the drug laws, it’s about treating people with addiction issues in a compassionate and empathetic way”. Brand when on to say, “If you criminalize them and marginalize them, you place an industry in the hands of criminals and you make it difficult and shaming for them to get treatment. So in trying to help people with their addiction a new perspective needs to be taken on the view of people using illicit drugs. If the use of illicit drugs is considered as an illness then treatment is a better option than criminalizing them. This option is a better direction to helping cure people of the destructive addiction.
 * Culture and Social Analysis**

The artefact l have chosen is a good example of why illicit drugs can affect any group or population. It has both a positive and a negative effect on the users and society. The negative effect is the addiction and the resources put into place to resolve the problem or at least facilitate safe usages (health clinics providing fresh syringes). While there is no immediate positive reason for taking or using illicit drugs. The dedicated work from some celebrities that have managed to stop using drugs provide role models for continuing users. These role models have document their path whilst attempting to stop using. It is these things that current users can use an inspiration in their own fight to stop the addiction. Personally the artefact show me how such a serious issue can be made into not a big deal by the use of humour. The reason why this method of making things less serious by adding humour is so effect is because it is one of the easiest coping mechanisms. This particular assessment piece has changed my thinking process of how l will view these substances affect the immediate community and also the population as a whole. It will make me take a more ideological view instead of being passive and un-interested as the issue may not affect me directly. [|__Australian Bureau of StatisticsCelebrating the International Year of Statistics 2013. (n.d.). //4704.0//. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/lookup/4704.0Chapter757Oct+2010__]
 * Artefact & Own Learning Reflection**
 * Reference List**

[|__Day, A., Heseltine, K., & Sarre, R. (n.d.). Prison based correctional rehabilitation. //Australian Institute of Criminology//. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/D/3/F/%7bD3FCEAF3-7E16-4180-A3F2-507B1052C734%7dtandi412.pdf__]

[|__National Drug Stratergy Household Survey Report. (n.d.). //Australian Institute of Health and Welfare//. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=10737421314__]

[|__Payne, J., & Gaffney, A. (n.d.). How much crime is drug or alcohol related?. //Australian Institute of Criminology//. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/4/5/3/%7b453F4590-AB2B-4AD6-943F-91662DC88168%7dtandi439.pdf__]

[|__Recovering drug addict Russell Brand calls for 'compassion, not drug laws'. (n.d.). //Independent.ie//. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/recovering-drug-addict-russell-brand-calls-for-compassion-not-drug-laws-29365167.html__]

[|__Russell Brand on awareness of Drugs addiction as a health issue - Medical Documentary. (2013, April 12). //YouTube//. Retrieved October 30, 2013, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7ytnhvHS5Y__]