Running head: DRUG USE AND VIOLENCE

Drug use and violence

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DRUG USE AND VIOLENCE

Many scholars have proposed the following three theoretical models to explain the
relationship between drug use in the United States and violence. These are the
psychopharmacological violence, systematic and economically compulsive frameworks (Nunes,
Laura & Sani, 2015). Their foundations show that there can be an overlap in the theories
although they remain more relevant in explaining the comparison between violence and
substance abuse.
The first theory is the Psychopharmacological model which shows that long-term or
short-term consumption of specific substances can cause changes in physiological functioning
that would alter a persons behavior making them either violent or become a victim of violence.
Its basis is evidence from previous researchers indicating links between drug use and some
violent acts. For instance, there are relatively high rates of rape and violent robbery among
alcohol consumers compared to those who do not drink alcohol (Nunes, Laura & Sani, 2015). As
such, intoxicated persons, especially in public places, can easily become victims of violence due
to their defenselessness or can cause violence because of enhanced courage.
The economic compulsiveness model is another theory founded on the evidence that drug
use promotes economically oriented violent activities. According to Nunes, Laura and Sani
(2015) the motivation of many drug users to commit violent crimes is to obtain money to
purchase drugs and not merely impulses resulting from intoxication, he also argues that drug
addicts avoid violent acquisition of more because it has severe punishment when caught by
authorities. The main reason is therefore not intoxication but the violent nature of drug business
resulting from many factors among them being fear, lack or possession of weapons and
competition among drug distributors.
The third framework is the systematic violence; the basis of this theory is the aggressive
patterns of involvement in the whole system of drug use, distribution and its markets. As found
by Nunes, Laura and Sani (2015) drug dealers use violence more often to enforce their norms, to

DRUG USE AND VIOLENCE

punish violators to the codes governing the business, in solving drug paraphernalia disputes and
elimination of informants. What causes this is the lawlessness among the dealers, as any legal
principles do not govern the business and to control their activities they have to use violence as
an alternative.
Because drug use and violence are important issues in the United States, the criteria for
collecting evidence for the theoretical foundations are the use of quality data and identifying risk
factors causing drug-associated violence at all levels.

References
Nunes, Laura M., and Ana Sani. "THE DRUG ADDICT AS A VICTIM: A LINK TO
EXPLORE." Journal of Drug Addiction, Education, and Eradication11.3/4 (2015): 333.