According to Joseph R. Gusfield (1967), designations of “deviants” change over time, largely through social movements and moral crusades. Attempts to redefine behavior may lead to a moral passage, defined by Gusfield as “a transition of the behavior from one moral status to another” (p. 14). In the case of alcohol, there have been moral crusades that restricted drinking, such as the Temperance movement, and social movements that sought to remove the stigma surrounding alcohol. During the Prohibition era, alcoholism was largely seen as an individual moral failure, and the widespread use of the term “drunkard” indicates a negative view of alcohol drinkers during this time period. Nonetheless, we now generally refer to these individuals as “alcoholics”,
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According to Gusfield, powerful groups such as social workers, medical professionals, and university professors were integral in realizing this moral passage (p. 14). Furthermore, the debate over drug addiction is not necessarily carried out between users and nonusers of drugs – rather, Gusfield argues that it is carried out between defenders and opposers of the norm. As was the case with alcohol, drug users are now generally seen as “addicts”, insinuating that drug use and abuse are medical issues rather than criminal behaviors. Thus, this moral passage lifts much of the stigma surrounding drug use off the individual and emphasizes the role of structural forces on such …show more content…
However, almost fifty years later, we have seen some of the unintended consequences of this large-scale policy. According to Friedersdorf (2016), the most serious consequences of the War on Drugs are the proliferation of drugs sold on black markets and the ability to acquire drugs through medical avenues. First, the escalation of tough-on-crime policies has actually increased the prevalence of organized crime, as drug users find other avenues to acquire the most addictive drugs in spite of prohibition. Second, Friedersdorf cites a report from The Economist stating that overdoses from heroin, prescription drugs, and opioid painkillers have become the leading cause of injury-related deaths in America. He argues that had Americans spent time and resources investigating the potential of marijuana as a pain reliever rather than barring it altogether, we would have largely avoided Americans’ overwhelming addiction to painkillers. Ultimately, the War on Drugs has unintentionally created a flurry of public health problems, including access to unsafe drugs, addiction to prescription opioids, and a focus on incarceration rather than medical treatment. Therefore, formal social control does not necessarily stop people from using and abusing drugs, and in some contexts, laws and policies have the potential
According to Gusfield, powerful groups such as social workers, medical professionals, and university professors were integral in realizing this moral passage (p. 14). Furthermore, the debate over drug addiction is not necessarily carried out between users and nonusers of drugs – rather, Gusfield argues that it is carried out between defenders and opposers of the norm. As was the case with alcohol, drug users are now generally seen as “addicts”, insinuating that drug use and abuse are medical issues rather than criminal behaviors. Thus, this moral passage lifts much of the stigma surrounding drug use off the individual and emphasizes the role of structural forces on such …show more content…
However, almost fifty years later, we have seen some of the unintended consequences of this large-scale policy. According to Friedersdorf (2016), the most serious consequences of the War on Drugs are the proliferation of drugs sold on black markets and the ability to acquire drugs through medical avenues. First, the escalation of tough-on-crime policies has actually increased the prevalence of organized crime, as drug users find other avenues to acquire the most addictive drugs in spite of prohibition. Second, Friedersdorf cites a report from The Economist stating that overdoses from heroin, prescription drugs, and opioid painkillers have become the leading cause of injury-related deaths in America. He argues that had Americans spent time and resources investigating the potential of marijuana as a pain reliever rather than barring it altogether, we would have largely avoided Americans’ overwhelming addiction to painkillers. Ultimately, the War on Drugs has unintentionally created a flurry of public health problems, including access to unsafe drugs, addiction to prescription opioids, and a focus on incarceration rather than medical treatment. Therefore, formal social control does not necessarily stop people from using and abusing drugs, and in some contexts, laws and policies have the potential