THE PHARMACY PROFESSIONS REACTION TO SUBSTANCE-ABUSE AMONG PHARMACISTS - THE PROCESS AND CONSEQUENCES OF MEDICALIZATION

This analysis traces the evolution of the pharmacy professions's react ion to problematic drug and/or alcohol use among its members. Historic al events, scholarly literature, and the prevailing attitudes and perc eptions of the pharmacy profession's governing bodies are drawn upon t o illustrate how the profession has come to adopt a medical model orie ntation to the problem. The underlying assumptions and implications of this medical model orientation are critically considered as they rela te to the profession's social control of existing drug and or alcohol use. It is suggested that the pharmacy profession and the scholarly co mmunity reconsider the way in which they approach the issue of impaire d pharmacists. Specifically, the pharmacy profession needs to closely consider the impact that macro-level issues such as the conditions wit hin the work environment and the processes of professional as well as occupational socialization have upon the nature and dynamics of ubstan ce abuse among its members.