Drug Addiction and the Concept of Common Good

Running head: ESSAY
Assessment 3
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

ESSAY1
Introduction- Also referred to as substance dependence, drug addiction refers to a
condition that is characterised by the presence of strong urge in a person to consume drugs.
Addiction also comprises of incoherent behaviour from the affected people who find it
problematic to control drug consumption, and suffer from withdrawal symptoms when not
subjected to the drug for a substantial period of time (Everitt & Robbins, 2016). In other
words, when a person is called a drug addict, there generally occurs an out-of-control and
compulsive drug intake, despite adequate knowledge on the negative consequences that the
person might suffer, both mentally and physically. This essay will critique the global issue of
drug addiction, in relation to the concept of common good, and also propose ways for
addressing the challenge.
Common good- According to Pakaluk (2017) the common good has been identified as
a central concept in political philosophy and is imperative in making philosophical reflections
about private and public social life dimensions. It is a widely recognised fact that
consumption of drugs not only provide a sense of pleasure and euphoria, but is also regarded
as a major sin that reduces participation of the affected people in the civic responsibilities of
the society. The global prevalence of this issue can be accredited to the fact that harmful drug
usage results in an estimated 3.3 million deaths every year, and roughly 31 million
individuals suffer from drug abuse disorders (WHO, 2018). In addition, the World Health
Organization (2018) stated that there were 27 million person who died due to opioid use
disorder in the year 2016, and 450,000 individuals died the previous year, due to drug use.
Hence, the numbers for drug addiction and overdose are ever-increasing, and the issue
has occupied a centre stage in different presidential primaries. Furthermore, approaches and
policies that are capable of reducing the damage caused to the public good are infrequently
informed by medical evidences. Hence, adequate emphasis must be placed on the fact that
reducing harm is based on the notion that drug usage decisions are morally unbiased, and that

ESSAY2
the civilisation is indebted, out of compassion, and for the common good to lessen possible
damages from drug usage and overdose, as and when required.
Ways to address this problem- The Catholic Social Teaching (CST) encompasses
different spheres of life such as, spiritual, personal, political, and economic. Placing the
concept of human dignity at the centre, the CST principles are based on a holistic approach
for development (Bretherton, 2017). According to the principles, it is imperative for all
individuals to have enough access to the resources and goods of the society, with the aim of
crating provisions that allows them to live a purposeful and fulfilling life (Melé, 2016). In
addition, the rights of the person to private belongings and community possessions must be
well-adjusted with the requirements and desires of the vulnerable, underprivileged and
dispossessed population (Guitián, 2015). Therefore, the goal of common good can only be
accomplished if there occurs a collaborative work for enhancing the wellbeing of individuals
in the local community, and the wider world. It has often been noted that presence of social
disparity affects individuals from diverse groups in dissimilar ways, and operates to insure
that people who suffer from drug addictions have their privileges reverenced, counting in
their access to proper health care (Singhal, Tien & Hsia, 2016). Hence, the profession of
nursing entitles nurses to play a central role in the caring for people who are identified to be
drug addicts.
When individuals with drug addiction are approached and cared for by healthcare
providers with contempt and denunciation, the patients generally discard the care being
offered to them. In addition, Carliner, Delker, Fink, Keyes and Hasin (2016) stated that
negative behaviours such as, discrimination and disregard makes the drug addicts miss an
opportunity for learning and getting familiarised with the significant treatments. Hence,
showing respect towards the addicts, and maintaining their dignity is of utmost importance.
According to the CST principles, all human beings are formed in resemblance to God and