Introduction
Deviant behaviors vary in their type, intensity, and effects on the community and individuals. However, among these deviance types, drug misuse represents the most nefarious one. Though the propensity to abuse drugs seemingly affects only the individual consuming them, it jeopardizes the lives of others as well, thus affecting the entire community.
The Labeling Theory Approach
By approaching the issue from the Labeling Theory standpoint, one will be able to focus on societal factors contributing to the problem, which, in turn, will allow resolving the concern.
Applying the Labeling Theory perspective shows recognizing that people misusing drugs are seen as dangerous and, therefore, pushed to commit crimes. Specifically, the label of a drug addict creates a premise for social ostracism aimed at the person misusing drugs, therefore minimizing the extent of opportunities for recovery for the person in question (Miles, 2022). As a result, one succumbs to using substances to an even greater extent, spiraling into dependency (Miles, 2022).
Moreover, the rapid development of social ostracism also contributes to limiting one’s social connections and, therefore, reducing the range of resources that one can use (Miles, 2022). Consequently, resorting to crime remains one of the few options that a person with a drug dependency can choose (Miles, 2022). Therefore, the crime cycle continues, representing a never-ending loop.
Conclusion
Since drug misuse causes an individual to become dangerous to society, the specified deviant behavior increases the risks for the entire community, which makes the specified type of deviance especially dangerous. Approaching the subject matter from the perspective of the Labeling Theory allows for addressing the concern of drug abuse as a product of prejudices. By minimizing the extent of biases toward people shaped by the specified affliction, one will encourage the development of a healthy community where the problem at hand is eliminated.
Reference
Miles, L. (2022). Introduction to sociology. Lumen Learning.