Tallie (2020) has asserts, According to Montgomery et al (2020) for black individual’s research is still needed to find the most effective treatments for black individuals with substance use disorder. There is higher incidence for black populations experiencing substance related deaths and or disabilities (Montgomery et al, 2020). To bring about improvement in the United States regarding quality drug treatment The National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN) of the NIDA was developed (Montgomery et al, 2020). “There have been no reviews of the CTN to ensure that Black people are benefitting equitably from CTN research and or black individuals are frequently underrepresented in substance use treatment studies,
and when they are represented, researchers often fail to conduct moderator or subgroup analyses by race, which contributes to gaps in knowledge about substance use treatment for Blacks” (Montgomery et al, 2020, p. 117). It has been found that older age and high socioeconomic status issues are the main characteristics of blacks with substance use disorder entering drug treatment (Montgomery et al, 2020). The psychologist who conducted this study has found that in research there is limited representation of black populations and blacks with severe substance use disorder receive less treatment than whites with severe substance use disorder (Montgomery et al, 2020)”.
Substance use disorder has been found to be cormobid with psychiatric disorders obsessive compulsive disorder, major depressive disorders, social phobia, generalized anxiety, panic disorder, mania, dysthymia and or hypomania (Montgomery et al, 2020). It has been found that whites are more likely to have two or more cormobid disorders, than blacks (Montgomery et al, 2020). White women have been found to have more nightmares than black women (Montgomery et al, 2020). The results of the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale have indicated that blacks have lower baseline scores than whites and or when blacks are paired with black therapists, their symptoms of PTSD decreases (Montgomery et al, 2020). Blacks have been found to have lower symptoms of depressions and or decreased risk for suicide than Whites and or Hispanics (Montgomery et al, 2020).
Tallie, (2020) asserts, in a recent research by psychologist’s Burlew et al (2013), using black participants from the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network; it was found that there are inconsistences with black populations being successful in minimizing substance use disorder with Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET)/Motivational Interviewing (MI). It was found that Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) effect with African American clients with substance use disorder was determined by their readiness to change (RTC) (Burlew et al, 2013). “The underlying assumption is that behavior change proceeds in a progression of distinct stages: precontemplation (i.e., no perceived need for change), contemplation (i.e., some ambivalence about changing), preparation (i.e., resolved ambivalence enough to consider changing), action (i.e., taking steps toward change), and maintenance (i.e., implementing strategies to maintain behavior change)” (Burlew et al, 2013, p. 745). This study was also purposeful in determining how counseling as usual (CAU) was effective with black populations, which found that CAU may be more effective than MET groups, for individuals with a low RTC (Burlew et al, 2013)”. Montgomery et al (2020) examination indicated similar results, black individuals who were ready to change had less drug using days per week.
Blacks American’s Primary Drug of Choice
There is an opioid crisis in American, In Dallas, Texas it has been found that many blacks primary drug of choice is still crack cocaine. A dealer reported in the past six months, that his or her black customers are mostly requesting crack cocaine, with some form of opioids coming in second place. A dealer reported that currently his or her Mexican supplier is finding it difficult to obtain cocaine and his or her Mexican supplier is charging higher prices, 1200 an ounce (e.g. crack/cocaine), compared to 500 an ounce, for Heroin. He or She has to sell each crack cocaine rock for $20 dollars and or $25.00 dollars, instead of $5.00 or $ 10.00 for each crack cocaine rock. He or she is recommending, that individual’s buy larger quantities of cocaine, for a better profit. Do you think the increase in price of powder cocaine and or crack cocaine has impacted crime in Dallas, Texas?
Central Intelligence Agency (n.d.) argues the “United States is the world’s largest consumer of cocaine (shipped from Colombia through Mexico and the Caribbean), Colombian heroin, and Mexican heroin and marijuana; major consumer of ecstasy and Mexican methamphetamine; minor consumer of high-quality Southeast Asian heroin; illicit producer of cannabis, marijuana, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and methamphetamine and or money-laundering center”. Burlew et al, 2013 reported that blacks primary drug of choice was mainly marijuana at (18%), cocaine at (25.8%) and or alcohol at (26.3%) and or two or more drugs at 24.2 %). Montgomery et al (2020) argued that black’s use of opioids is less than Hispanics and or blacks experience less withdrawal symptoms and cravings than whites and Hispanics. Blacks are more likely than whites to smoke mental cigarettes and cigars.
Conclusion
Black American’s have been under represented in research relating to substance use disorder. Psychologists are aspiring to provide solutions to black individuals who have substance use disorder by evaluating research methods of the black population. Researchers can conduct research on how to enhance black individuals with substance use disorder readiness to change. The improvement of black individuals readiness to change, can lead to minimization of substance use disorder, minimization of relapse from drugs and or minimization of recidivism from crime. In a future article, I will discuss my solution for minimizing substance use disorder of Black Americans.
CBSDFW. (2019 July 19). Drug Smugglers On Pacific Ocean Get Prosecuted In North Texas. [You Tube]. https://youtu.be/4Fi05QP6I1k
Drug Enforcement Administration. (2019 April 24). Russell Wilson and Ciara’s TakeBack Day PSA (Closed Caption). https://youtu.be/n-SvpT2qrAQ
Drug Enforcement Administration. (2018 July 24). Smart Phone DEA 360 final.[You Tube]. https://youtu.be/LwZeBuBVSEs
Drug Enforcement Administration. (2019 April 24). Tom Joyner’s Take-Back Day PSA [You Tube]. https://youtu.be/6ENEmB7UAuY
Federal Bureau of Investigations. (2017 December 13). Milwaukee-Area Pharmacy Robberies. [You Tube]. https://youtu.be/vza2UZ3BX-Y
Federal Bureau of Investigations. (2018 April 4). Operation Targets Dark Web Drug Buyers [You Tube]. https://youtu.be/Pzg-BnrUYXI
FOX 4 News – Dallas-Fort Worth (2018 June 26). Dallas Police fighting K2. [You Tube]. https://youtu.be/nVXi-SMeYA8
National Geographic Channel. (2012 July 6).Greasy Cocaine | National Geographic[You Tube].https://youtu.be/dNthopipFHM
NBC10 Philadelphia. (2019 June 18).$1 Billion in Cocaine Seized at Philly Port, Crew Charged | NBC10 Philadelphia. https://youtu.be/UB5beRjAKmk
Washington Post. (2018 December 18). Addicted and left behind: the opioid epidemic killing African Americans [You Tube]. https://youtu.be/h2ujj3-QaDc
WFAA. (2020 February 20). DEA labels North Texas a ‘meth hub’ after major spike in drug seizures. [You Tube]. https://youtu.be/bjK11fHOYDk
Vice. (2018 December 12). Why Lean Became Rap’s Most Wanted Drug. [You Tube]. https://youtu.be/qoMkgbGDXxQ
References
Burlew, A. K., Montgomery, L., Kosinski, A. S., & Forcehimes, A. A. (2013). Does Treatment Readiness Enhance the Response of African American Substance Users to Motivational Enhancement Therapy? Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 27(3), 744–753.
CBSDFW. (2019 July 19). Drug Smugglers On Pacific Ocean Get Prosecuted In North Texas. [You Tube]. https://youtu.be/4Fi05QP6I1k
Central Intelligence Agency (2020). C.I.A World Factbook. United States Illicit Drugs. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html
Drug Enforcement Administration. (2019 April 24). Russell Wilson and Ciara’s TakeBack Day PSA (Closed Caption). https://youtu.be/n-SvpT2qrAQ
Drug Enforcement Administration. (2018 July 24). Smart Phone DEA 360 final.[You Tube]. https://youtu.be/LwZeBuBVSEs
Drug Enforcement Adminstration. (2019 April 24). Tom Joyner’s Take-Back Day PSA [You Tube]. https://youtu.be/6ENEmB7UAuY
Federal Bureau of Investigations. (2017 December 13). Milwaukee-Area Pharmacy Robberies. [You Tube]. https://youtu.be/vza2UZ3BX-Y
Federal Bureau of Investigations. (2018 April 4). Operation Targets Dark Web Drug Buyers [You Tube]. https://youtu.be/Pzg-BnrUYXI
FOX 4 News – Dallas-Fort Worth (2018 June 26). Dallas Police fighting K2. [You Tube]. https://youtu.be/nVXi-SMeYA8
Montgomery, L., Burlew, A. K., Haeny, A. M., & Jones, C. A. (2020). A systematic scoping review of research on Black participants in the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 34(1), 117–127. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1037/adb0000483.supp (Supplemental)
National Geographic Channel. (2012 July 6).Greasy Cocaine | National Geographic[You Tube].https://youtu.be/dNthopipFHM
National Harm Reduction Correlation (2020). Building power and equity with people who use drug. https://harmreduction.org/
NBC10 Philadelphia. (2019 June 18).$1 Billion in Cocaine Seized at Philly Port, Crew Charged | NBC10 Philadelphia. https://youtu.be/UB5beRjAKmk
Tallie, S. (2020). Week 5 Assignment. Psychology and Social Change. Walden University.
Washington Post. (2018 December 18). Addicted and left behind: the opioid epidemic killing African Americans [You Tube]. https://youtu.be/h2ujj3-QaDc
WFAA. (2020 February 20). DEA labels North Texas a ‘meth hub’ after major spike in drug seizures. [You Tube]. https://youtu.be/bjK11fHOYDk
Vice. (2018 December 12). Why Lean Became Rap’s Most Wanted Drug. [You Tube]. https://youtu.be/qoMkgbGDXxQ
S.R. Tallie Consulting Services and The Right Hand Persons LLc 