Alcohol and Other Drugs
In this chapter about alcohol and drugs, I've learned that drugs have been a part of human life for thousands of years, from ancient mead and cannabis and now tobacco, rum, and cocaine in present day America. A drug is any substance other than food that changes the body’s structure or function, and today alcohol stays the most widely used drug, especially among college students where binge drinking can lead to serious injuries, assaults, or even deaths. Drug use is different across gender, race, education, and region, while religion often leads to lower usage rates. For example, men are more than twice as likely as women to engage in binge or heavy drinking, and whites report the highest rates of alcohol use while Native Americans report the lowest. Looking at alcohol and other drugs through a sociological view, functionalism shows how drugs can serve many purposes, like creating pleasure, income, or jobs, but also causing harm to people's health and society. Conflict theor...