Health Care

Article Review

The most interesting aspect learned from Chapter 1 is that the prevalence of licit and illicit drug use has remained consistent since 1988 (Hanson, Venturelli & Fleckenstein, 2018). This means that the trend has been somehow the same since the highlighted period. One of the factors that have shaped this trend is the fact that most of the global population consumes drugs in one way or the other. For example, when someone occasionally visits a chemist to purchase pain relievers, this can be deemed drug use. The other perspective that has supported this trend is the availability of licit and illicit drugs. There was a range of drugs being offered to potential consumers in the market in the past. Today, there exist numerous forms of licit and illicit drugs that consumers seek from various providers. These approaches shape a better understanding of the consistent prevalence of drugs since the old times to the contemporary setting.

Learning about the consistent trend of the usage of licit and illicit drugs lays the foundation for informed decision-making processes. For example, medical stakeholders can limit access to over-the-counter drugs to prevent consumers from misusing these products. They should be motivated to visit healthcare providers who can later recommend the right medication for use and within the appropriate quantities. Also, as far as illicit drugs are concerned, governments should introduce quality measures to limit their production and sale in the market. These strategic courses of action can limit the prevalence of both drugs. This protects global consumers against adverse outcomes associated with these drugs. Overall, this was an important insight learned from the article because it provides room for improved consumer health and safety.

Reference

Hanson, G., Venturelli, P., & Fleckenstein, A. (2018). Drugs and Society. Jones & Bartlett Publishers.