Module 2

Well, at this point my first experience with an online class is in full swing and for the most part I'm really enjoying it! The content in Drugs and Society is pretty interesting for the most part. I've been learning a lot of things about drug abuse that I didn't know in the past. For example, in chapter one I learned about the different classifications of drugs. I always knew different illicit drugs have different effects on a person, but I never knew which drugs belonged to which category (i.e. Ecstasy is a hallucinogen, cocaine is a stimulant, etc.) I also found it really interesting to learn about the media and how large of a part they play in the marketing of prescription drugs. I read about this in the reading for this unit and communicated about it in a discussion post for the module. I learned that television plays a huge role in how these drugs are marketed and that nowadays patients have more say in what drugs they take than doctors do. Another interesting point that I hadn't realized us that drugs are an equal-opportunity affliction. Drug use has recently shifted from the urban poor and privileged wealthy to the community as a whole. Everyone has the opportunity to be effected either positively or negatively by drugs.

Like I said before, this is my first experience with an online class so it took some adjusting to get used to it. It requires a lot more time than I thought it did to take an online class, but I am up for the challenge. Discussions threads are a new concept to me, but I like interacting with others online. Professor Brochu's comments on what to change, what I'm doing well, and what I can do better have defiantly been useful this time around in making sure I put my best work out there.

Gateway drugs- alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana-types of drugs that when used excessively may lead to using other and more addictive drugs such as cocaine, heroin, or "crack"

*People using gateway drugs need to use them in moderation and be careful not to get addicted to these substances because they can pave a path to heavier drug use.

Slang drug terms- Examples include cocaine-"nose candy," ketamine-"Special K", amphetamines-"brain ticklers"

*Drug users and dealers use these terms to avoid using actual terms on the streets. Cops need to learn these terms to interpret code.

Drug Cartels- large, highly sophisticated organizations composed of multiple drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and cells with specific assignments such as drug transportation, security/enforcement, or money laundering.

*Drug organizations are on a much larger scale than you may think. Local drug dealers are only a small part in this massive drug pushing community. Busting a drug cartel is much more important to a police agency than catching a small dealer.