The problem of substance abuse is quite prevalent in Miami and it affects almost all demographics. However, substance abuse in black women who are aged between 25 and 55 years is rarely considered an issue of major concern and it is often relegated to the background.
The effects of substance abuse among women are manifested differently than in men and the youth in general. Most of my encounters with cases of substance among women who are aged between 25 and 55 in Miami are often directly connected to other demographical subcategories. For instance, substance abuse in Miami is quite prevalent among most of the sex workers in my neighborhood. Nevertheless, it is hard to decipher whether the women’s addiction came before their career choice or vice versa. In addition, it is likely that women from lower economic classes are more exposed to the problem of alcohol and drug abuse as opposed to females from other economic classes (Kurtz 7).
From my experiences, women from lower economic neighborhoods are often exposed to risk factors that might contribute towards their substance abuse habits such as joblessness and crime. Miami is a favorite spot for merry makers and tourists from all around the world. Consequently, I find that many people in Miami tend to adopt casual attitudes when it comes to their health and behaviors. The issue of drug abuse among black women is trivialized just like most of the other addiction issues that apply to the local population in Miami. Therefore, I see a need to evaluate the issue of substance abuse among black women in Miami albeit in a scientific capacity.
Research into this issue would have direct impacts on both victims and policy makers. For example, I have noticed that there are fewer drug rescue centers that target black women in Miami than in other cosmopolitan areas such as New York and California. However, most of the substance abuse trends that apply to Miami are similar to the ones in other urban neighborhoods in the states of California and Florida. My view is that Miami does not employ the necessary seriousness when it comes to substance abuse issues among women. Nevertheless, it is important to note that considerable research on substance abuse issues among the youth in Miami is available although it is not adequate.
Although black women aged 25 to 55 have all the necessary qualifications of being a minority group, their plight is often ignored because there are too many minority-groups in Miami. Another issue that I reckon to be worth noting is how black women relate to Miami’s drug economy. Furthermore, I am interested in knowing the substance abuse data that is available within Miami’s healthcare systems. Some of the other important factors that might have a direct impact on substance abuse issues among black women in the 25 to 55 age-bracket include sexual practices, social support systems, and institutional support (French and Martin 455). All these three factors have a major impact on the patterns that apply to substance abuse among black women in Miami. The overall goal of looking into the issues of substance abuse between among black women in Miami is to shed more light into this issue and come up with viable solutions to the abounding problems. It is also important to note that there is very scarce research on this issue.
References
French, Michael and Robert Martin. “The Costs of Drug Abuse Consequences: A Summary of Research Findings.” Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment 13.6 (2009): 453-466. Print.
Kurtz, Steven. “Prescription Drug Abuse among Ecstasy Users in Miami.” Journal of Addictive Diseases 24.4 (2011): 1-16. Print.