| It has been more than forty two years since | | | | because of evil persons, evil groups, evil |
| Dr. Marie Nyswander and Vincent P. Dole, a | | | | values. Yet...much of what is associated with |
| husband and wife team, announced a scientific | | | | our social problems is closely related to |
| breakthrough which was considered, at that | | | | things we deem good. (J.M. Martin and J.P. |
| time, the most advanced step in the American | | | | Fitzpatrick, Delinquent Behaviors, Random |
| Medical community. This advanced discovery | | | | House, New York, 1964, pg 5).In a further |
| was a synthetic drug that would enhance | | | | search of the litersture, I found that |
| medical supervision of drug addicts and their | | | | sociologists Peter L. Berger, Emile Durkheim, |
| heroin addiction. Dole and Nyswander | | | | Robert Merton, and Max Weber all discuss this |
| indicated that the use of methadone by heroin | | | | sociological dysfunction. To improve our |
| addicts appeared to alleviate their hunger | | | | understanding of the drug problem, we should |
| for heroin, thus reducing the necessity for | | | | view it from the sociologist's platform. In |
| crime against property; and the need for | | | | other words, we must be knowledgeable of how |
| addicted individuals to enlist new converts | | | | the problem is sustained through social and |
| to the drug culture. "Methadonia," a | | | | political interaction. For example, Peter |
| documentary by filmmaker, Michel Negroponte, | | | | Berger informs us that a sociological problem |
| recently aired on HBO created a renewed | | | | is quite different from a social problem. |
| interest in the synthetic opiate methadone. | | | | Social problem is the official interpretation |
| During the 1960's methadone was used | | | | and explanation when something in society |
| primarily to block the euphoric effect of | | | | does not work the way it should. The |
| heroin addiction and to alleviate the | | | | sociological problem, on the other hand, is |
| symptoms of withdrawl from heroin. Mr. | | | | understanding the social interaction. |
| Negroponte's film focused mainly on | | | | Therefore, it is not important why something |
| recovering addicts at the New York Center for | | | | goes wrong, according to the authorities, but |
| Addition Treatment Services, which is located | | | | how the system works as a unit; and by what |
| on Broadway at Houston Street.The 90 minutes | | | | means it is held together.To echo Berger once |
| film followed the addicts through their murky | | | | again, he further points out that, the |
| world of addiction while respecting their | | | | fundamental sociological problem is not crime |
| efforts to stay clean. The film also shows | | | | but the law, not divorce but marriage, not |
| how methadone can lead to an addiction worse | | | | racial discrimination but racial |
| than heroin or other addictive drugs. The | | | | stratification, not revolution but goverment. |
| documentary highlighted a trend in which | | | | If we accept Berger's concept then the |
| methadone users often develop secondary | | | | foundamental sociological problem in this |
| additions to prescription drugs. These | | | | instance is not addiction but methadone.In |
| prescription drugs, combined with methadone, | | | | light of this theory we may conclude that the |
| produce a euphoric rush and, too often, an | | | | drug problem in the United States is a |
| addiction that is more life-threatening than | | | | sociological problem and not a social problem |
| caused by heroin addiction. Before proceeding | | | | as it is commonly defined by authorities. It |
| further, my readers should understand what | | | | appear the problem is born out of the |
| methadone is. Methadone is a synthetic | | | | unenforceable laws and ineffective political |
| chemical discovered by Germany during World | | | | bureaucracies, and not the inherent qualities |
| War II, when their supply of pain killing | | | | of individuals. Naturally certain personality |
| opiates were in short supply. Today, in some | | | | types such as the passive-dependent are |
| instances, it continues to be used as a | | | | disproportionately associated with addiction. |
| pain-killer. Methadone is addictive as is all | | | | These personality types and their association |
| other opiates such as heroin, demerol, | | | | with drug use are often explained by the |
| morphine, barbituates, and alcohol. | | | | socio-psychological process leading to |
| Therefore, abuse or over-use of these drugs | | | | addiction.Historically, this society has been |
| will result in two major consequences; (1) | | | | inundated with bureaucratic decisions to |
| systemic bodily tolerance, and (2) specific | | | | institute criminal law to regulate private |
| physical withdrawal symptoms that occur with | | | | morality.In 1914 the Harrison Act, was passed |
| discontinued use.Since the discovery of | | | | to control all opiates. This legislation |
| methadone, the treatment of drug addiction in | | | | defined all addicts as criminals and many |
| the United States has reached the level of | | | | doctors prescribing opiates as law violators. |
| mega business. It is now an intrinsical part | | | | The limited effectiveness of the law is often |
| of the Nation's economy, and becoming more | | | | seen as the first step in the |
| entrenched each day. In the process, the | | | | institutionalization of drug use as a |
| intimate doctor/patient relationship | | | | socially created evil. Later, the Marijuana |
| originally sought in the methadone clinic | | | | Tax Act and other punitive regulations |
| been overturned. In its place is the current | | | | compounded this effect. These ineffective and |
| interest in Medicaide reimbursement; client's | | | | inappropriate legislations represent an |
| return visits, and policing clients for | | | | attempt by moral entrepreneurs to control |
| strict adherence to drug | | | | social morality.Sociologists has concluded |
| abstinence.Unintended, Unforeseen | | | | that the social cost of seeking criminal law |
| Consequences in Society It would appear that | | | | solution to control social morality greatly |
| the chemists, who discovered methadone, and | | | | outweighs any social benefits that might |
| those who introduced methadone to the United | | | | result. If we examine the situation very |
| States in 1947, intended its use to ease the | | | | carefully, we will discover that the same |
| pain and suffering that was the by-product of | | | | kind of bureaucratic decision making |
| war and injury. Dole and Nyswander intended | | | | philosophy is at work in an effort to resolve |
| goal was to used methadone to stem the tide | | | | the drug problem. The difference this time is |
| of heroin addiction and its social ills in | | | | that the approach is not law but chemical; as |
| the United States. However, they could not | | | | witnessed by the widespread proliferation of |
| foresee methadone someday being partly | | | | methadone maintence clinics across the |
| responsible for society's further | | | | Nation.References:Berger, Peter L., |
| deterioration, socially, economically, and, | | | | Invitation to Sociology. New York, Doubleday |
| politically. This social phenomenon of | | | | Company, 1963.Weber, Max., The Protestant |
| unintended results of human action in society | | | | Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. New York, |
| is described by sociologist, Max Weber, | | | | Charles Scribner's & Sons, 1968.Dr. Smith is |
| Robert Merton, and Robert Nisbet. The | | | | a Psychologist and personal consultant with |
| American sociologist Robert Merton refers to | | | | over three decades of working with |
| this concept as manifest and latent | | | | individuals and groups, specializing in all |
| functions. The former are the desired and | | | | personal issues related to quality of life |
| intended function of social processes, and | | | | concerns. I have had broad successes working |
| the latter the unintended undesireable | | | | with individuals who had experienced Incest, |
| processes. Robert Nisbet, was most direct in | | | | and other Sexual Trauma, Adult Children of |
| explaining this theme:In the popular | | | | Alcoholics. These experiences often manifest |
| view...we have a tendency to think of social | | | | themselves symptomatically as depression, |
| problems as the consequence solely of evil or | | | | anxiety, stress, eating disorders, cigarette |
| undesireable elements. For centuries a large | | | | and related addictions, but more commonly |
| part of Western ethics has been based upon | | | | relationships are problematic on all levels. |
| the view that only good can come from good; | | | | For additional information contact Dr. |
| only evil from evil. If there is crime, it is | | | | |