Drug Awareness - A pragmatic and sociality responsible option

Dr W Gulapi Singh *

OVER THE ages, societies throughout the world used certain substances that suppress pain and sorrows and also provide a pleasurable sensation. In many cultures, drugs are used in traditional religious rituals. Archaeological evidence indicates that cannabis cultivation dates back to at least 6000 B.C.

Invention of modern drugs has indeed revolutionized the treatment and management of a great number of diseases today. Some of the drugs which are otherwise very useful and even life saving are being abused by people particularly adolescents and young adults.

The abuse of drugs in its real sense is self administration of a drug/drugs for non-medical reasons in quantities and frequencies which may impair an individual's ability resulting in social, physical, emotional and economic harm. Drug abuse is the mother of drug dependence, addiction and many other drug related problems in the world today.

The consumption and injecting of illicit drugs is increasing around the world involving atleast 15 million people in over 130 countries. Our North-Eastern region under the District 322 D is not an exception and it has become a serious bio-psycho-social concern in the region. The problems has reached an alarming magnitude in recent years.

Factors associated with drug abuse, dependence & addiction:

A number off actors are contributive to the problem of which the following may be seen -
1. Host factor: People are increasingly unwilling to accept or tolerate even minor discomforts and looking to drugs for solution.
- Youths desire to experiment and experience the pleasure, the sense of adventure and self knowledge of the psychoactive drugs whose pleasurable properties are over projected y peer abusers.
- Social and psychological maladjustment resulting from personal handicaps of all sorts.

2. Social and environmental factors :
- relaxed parental control, broken homes and repeated familial disharmony,
- alienation from family and living away from home,
- unemployment and job dissatisfaction,
- leaving school early,
- migration to cities and towns,
- areas where drugs are sold, traded or produced
, - areas of high rates of crimes and immoral behaviour
, - areas where there are drugs using gangs and traffickers.

One or more of the above mentioned factors influence the individuals to abuse drug. Many of the adolescents and young adults are tempted to the so-called "drug culture" and they consider that taking alcohol and smoking are the symbols of adult behaviour and an elevated life-style. This "drug culture" is fast making inroads into the life of young people from all strata of our society.

Commonly abused drugs:

Many drugs have the capacity to create a strong habit in the user, making further use difficult to avoid. A dependent drug user or an addict invariably craves or cries out for the drugs. The following are commonly abused drugs:

I. Depressants: These reduce activity in central nervous system thus slowing down physical and cognitive process.
1. Alcohol (whisky, rum, gin, vodka, etc.)
2. Tranquillizers and sedatives (diazepam, oxazepam, alprazolam, etc.)
3. Hypnotics-Phenobarbitone, Methaqualone, (Podrom, Sleeping pill, Mendrex)

II. Stimulants: These increase activities in central nervous system making the user feel energetic-
1. Amphetamines (collective name). Street names - Speed, Pep pills, Ups.
2. Ecstasy (Methylendioxy methamphetamine) Street name @Doves, Fantasy,
3. Cocaine - Street name - coke, Charlie, snow
4. Cigarettes - Nicotine effect - many names,

III. Opiates : Produce relaxed state - most dangerous because of widespread use and rapid dependence
- opium, morphine, heroin, pethidine, metha done, codeine, dextropropoxyphene, etc.
Heroin (st. name - Gear, Skage, Horse, Junk) Brown Sugar ( st. name - brown sugar, smack)

IV. Psychedelic & Hallucinogens : alters sensory perception and consciousness.
Marijuana (st. name - grass, ganja, pot, weed) Hashish - (hashish)
Cannabis - (st. name - Blow, bhang, ganja, pot, dope) - contains Tetrahydrocannabinols (THC)

V. Other substances :
1. Volatile Solvents - paint thinners aerosol spray, petroleum products, chrome based paints, felt pens-abused by inhalation
2. Glue - Dendrite - by inhalation
3. Khaini, Zarda, Pan masala, Betel nut, etc - by ingestion
4. Anabolic steroids - by injection or ingestion

Of all the drugs/substances - the most important dependence producing drug is heroin ( diacetyl morphine) which is administered by injection, snorting (sniffing) or smoking.

Only a few administration can induce high physical addiction and lasting psychological dependence. Withdrawal symptoms are very distressing and severe enough that when the users obtain heroin, they may inject as rapidly as possible without concern for possible HIV, Hepatitis Band C risk.

The most important and devastating consequence of injecting heroin abuse is spread of HIV infection among the IDUs and further spread of the injection to the general populace through sexual & other routes. There are more than 28,000/- HIV infected person at present in Manipur alone as per records available as on November 2007.

It is such an infection that once it is contacted & confirmed, his/her years are counted and his/her life may end up in 5-15 years depending in the changed behaviour, nutrition and exercise. Similar scenario is possible in other N/E states as well if their sero-surviellence and sentinel surviellence systems are strengthened as done in Manipur.

Here, it will be worthwhile to mention few words about the vulnerability of our N.E. states as far as the drug trafficking & abuse is concerned. Throughout 1970s, the US led efforts imposed restrictions of drug trafficking through the south coast of South East Asia and closed down heroin factories in Philippines and Mediterranean.

New trafficking routes are opened up through northern Myanmar, across the Indian border through the N.E. Indian states of Manipur, Mizoram & Nagaland, and across the northern Indian states through Pakistan, Afghanistan to Europe. Refinement of opium into heroin moved back to the actual production countries especially to Myanmar. There are several advantages of trafficking heroin as oppose to opium :-
- it takes up less than tenth of opium volumes.
- more profitable
- it is ready for market and fewer middle men are involved
- purity of heroin of Golden Triangle is 70-- 90%, whereas that of
Golden Crescent is only 30-40% and so, profit is very high as the former can be adulterated with other identical powdery substances The changes in production, trafficking routes and distribution pattern have exposed new population of N .E. Indian States, who had not-used opiates and heroin before, to the dangerous drug both for consumption and for their trade. Hundreds of would be pillars of nation are now under the reign of heroin and are unable to escape from its clutches. The associating HIV infection is rampant. Tremendous human resources are being lost.

The unemployed youths and smugglers from all walks of life are tempted by the heroin trade. With the opening of Indo-Myanmar trade the drug trafficking will find easier ways and drug menace will continue to be looming large in the N.E. States Let us make all out efforts to make people aware of the present situation of drug related problems without further delay. Let us all see how best we can contribute in empowering them to stand up and say boldly. "No to drugs, Yes to Life"