SOC 2520 - Drugs and Alcohol

3 cr. 3 hr. Day course offered annually. Also offered evenings.

In this course, students explore sociological issues revolving around drug and alcohol use and abuse in the American society. Topics of discussion include the socio-historical origins of drugs and alcohol use from a cross-cultural perspective; effects of formal organizations such as drug rehabilitation and alcoholic centers on drug users; and push factors such as family, work, and economic pressures, as they relate to chemical dependency. Also investigated are society’s drug problems in terms of legal and illegal drug use; medical versus recreational use of psychoactive drugs, alcoholic beverages, and tobacco; and definitions and classifications of psychoactive substances. B