SINCE 1987, June 26 is observed as the international day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking. Drug abuse is a serious public health problem that affects almost every community and family in some way. Each year drug abuse causes millions of serious illnesses or injuries among the countrymen. Abused drugs include amphetamines, anabolic steroids, club drugs, cocaine, heroin, inhalants, marijuana and prescription drugs.
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. There are different types of treatment for drug abuse. But the best is to prevent drug abuse in the first place.
Consumption of “new psychoactive substances” is on the rise worldwide, while consumption of traditional drugs appears to have stabilized, according to the newly released United Nations Drug Report. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 2013 World Drug Report details a rise in new psychoactive substances (NPS), which are not under international control due to their medical use or because they are new compounds which legislation has not yet caught up with.
The number of reported NPS is growing and has for the first time surpassed the total number of substances under international control. UN Member States reported the existence of 166 such substances in 2009 compared to 251 midway through 2012. The report also noted a steep rise in seizures of “designer drugs” such as ecstasy.
Examples of NPS include bath salts, ketamine (used for anesthesia), piperazine (a medicine for treating parasitic have worms), and synthetic cannabinoids, which provide a high similar to that of marijuana. South American countries were most affected by ketamine use, while salvia, a hallucinogenic plant, was also found to be popular in a host of other countries.
In contrast, consumption of traditional drugs such as heroin and cocaine were reported to have stabilized, though new markets for cocaine have emerged and the drugs use has increased globally.
In Bangladesh, the drug scenario is rather frustrating and alarmingly on rise. In effect, drug addiction is just eating up the life-vitals of the young generation. The youths are taking drugs out of frustrations since they are remaining unemployed over the years. Keeping bad peer-company, lesser family control and value degradation are further aggravating the crisis. Moreover, drug is now a big business – big neighbour India bring the prime source of supply – in the country. At micro-level, it is destroying many families – economically and socially and the victim is being ruined physically. Allegedly, the politicians and the law enforcers control the drug rings.
The best remedies for drug abuse remain effective and targeted counselling to those people who have a history of systematic abuse. With the support and care of family members the addiction can be cured or at least be turned down to a level where the abuser does not self-destruct. Of course the more vital component of stopping addiction is to campaign against the abuses of drug taking-many such campaigns are going on in all parts of the world—the effects vary, as the UN Report shows, as controlling demand will ensure that supply reduces or does not exist. It is alarming that while the abuse of some drugs has gone down, others have gone up. Ultimately it is the individual who must determine that drugs are a pathway to self-destruction.
