"Drugs" and Australian laws

Essay by SyncopeHigh School, 11th gradeA-, November 2002

download word file, 6 pages 4.6

Self explanitory, fairly big in nice numbering system. got a good mark. its based on australian laws by the way.

[1.] Introduction

Drugs have been, and always will be a controversial issue in today's culture. They are the cause of a lot of debate and disagreement among many people in today's culture, and are a major influential force in countries all over the world today. In this assessment I will be talking about many different issues raised concerning drugs in our society.

[2.] Alcohol

Alcohol is a depressant drug and not a stimulant as many people think. Small quantities of alcohol cause people to become relaxed and lower their inhibitions. They feel more confident and often act in a more talkative manner. In larger quantities depressants can cause unconsciousness and death.

[2.1] Use in Australia

Alcohol is the most widely used drug in Australia. People drink to relax, celebrate and have fun.

Alcohol is part of most social occasions. One in two Australians (aged 20 to 59 years) drink alcohol at least once per week. In 1997 Australia had the second highest per capita consumption of absolute alcohol of the English speaking nations. In 1997, over 3,600 Australians died due to the effects of alcohol. This represents 16% of all drug-related deaths and 2.8% per cent of all deaths in Australia. Over two-thirds of teenagers were recent drinkers (consumed in last 12 months), with 3 in every 10 being regular drinkers (at least one day per week) and 4 in every 10 being occasional drinkers (less than one day per week). Male teenagers (33%) were more likely than female teenagers (27%) to be regular drinkers.

[2.2] Effects

The effects of any drug (including alcohol) differ from person to person. It depends on many factors such as how much you drink,