SIKH ISSUES
Drug / Alcohol Addiction
Introduction
Drug abuse/addiction is a serious public health problem that affects almost every community and family in some way, and is a major burden to society. The World Drug Report 2009 of the United Nations demonstrates that drugs are a problem that touches every nation.
The National Survey on Extent, Pattern and Trends of Drug abuse in India conducted by the Centre in collaboration with United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime indicated a high concentration of drug addiction in certain social segments and high-risk groups, such as, commercial sex workers, transportation workers and street children. An estimated 7.5 crore Indians are drug addicts and the number is going up significantly, spreading to semi-urban and backward areas, according to official figures.
In the United States, each year, drug abuse results in around 40 million serious illnesses or injuries among people. Drug abuse also plays a role in many major social problems, such as drugged driving, violence, stress and child abuse. Drug abuse can lead to homelessness, crime and missed work or problems with keeping a job. It harms unborn babies and destroys families.
As per information facts of the NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse), estimates of the total overall costs of substance abuse in the United States, including health- and crime-related costs as well as losses in productivity, exceed half a trillion dollars annually. This includes approximately $181 billion for illicit drugs, $168 billion for tobacco, and $185 billion for alcohol. Staggering as these numbers are, they do not, however, fully describe the breadth of deleterious public health and safety implications, which include family disintegration, loss of employment, failure in school, domestic violence, child abuse, and other crimes
Effective Treatment Approaches
What people often underestimate is the complexity of drug addiction – that it is a disease that impacts the brain and, because of that, stopping drug abuse is not simply a matter of willpower. There are different types of treatment for drug abuse. But the best is to prevent drug abuse in the first place.
No single treatment is appropriate for all individuals, and treatment needs to be readily available. Medication and behavioral therapy, alone or in combination, are aspects of an overall therapeutic process that often begins with detoxification, followed by treatment and relapse prevention. Easing withdrawal symptoms can be important in the initiation of treatment; preventing relapse is necessary for maintaining its effects. And sometimes, as with other chronic conditions, episodes of relapse may require a return to prior treatment components. A continuum of care that includes a customized treatment regimen, addressing all aspects of an individual’s life, including medical and mental health services, and follow up options (e.g., community- or family-based recovery support systems) can be crucial to a person’s success in achieving and maintaining a drug-free lifestyle.
Drug prevention initiatives are an important area of policy in the field of prevention. Communication programmes such as ‘FRANK’ in England and ‘Know the Score’ in Scotland, provide information and advice to young people and their families. And, drug prevention is part of the national curriculum and most schools have a drug education policy and guidelines on dealing with drug incidents.
In spite of best efforts of governments of even advanced countries, the situation is far from under control. And, in a country like India, where alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, etc., are easily available over the counter, even to minors, the severity of the situation can be well grasped. As such, each of us must experience a sense of responsibility to address this evil within our societies.
Let us pool our views/ideas, which are practicable, about how each one of us can contribute towards addressing drug abuse/addiction in our society.