A look at the conflict and functionalist perspectives assignment

Also, a great majority of homeless people have either a drug or alcohol problem (NADIA Infarcts: Understanding Drug Abuse and Addiction, 2005. ) Humans have used drugs of one sort or another for thousands of years. For the past last decades, crime and drugs have been called by some, the most important problems facing this country. The full economic cost of drug abuse in the united States is estimated at approximately $70 billion annually. In so, America is actually losing money because of the use of drugs.

Due to years of studies, it is proven that drug abuse costs the Organization for Economic Co- operation and Development (known as COED) countries more than $120 billion per year in drug enforcement, prosecutions, prisons, prevention aerogramme, treatment and health care costs, and financial losses incurred from drug-related crimes. This is very bad for the community as a whole because it also affects many people. In a present study, it was hypothesized that the likelihood of recent hard drug use would be higher among arrest.

Some people think the increase in drug arrests is a good sign, but others think it denies drug users what they really need, which is treatment. No one seems to argue about the serious problem with drugs in the United States. According to a 2002 National Survey on drug use, 19. 5 million Americans ages 12 and older were current illicit drug users. 1 in every 13 adults is an alcoholic. The functionalist view is that society has norms and guidelines on alcohol and drug use. Social norms identify the appropriate use of drugs and alcohol.

Prescription drugs are very functional in society because hey can alleviate pain, reduce fever, and can curb infections. Even alcohol is accepted in moderation and can be consumed with meals and or celebrations. Sometimes there even health benefits, such as red wine being good for the heart. Society provides norms regarding the excessive use of drugs. Drug abuse can also occur when society is unable to provide guidelines for our behavior. Under certain situations that can be very stressful, people consume more alcohol and drugs.

Basically, the conflict perspective views drug abuse as a problem of the classes, distinctly separated due to economic standing. There are many roles that are played in the functionalist prospective, which as lead to some of the results on the conflict side of drug abuse. For example, the government plays a big role in why their country’s population is in high or low percentage of using drug. Some countries like the United States strictly control the use of drugs by restricting access more and giving strict punishment, unlike Afghanistan, Columbia or some Of the other countries.

Most likely the government in these countries does not work hard on this issue because they are making profit off it or some of the big politicians are involved in it. In Afghanistan the government said that “ no matter what we try o do to stop it, but it cannot be cured because drugs grow in almost 99% of the Afghanistan. ” Countries like these can only try to lower drug production and abuse to a certain point, but not as low as the United States has reduces the trafficking and use of drugs. Parents play the most important role of all.

According to the conflict theory, people outside of this social class and situation are unwilling to help integrate these individuals back into society. Some people don’t realize that just because of their addiction, it can take them to the point where no one can help them. Today there are about 1 90 million drug users all around the world, all of whom need help battling their addiction. The way to help them, however, varies between the conflict and functionalist perspectives. In conclusion, drug abuse presents a prevalent issue in today’s society.

The conflict theory of sociology states that society functions so that each individual participant and its group struggles to maximize their benefits, which inevitably contributes to social change (such as changes in politics and revolutions. ) This theory attempts to refute the functionalist perspective of social problems, which considers that societies function so that each individual and group plays a specific role, like organs in the body. A conflict theorist would suggest solving the problem of drug abuse by accommodating he needs of people in the classes suffering from drug use and educating them on the effects of drugs.