This research report will engage in the debate surrounding decriminalization of drug use and whether it is a possible solution to the problem of drug use in South Africa. This is a question becoming more prevalent in global discussions regarding drug policy and its efficacy. It is held in the report that when evaluating policy two aspects must be addressed; namely the philosophical justification for the policy and the efficacy of the policy. Regarding criminalization it is found that policy may be justified by the public harm principle but that it does not effectively achieve the purpose of preventing and decreasing drug use and associated burdens. Thus, it is argued that prohibition is a constitutional limitation, but does not necessarily achieve its purpose in the least repressive or most effective way. Finally it is suggested that the solution to the drug problem will be one which addresses the background, particularly socio-economic, to drug use. Decriminalization has the theoretical potential to address this context but further empirical research is required in order to establish evidential grounds for continued discussion.

No description available.

Therapeutic communities provide structure, support and a safe living environment for individuals attempting to recover from addiction. Using peer influence, counseling, education, self-help groups, and case management, they assist residents in conforming to social norms and developing effective coping mechanisms while remaining drug-free. Prior studies have consistently demonstrated the effectiveness of these programs. But, why are they effective for some and not others? This study explored the residents1 backgrounds and the methods employed by them to assimilate into the therapeutic community, the recovering community, and then society at large. The data confirmed my suspicion that the women's ability to conform to social norms and develop effective coping mechanisms was dependent upon the level of attachment to prosocial others they attained while in a therapeutic community. The rules and requirements of Flower House are designed to promote prosocial attachments and conformity to social norms. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 15 past and present residents of Flower House, a therapeutic community for substance-abusing women and their children. These women volunteered to participate.

Few studies have examined the social process of drug abuse recovery. To determine how recovering addicts use reference agents, such as reference groups and/or reference others, to achieve and maintain sobriety within the context of the Narcotics Anonymous (NA) support group experience, this study examines how Newcomers learn the norms and values associated with NA, how Newcomers become integrated into the NA group and internalize acceptable recovery behaviors, and how Newcomers transition to becoming Oldtimers. In this study, participant observation and in-depth, semi-structured interviewing (N = 13) based upon convenience sampling were employed. This study elicited six stages of social referencing that Newcomers experience during the process of becoming recovering addicts.

The researcher investigated the relationship between anger experience and expression, coping styles, and expectancies regarding the effects of alcohol in a young male population. Anger experience and expression was measured using the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory, coping styles were assessed using the Coping Response Inventory, alcohol expectancies were determined using the Alcohol Effects Questionnaire-2, and alcohol use was measured using the Alcohol Use Inventory. The results indicated that young males who abuse alcohol utilize less effective coping styles, such as cognitive avoidance. Alcohol abusing males also believe alcohol will increase their power and aggression. A linear regression demonstrated that males who abuse alcohol experience and express more anger than males who do not abuse alcohol. The analysis further revealed that experience and expression of anger was related to the poor coping styles and expectancies regarding the effects of alcohol for males who abuse alcohol.

Recent national surveys have demonstrated an increase in alcohol use among adolescents over the past five years (Johnston, O'Malley, & Bachman, 2003; Kann et al., 2000). It is important to understand factors that influence alcohol use in order to aid in the creation of preventative measures due to the many possible negative consequences associated with drinking alcohol (i.e., unwanted sexual activity, delinquency, abuse of other drugs, violence, car accidents, and poor academic performance) (Boyd, Howard, & Zucker, 1995). Two factors that have been studied as possible predictors of adult and adolescent alcohol use are personality and pubertal onset. Specifically, studies have linked the personality factors of Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism and reports of alcohol use in adults and older adolescents (Austin et al., 2003; Gullone & Moore, 2000; Kubicka, Matejcek, Dytrych, & Roth, 2001; Markey, Markey, & Tinsley, 2003; Musgrave-Marquart & Bromley, 1997). Furthermore, studies have also found that the age at which one reaches puberty has been linked to participation in risky behaviors, specifically alcohol use (Felson & Haynie, 2002; Ge, Conger, & Elder, 2001; Graber, Lewinsohn, Seeley, & Brooks-Gunn, 1997; Sonis, Comit, & Blue, 1985; Stice, Presnell, & Bearman, 2001). The current study examined the personality factors of Extraversion, Openness to Experience, and Conscientiousness, pubertal onset, and alcohol usage (underaged drinking and intoxication). One hundred boys in the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades and their parents were randomly selected to serve as participants in the study. The boys completed the Self-Rating Scale for Pubertal Development (Carskadon & Acebo, 1993), Adolescent Risk Behavior Questionnaire (Gullone & Moore, 2000), and a revised version of the NEO-Five Factor Inventory (Costa & McCrae, 1992). It was hypothesized the three personality factors of Conscientiousness, Extraversion, and Openness to Experience would significantly predict the level of alcohol usage in boys. Specifically, lower scores on the Conscientiousness Scale, higher scores on the Extraversion, and higher scores on the Openness scales would be predictors of underaged drinking and intoxication in boys. Second, it was hypothesized that the level of pubertal development would significantly predict of alcohol involvement. More specifically, higher scores on the Pubertal Development Scale would significantly predict underaged drinking and intoxication in boys. Finally, it was expected that scores obtained from the Conscientiousness, Extraversion, and Openness scales would interact with scores obtained on the Pubertal Development Scale and significantly predict underaged drinking and intoxication. Standard regressions were conducted to examine the hypotheses. Results of the regression analysis indicated that the overall model (pubertal development) significantly predicted underaged drinking and intoxication, but accounted for only 10% variance in underaged drinking and 13% in intoxication.

Samples from three populations, Alcoholics Anonymous members, inpatient alcoholics and non-alcoholics, were compared for the level of manifestation of the need for socialized power and personalized power. The comparison of these groups on a Q sort technique developed for this study indicated that the sample of Alcoholics Anonymous members was significantly higher in the need for socialized power than either the sample of inpatient alcoholics or the sample of non-alcoholics. The level of socialized power concern of the inpatient alcoholic group did not differ significantly from that of the non-alcoholic group. The inpatient alcoholic group was found to be significantly higher in the need for personalized power than either the Alcoholics Anonymous sample or the non-alcoholic sample. The non-alcoholic group and the Alcoholics Anonymous group did not show a significant difference in the level of personalized power concern. The Alcoholics Anonymous group showed a significantly greater concern for socialized power over personalized power, as did the non-alcoholic sample. No significant difference between personalized power concerns and socialized power concerns was found for the inpatient alcoholic group.

Intravenous application of high dose of capsaicin to the rat stimulates C-fiber neurons that innervate the airways to release tachykinins that produce acute inflammation in the mucosal tissue. Large amount of extravasated plasma is retained underneath the tracheal epithelium to form edema. Substance P (SP) is the most important inflammation-producing peptide of tachykinin family. The present study was to investigate time-dependent formation and remission of edema induced by SP (3 µg/ml/kg) by the use of digital morphometric analysis of montages of tracheal cross sections. Furthermore, 3-dimensional reconstruction of serial tracheal sections was carried out to analyze the relative distribution of subepithelial edematous loci. Two edema indexes were designated for evaluation of the status of edema. Edema length ratio was the ratio of the total length of edematous loci to the circumference of a tracheal section. Edema area ratio was the ratio of the total area of edematous loci to the area of tracheal epithelium and associated edema. The degree of edematous status in the mucosa exhibited a time-dependent change. Five min after application of SP, edema length ratio and edema area ratio in the trachea were 35.80¡Ó1.42% and 16.28¡Ó2.51%, that were 7.6 and 7.9 times, respectively, the values of vehicle control group. At 1 h after SP, edema length ratio and edema area ratio declined to 16.40¡Ó2.46% and 8.00¡Ó1.60%, 2.2 and 2.8 times the values of control, but still significantly different (P < 0.05). At 24 or 72 h after SP, the values of edema were not significantly different (P > 0.05) from the control values. Three- dimensional reconstruction study showed that, in the trachea of rats 5 min after receiving SP, there were many subepithelial edematous loci, evenly distributed along the inner circumference of trachea. They were interconnected. The number of edematous loci decreased drastically by 1 h after SP. Loci of edema were rarely found 24 or 72 h after SP. The close association of edema to the tracheal epithelium suggests that the mucosal surface may be the site for elimination of edema fluid.

Texte remanié de: Diss.--Philosophische Fakultät I--Universität Zürich. / Bibliogr. p.3001-313. Index.

Thesis (PHD)--University of Montana, 2009. / Contents viewed on December 22, 2009. Title from author supplied metadata. Includes bibliographical references.