Week 2b: Major Perspectives

Question 1

Four Major Perspectives on Drug Use

Answer 1

1. Moral-Legal Perspective
2. Medical-Health Perspective
3. Psychosocial Perspective
4. Social-Cultural Perspective

Question 2

Moral-Legal Perspective

Answer 2

• Viewpoint: Law Enforcement & Criminal Justice Systems
• Major Focus: “Keep specific drugs away from people and people away from specific drugs.”
• Approach: Reduce availability; Punish as a deterrent
• Drawback:
  
  • Addresses supply but not demand.
  • Not effective on its own.

Question 3

The Medical-Health Perspective

Answer 3

• Viewpoint: Medical and health treatment fields
• Major Focus: Drug/alcohol use is a public health problem
• Approach: Treatment focused on physical damage
• Drawback:
  
  • Assumes people seek good health, and health info influences behaviour
  • Information alone doesn’t change attitudes

Question 4

The Psychosocial Perspective

Answer 4

• Viewpoint: Mental Health and Alcohol/Drug Treatment Fields
• Major Focus: Prevent, intervene and treat alcohol/drug & co-occurring disorders
• Approach: Provide services from housing, finances, to quality of life; early intervention
• Drawback:
  
  • Public agencies are underfunded, understaffed, problems are many, and, at times overwhelming

Question 5

The Social-Cultural Perspective

Answer 5

• Viewpoint: Social agencies and institutions
• Major Focus: Assumption alcohol/drug abuse due to frustration and hopelessness
• Approach: Adapt the environment to meet the individual’s needs
• Drawback:
  
  • Agencies are poorly funded and societal change is slow