Problems associated with drugs have been in the spotlight consistently. There are a lot of people that criticize celebrities who have been implicated in drug scandals because they know the drugs are banned by law. However, many persons don’t know why these drugs are illegal while alcoholic drinks and cigarettes are legal. Also, because of a lack of information, many people do not know what effect these illegal drugs have on the body. Adding to the confusion, in some countries, some drugs that are banned here are legal, and there are a lot of questions about why they let their citizens buy the drugs legally. Therefore, the Pharos investigated the problems of illegal drugs, and the laws and social events associated with them.

  Before looking into the celebrities’ narcotic problem, let’s check the kinds and characteristics of the drugs. According to the 「Narcotics Control Act」 Article 2 ①, “The term ‘narcotics’ means narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and marijuana.” Narcotics are basically divided into two types, natural drugs and designer drugs. Natural drugs are also divided into opium alkaloid kinds and cocaine alkaloid kinds. Among the opium kinds, there are opium, morphine, heroin and all of them originate from the extract of a poppy. When you take the opium kinds of drugs, you become drowsy and feel high, but the effect time is short and there is a great risk of toxicity. The cocaine kinds of drugs originate from the coca leaf. Since they have an anesthetic property and disseminate quickly in the body, they are commonly used as a painkiller. Cocaine causes excitement and arousal, but the effect time is very short, often under 30 minutes. Designer drugs are chemically composed drugs, which are classified by their chemical molecular structure. So far, 73 kinds have been found. Pethidine and methadone are well known ones. Psychotropic substances trigger hallucinations and they are separated into hallucinogens (LSD), stimulant (philopon) and sedatives. Psychotropic substances are highly effective so that UN restricts them very carefully. Marijuana is extracted from hemp, and it is divided into marijuana, churrus and hashish. Marijuana-based drugs can make one sensitive enough to have hallucinations.

 Recently, some celebrities belonging to YG Entertainment have been caught up in a drug-related controversy. YG has received a lot of public attention due to drug issues, being called a “pharmacy.” However, despite the publicity surrounding YG, problems of drug abuse in show business are far more serious than has been exposed. “Burning Sun Gate” is a good example of this problem. Moreover, recently, a guilty sentence was given to Yucheon Park, who was charged with a narcotic’s offense, and Hana Hwang, a grand-daughter of the founder of Namyang, was with him when he was shooting up philopon. They were sentenced to ten months’ imprisonment and two years’ probation. As these examples indicate, from superstars to ordinary people, problems with narcotics are very serious and widespread. Then, why are do they start taking drugs? One of the credible reasons is that they have become more accessible than before thanks to the development of the internet. Now, even teenagers are able to purchase drugs through the internet. To speculate on why diverse groups are using drugs, it might be that celebrities want to have the feeling of joy they once received through the attention of fans by taking drugs. The rich might be contacted by drug dealers because of their money, or they may have a sense of privilege that makes them think that drug use should be excused for them. Ordinary people might want to escape from their powerless lives through drugs. Whatever the reasons might be, drug addiction ruins one’s life, and it is very hard to recover from it.

 What is the reason for prohibiting the use of certain drugs when becoming ill or addicted to drugs is a private matter? If it is because of addiction and disease, why do they not ban alcoholic drinks and cigarettes? WHO defines prohibited drugs as ones that “Cause injury to society, not just the individual.” The first difference between drugs, alcoholic drinks and cigarettes is their influence on society. Drug addiction is very difficult to recover from, and the experts say that while alcoholic drinks and cigarettes are bad for people, they do not have a negative influence on society. Also, the experts say about problems caused by drunken persons, that they are just individual mistakes, so it is difficult to see them as a social disease.

 In Korea, almost every recreational drug is illegal, but marijuana is legal in Holland, Canada and other contries. Then, why are the drugs that cause social problems legal in these countries? First, according to the Doctors Association of the UK, marijuana doesn’t ruin one’s health. Unless used excessively, (680kg in 15 minutes) marijuana is a safer substance than alcoholic drinks, cigarettes, and tranquilizers. Also, although there is some social controversy, marijuana typically does not have a negative effect on society. The people who claim that marijuana is linked with social crime say that teenagers who use it have a higher crime rate than those who do not. Therefore, in their view, marijuana promotes criminal activity. People who take the opposing view argue that if marijuana is illegal, the crime rate of people who consume marijuana is high only because they are caught with the substance; therefore, marijuana-reacted crimes and social crimes are separate. Also, dependence on marijuana is lower than on nicotine or alcohol. According to some research, if the dependence on nicotine is 6, then that of marijuana is 1. If marijuana is not a danger to society’s safety, why is marijuana illegal in a lot of countries? Many people think of marijuana as an “introductory drug” because people who use marijuana are more likely to use cocaine and heroin than the average person. Also, marijuana causes a productivity decline by lowering the power of locomotion exponentially, and it causes heart disease. A first-time user of marijuana might experience a panic disorder. In fact, in the U.S., people often call 911 because they think that they might die from the panic disorder caused by marijuana inhalation.

 Illegal drug use has to be eradicated because it is a shortcut to ruin not only of a person’s health but also society’s health. The beginning of addiction to drug use is almost always curiosity. The Pharos hopes that you will not ruin your life because you couldn’t overcome a moment of curiosity. Maybe there are students who are addicted to drugs already; please get to a recovery clinic and don’t be afraid of punishment. Kyonggi University students have to constantly be awareness of the dangers of drugs and always be careful.