Impact Of Market Forces On Addictive Substances And Behaviours

"Impact of Market Forces on Addictive Substances and Behaviours examines the 'web of influence' formed by industries which manufacture and sell addictive products and trade associations and policy intermediaries such as lobbyists and think tanks in the EU. Using a new dataset on these corporate networks, it quantifies the strength of the connections between the actors in these webs, and uses this data to guide qualitative studies on the content of corporate strategy and, specifically, on corporations' attempts to 'capture' policy and three crucial ancillary domains: science, civil society, and the news and promotional media."--

Conventional wisdom once held that the demand for addictive substances like cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs was unlike that for any other economic good and, therefore, unresponsive to traditional market forces. Recently, however, researchers from two disparate fields, economics and behavioral psychology, have found that increases in the overall price of an addictive substance can significantly reduce both the number of users and the amounts those users consume. Changes in the "full price" of addictive substances—including monetary value, time outlay, effort to obtain, and potential penalties for illegal use—yield marked variations in behavioral outcomes and demand. The Economic Analysis of Substance Use and Abuse brings these distinctive fields of study together and presents for the first time an integrated assessment of their data and results. Unique and innovative, this multidisciplinary volume will serve as an important resource in the current debates concerning alcohol and drug use and abuse and the impacts of legalizing illicit drugs.

Impact of Addictive Substances and Behaviours on Individual and Societal Well-being outlines an innovative and fascinating new framework for understanding the harm that addictive substances and behaviours can cause. Taking a holistic approach and with well-being as a central tenet, it demonstrates how using different methods can lead to a more just and evidence-based approach to dealing with addictions. Presenting the latest and most comprehensive research, the expert team of authors examines the harm caused by addictive substances and behaviour, factors that contribute to addictions, and current European approaches to governing addictive substances and behaviours. It is both legal and illegal drugs, and behaviour that cause harm. For the world as a whole, cigarettes were the second largest cause of ill health and early death in 2010, alcohol the fifth, and illegal drugs the eighteenth. Regular and sustained heavy engagement in addictive substances and behaviour also impacts on quality of life and material living conditions. The well-being framework outlined here for understanding this impact places particular emphasis on the reciprocal relationship between well-being and drug use: well-being can be a driver of the heavy use of addictive substances and behaviours, and also compounds the harm done. Furthermore, the response of society can increase the harm caused by drug use, and stigma, social exclusion, and the actions of the criminal justice system can impair individual and societal well-being considerably. Impact of Addictive Substances and Behaviours on Individual and Societal Well-being is based on the research from ALICE RAP, a multidisciplinary European study of addictive substances and behaviours in contemporary society. A timely addition to the field, this book is essential reading for those wanting to make a real impact in the field of addiction prevention policy, including public managers, practitioners, public health professionals, and stakeholders influencing policy for addictive substances and behaviours, as well as academics.

Addictions have increased markedly in contemporary societies over the past decades. As well as widely acknowledged issues surrounding illegal substance addictions, there are increasing numbers of problems related to behavioural addictions such as the use of legal substances such as antidepressants and amphetamines. These addictions are concerning for a range of public policy fields, not least, public health and social cohesion. As a result, cohesive governance of addictive substances and behaviours is paramount to future public policy. This book is based on the findings of a five year, multidisciplinary project (Addictions and Lifestyles in Contemporary Europe - Reframing Addictions Project) studying the pace and impact of addictions in Europe, and is the concluding volume in the Governance of Addictive Substances and Behaviours series. Authored by 11 leading figures in the fields of public health, psychology, sociology, psychiatry, addiction studies, epidemiology, and social and public policy, the book takes a truly comprehensive approach to the study of the current state of addiction governance in Europe and proposals for a future governance framework. No one country has yet got governance polices right. The project's outcome is a plan for the redesign of addictions governance, which includes amendments to key metrics used in research, promoting individual-level to society-level scope of understanding in policy approaches, and bringing the impact of dependency on societal well-being to the fore. New Governance of Addictive Substances and Behaviours is an unprecedented study, both in terms of international reach and scope of issues addressed. It will be a key resource for anyone with an interest in research-driven European policy change in public health and the field of addictive substances and behaviours.

Presenting the findings of a five year project studying the pace and impact of addictions in Europe, this work deconstructs the failures and promises of European governance polices for reducing the harm done by legal and illegal drugs and posits a nine point plan as a way forward to redesign addictions governance

The multifaceted nature of harmful substance use and gambling requires interdisciplinary analysis to assess the underlying causes. This work draws together evidence from 12 disciplines including anthropology, genetics, neurobiology, and public policy. Using a developmental approach, the book presents evidence on the factors that influence such behaviours

Estimates indicate that as many as 1 in 4 Americans will experience a mental health problem or will misuse alcohol or drugs in their lifetimes. These disorders are among the most highly stigmatized health conditions in the United States, and they remain barriers to full participation in society in areas as basic as education, housing, and employment. Improving the lives of people with mental health and substance abuse disorders has been a priority in the United States for more than 50 years. The Community Mental Health Act of 1963 is considered a major turning point in America's efforts to improve behavioral healthcare. It ushered in an era of optimism and hope and laid the groundwork for the consumer movement and new models of recovery. The consumer movement gave voice to people with mental and substance use disorders and brought their perspectives and experience into national discussions about mental health. However over the same 50-year period, positive change in American public attitudes and beliefs about mental and substance use disorders has lagged behind these advances. Stigma is a complex social phenomenon based on a relationship between an attribute and a stereotype that assigns undesirable labels, qualities, and behaviors to a person with that attribute. Labeled individuals are then socially devalued, which leads to inequality and discrimination. This report contributes to national efforts to understand and change attitudes, beliefs and behaviors that can lead to stigma and discrimination. Changing stigma in a lasting way will require coordinated efforts, which are based on the best possible evidence, supported at the national level with multiyear funding, and planned and implemented by an effective coalition of representative stakeholders. Ending Discrimination Against People with Mental and Substance Use Disorders: The Evidence for Stigma Change explores stigma and discrimination faced by individuals with mental or substance use disorders and recommends effective strategies for reducing stigma and encouraging people to seek treatment and other supportive services. It offers a set of conclusions and recommendations about successful stigma change strategies and the research needed to inform and evaluate these efforts in the United States.

This volume examines the temporal and spatial variances of addiction behaviours in European societies, illustrates the intertwining of regional and global trends in behaviours, and sets out a framework for understanding the roles played by different social actors.