By Alex Byanyiko
The term drug is defined medically as any substance that affects the structure or functioning of a living organism when taken.
Drugs are taken for medical purposes which include prevention, diagnoses and treatment of diseases or relief of symptoms and, on the other hand, they are used, most times negatively, for social purposes which include for relief of fatigue, boredom, anxiety or pressure, for enhancing physical and, or mental ability and for other recreational activities[i].
Even though, sometimes, the use of some prescription drugs for medical purposes can also lead to abuse and addiction, the major cause of drug addiction results from the use of psychoactive substances such as alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes, cocaine and others.
Drug abuse is “a habitual and uncontrollable behaviour, usually involving the use of drugs.” The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) says drug addiction is “a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and harmful consequences.[ii]”
Drugs of addiction change the structures and functions of the brain negatively. It interferes with the natural way the brain communicates information by either exaggerating the experiences of the user or underplaying it. And as a user or abuser continues, drugs of addiction can lead to many regrettable consequences such as damaging our health, harming our relationships with others, leading to crimes, especially stealing and ultimately preventing us from developing our potentials as human beings.
But the question is, if drugs of addiction are such a negative force, how come we have so many people who are into it in our societies? How come our youths, across the nation are increasingly getting attracted to it and it seems so okay? How come our institutions of learning hardly have regular and consistent enlightenment programmes over the dangers of drug abuse and addiction? How come that even the institution saddled with the responsibility of curbing drug abuse, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) seems to be more interested in chasing drug dealers around instead of tackling the menace from its very roots, which is prevention?
These and many more are going to be my focus in these series as I try to share some insights from the little I have learned over the years through my research.
Majority of the people who are addicted to drugs and psychoactive substances would have resisted the temptation, if they had known the consequences of such actions. People are lured into abusing drugs for many reasons, but the consequences are the same.
It is much more effective to tackle drug addiction through preventive measures than through punitive measures. In fact, I believe it is wrong to treat drug addicts as criminals instead of patients that they are. Because, having realized how they have endangered themselves and the society, it becomes a real battle for them to quit. And most of them give up trying to quit after suffering many relapses.
I also believe that chasing drug dealers around is a mere act of hypocrisy, because in a society like ours where poverty and hunger thrive (and are on the increase), there are hardly enough officers of the NDLEA or any other law enforcement agency for that matter, that can resist the temptation of taking “proceeds” from this highly lucrative crime and letting the bad guys off the hook. And need I say more, that easy money increases the temptation to look for more of such?
Please join me on this journey of telling ourselves the truth about drug addiction. What it is and how best we can reduce it to the barest minimum in our society.
.Byanyiko a filmmaker, writes from Abuja
