The definition of toxicity
Questions:
(1) Define the definition of toxicity and explain the relationship it has with acute toxicity, effective dose, and the dose-response curve. (Be specific).
(1B) Discuss the historical and contemporary ‘social messages’ about drug use – especially as it relates to: tobacco, alcohol and other drugs. (be specific and give examples).
(2) Explain how we know the prevalence rates of drug use in the United States. What are the limitations of this method? Be sure to include the two major data sources, one of which measures drug abuse across the lifespan, and the other that looks at drug use trends among young people. Include two facts related to drug use trends.
(2B) The terms instrumental and recreational use, licit and illicit, and drug misuse and drug abuse are all intermingled, but it is important to understand what they mean individually and how they relate to each other. Define these terms and explain how they can relate to each other.
(2C) Briefly, describe the biopsychosocial model of examining drug use.
(3) Explain the ‘the funnel effect’ of the criminal justice system. How does it impact people of color?
(3B) Discuss the changes that have occurred regarding the sentencing for drug offenses and how they reflect the trends of drug use and abuse. Forecast the future trends and changes with rationale for the changes.
(3C) In your own opinion, which is more critical in understanding drug use: (1) physical dependence or (2) psychological dependence – and why?
(4) Discuss the laissez-faire attitude during the nineteenth century, and the implication that the United States was a dope fiend’s paradise.
(4B) Discuss the following in detail: (1) Narcotic Control Act of 1956, (2) Pure Food and Drugs Act of 1906, (3) The Harrison Act.
(4C) Why, in your opinion, is treatment critical to opioid users while incarcerated? (Be specific).
(5) Discuss some effective treatment models for substance use disorders. Give an example of each.
(5B) Briefly discuss the causation vs. correlation debate regarding drug use and crime. What are your thoughts about the link between drug use and crime?
(5C) Describe the four phases of the American criminal justice system.
Sample Solution
The definition of toxicity
Toxicity is the degree to which a substance (a toxin or poison) can harm humans or animals. Acute toxicity involves harmful effects in an organism through a single or short-term exposure. The dose-response relationship is an essential concept in toxicology. It correlates exposures with changes in body functions or health. In general, the higher the dose, the more severe the response. The dose-response curve is a visual representation of the response rates of a population to a range of doses of a substance. A threshold for toxic effect occurs at the point where the body`s ability to detoxify a xenobiotic or repair toxic injury has been exceeded. Most organs have a reserve capacity such that loss of some organ function does not result in decreased performance. For example, development of cirrhosis in the liver may not result in a clinical effect until over 50% of the organ has been replaced by fibrous tissue.
