Raili Brush

Jeff Yancey
Health 1050
4th May 2020

Reflection Paper Spring 2020

This semester we went through 6 modules and learned about different types of drugs.
Both legal and illegal. I learned a great deal about where they come from, why they exist and
how they play a role in the everyday lives of people around the world.
This course has impacted the way that I view many different things. From the fear that
some may have, to how others are trying to help.
Module one was about drug cartels and the dangers that come with cartels. The second
module was about Heroin and Opiates, or, narcotics. These are drugs that can be prescribed by
doctors to alleviate pain. However, these drugs are very often abused. These drugs slow the
body down, making the user feel calm and relaxed. Opiates are euphoric drugs, which is part of
why they are abused, users end up chasing that first euphoric feeling. The module I found most
interesting was the third, we learned about cocaine. How small farmers in Columbia grow the
illegal substance rather than growing other crops because the coca crop brings in more money
and is easier to transport. This shed a lot of light on how and why cocaine is produced. It is a
large source of income for families. I hadn’t ever thought of why people choose to participate in
growing it until this course. We learned about marijuana, I did not know how vastly it can be
used to help people medically. Patients going through chemotherapy often have terrible side
effects, marijuana has shown to help reduce nausea and vomiting for these patients. The fifth
module was about tobacco. How addictive it is and how nasty tobacco companies are. Tobacco
companies target young people and make billions in doing so. Lastly, we discussed alcohol and
the negative effects it has on not only your body, but those around you. Alcohol, like tobacco, is
legal. However, like tobacco, alcohol can be detrimental. Alcohol - when too much is consumed
- negatively affects your liver, pancreas, brain and heart.
I learned a lot of empathy in this course. I learned that we do not all come from the same
place, we all have different backgrounds and different ways we have grown up. I learned the
different ways participating in drugs can negatively affect your life and the lives of those around
you. In the future, I have the knowledge needed to make smart decisions.
I found some ties with my political science course. In my political science course we
discussed drug regulations and laws. Regulations on prescription drugs, such as narcotics, as
well as laws on illegal drugs. Personally, I believe we need to loosen the reins on some drugs,
and tighten them on others. Alcohol and tobacco are huge issues in this country that don’t seem
to get nearly as much attention as marijuana. Marijuana is a drug that can be abused, but it has
also proven to be a drug that has many benefits. We continue to prescribe extremely addictive,
artificial drugs, yet, a natural, less addictive drug is illegal in most states.
Overall, I enjoyed this course. I will recommend it to my peers and will take everything I
learned here with a grain of salt. It's been a fun, interactive class with topics that more people
should know about.