Taking into account the assumptions of the normalisation thesis and your own observations
of life at university and beyond, is illicit recreational drug use normal (mainstream) or deviant
(marginal) among young people in the United Kingdom today?  Question to answer
1200 words written text

– Pay close attention to the structure and flow of ideas in your plan; you need an
introduction stating your argument i.e. answer to the essay question, a main body
where you develop your analysis (identify relevant theories/concepts; discuss
examples and relevant facts to illustrate your points) and a conclusions paragraph to
summarise the key-findings in your analysis;
– Read widely around your chosen topics and read primarily academic literature the
essential and recommended reading lists in the module guide are a good starting
point for this;
– Focus on original arguments, ideas and examples that have not been necessarily
been covered in the lectures; aim to project deep comprehension and critical thinking
around the chosen question and topic, in your writing.
– You are in principle allowed to be roughly around 100 words above or under the word
limit but try to aim for precision.
– While there is no specific rule around the number of references you are expected to
use (you can write an excellent essay with 3-5 items in your bibliography and a poor
one with 50), a general orientative figure might be 10 citations/references used per
each 1,000 written words in an assignment.

Must be based on this reading:
The normalisation thesis 20 years later in Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy
Article  by Amy Eloise Pennay; Fiona Catherine Measham  2016 

These below would help a lot

Key concepts in drugs and society
Book  by Ross Coomber; Karen McElrath; Fiona Measham; Karenza Moore  2013 

Read chapter 1 (‘What is a drug/medicine?’), chapter 2 (‘Prevalence and trends in illicit drug use’) and chapter 3 (‘Why do people take drugs?’)

Drugs, intoxication, and society
Book  by Angus Bancroft  2009
Google Books Logo
See chapter 1, ‘Defining drugs in society’

European drug report: trends and developments
Document  by EMCDDA  2019 

Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
Legislation  Recommended

Drugs misuse: findings from the 2018/2019 Crime Survey from England and Wales
Document  by Home Office  2019  Recommended

The legacy of normalisation: The role of classical and contemporary criminological theory in understanding young people’s drug use in International Journal of Drug Policy
Article  by Fiona Measham; Michael Shiner  2009  Recommended

Drugs– without the hot air: minimising the harms of legal and illegal drugs
Book  by David J. Nutt  2012  Recommended

Illegal leisure: the normalization of adolescent recreational drug use
Book  by Howard J. Parker; Judith Aldridge; Fiona Measham  1998  Recommended
Google Books Logo

The Normalization of Sensible Recreational Drug Use in Sociology
Article  by Howard Parker; Lisa Williams; Judith Aldridge  2002  Recommended
Why we take drugs: seeking excess and communion in the modern world
Book  by Tom Yardley  2014  Recommended
See chapter 1 ‘Introduction’, Chapter 2 ‘Sacrificing the rational body; the transgressive economy of intoxication’ and Chapter 7 ‘Intoxication liminality and community formation’

Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs
Webpage

DrugWise
Website

European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction
Website

Drug misuse: findings from the 2018 to 2019 CSEW
Website

TalkingDrugs | Drug Information, Issues, Stories & News
Website

Transform Drug Policy Foundation
Website

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
Website

Volteface
Webpage

Pleasure, Freedom and Drugs in Sociology
Article  by Pat OMalley; Mariana Valverde  2004  Essential

Drugs, intoxication, and society
Book  by Angus Bancroft  2009  Recommended
Google Books Logo
See chapter 2, ‘Drugs and alcohol in historic perspective’

Unfair by Design: The War on Drugs Race, and the Legitimacy of the Criminal Justice System. in Social Research
Article  by Lawrence D Bobo; Victor Thompson  2006  Recommended

The war on drugs – a war on drug users? in Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy
Article  by Julian Buchanan; Lee Young  2000  Recommended

Drug policy under New Labour 1997-2010: Prolonging the war on drugs in Probation Journal
Article  by Julian Buchanan  2010  Recommended

Key concepts in drugs and society
Book  by Ross Coomber; Karen McElrath; Fiona Measham; Karenza Moore  2013  Recommended
See chapter 4, ‘Addiction’