LITERATURE REVIEW - Research Paper Example

The problem ment “The Use and Monitoring of Narcotic Drugs” suggests several concepts, related to abuse of the drugs in the society and legal enforcement in society. Drug abuse, especially the use of narcotics such as cocaine and other potent substances remains one of the most challenging social problems in the society. To eradicate the vice, it is important for policy makers to decipher major factors that attract an increasing number of people to use and deal with the illegal substances.

Moreover, rehabilitation of the convicted persons and their integration in society is a prominent concept in the problem statement. Equally important, security and monitoring of the movement of narcotics drugs strongly indicate laxity of the responsible agencies because of the increasing accessibility of the drugs to many users and dealers, including minors. In relation to monitoring of narcotics drugs, the agencies responsible for the role should enhance surveillance on all possible channels of accessing and distributing drugs including prescription drugs.

Three main concepts and ideas will be explored in the literature review in relation to the problem statement of the research study. The first is investigating pertinent factors that contribute to the increasing abuse of narcotic drugs in the society in addition to the recent policies and regulations aimed at preventing accessibility to narcotic drugs. To collect relevant information pertaining to the concept, authoritative sources from medical, legal, sociological and psychological backgrounds will be used.

One of the authoritative sources is a journal by Barrett and Veerman titled “Children Who Use Drugs: The Need for More Clarity on State Obligations in International Law.” Narcotics drugs are increasingly being accessed through prescription and this is the second concept of investigating the problem statement in the literature review. Patients with chronic ailments are legally permitted to use some of the illegal narcotics drugs under strict medical prescription (Howe, 1957). However, the effects that the drugs impart on the prescribed users are a matter of concern to policy makers because it influences the society’s perception to the drugs.

In particular, the outcome of the drugs on the prescribed patients such as dependency or addiction and their overall effectiveness in managing the intended medical condition will be examined. The accessibility of prescribed drugs in stores could encourage members of the society to conspire with pharmaceutical professionals. Hence, investigating the monitoring of prescribed but prohibited drugs will be evaluated in the second concept. The main strategy in investigating this concept will be analyzing reliable primary and secondary sources on prescription and monitoring of prohibited drugs in the country such as US National Library of Medicine.

The third and final concept of investigation is the legal penalties imposed on dealers and people convicted with violating laws pertaining to handling of narcotic drugs in the country. Under this concept, the effectiveness of legal measures in controlling narcotic problem in the society will be investigated. An in-depth assessment of the country’s legal justice systems, pertaining to drug related crimes will be done to elucidate the relevant information. Records of persons convicted for drug crimes will be collected from rehabilitation centers and social institutions to determine effectiveness of the legal penalties or punishment in rectifying the drug problem.

The project entails use of both primary and secondary methods of collecting relevant information. Hence, one of the major challenges is mobilizing enough resources to conduct extensive fieldwork, and gaining trust of the relevant authorities in social institutions and correctional facilities. However, numerous electronic databases are available and accessible to elucidate relevant information pertaining to the study.SourcesBarrett, D., and Veerman, P.(2010). Children who use drugs: The need for more clarity on state obligations in state law.

International Journal on Human Rights and Drug Policy, 1, 63- 82.Howe, H. (1957). An alternative to narcotics problem. Law and Contemporary Problems, 22(1), 132-137.US National Library of Medicine. (2011, July 19). Prescription drug abuse. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/prescriptiondrugabuse.html