Drugs and Society: a global perspective

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2009:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

The subject will cover the following topics: definitions and categories of drugs; historical perspective on drugs and drug use; sources, characteristics, routes of administration and effects of key licit and illicit drugs; drugs as a development challenge; patterns of drug use in Asia, Australia and worldwide; health outcomes associated with the use of key licit and illicit drugs; drug use and other social problems; drug use and the global burden of disease; responses to drug use in Asia, Australia and worldwide. There will be practical reinforcement of teaching through site visits.

On completion of this subject, students will:

• be able to outline the sources, characteristics, routes of administration and effects of key drugs;
• have acquired an understanding of the processes of illicit drug manufacture and trafficking;
• have learnt about patterns of drug use in Australia, across the Asia-Pacific region, and worldwide;
• be able to describe the relative influences of major drug types on morbidity and mortality, including HIV/AIDS;
• understand the specific health outcomes associated with the use of the most important licit and illicit drugs, including understanding implications for the development of community-based responses; and
• be able to explain how use of licit and illicit drugs is linked to poverty, criminality and other social problems;
• be able to critique the policies and practical responses to drug use implemented in different countries at different stages of history.

One short critique of current journal article to be submitted a fortnight after last teach day (15%) One 1-hour exam on the last teaching day (20%) One 3000-word essay (60%) and individual and group participation (5%).

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

This subject is a Group 1 elective in the Master of Public Health.

SUBJECT QUOTA: 25