Tuesday, 11 June 2024

THE PRISON CALLED: "ILLICIT USE OF DRUGS"; ...THE WAY OUT

 

by Barrister Mrs. Anthonia N. Ogadi

1.       DEFINTION OF DRUG, ABUSE, ADDICTION, PRISON...

          Drug:

i.    (Pharmacology) A substance used to treat an illness, relieve a symptom, or modify a chemical process in the body for a specific purpose.

ii.     A psychoactive substance, especially one which is illegal and addictive, ingested for recreational use, such as cocaine.

iii.      There are prescription and illegal drugs.

         Abuse: It is the illegal, improper or harmful use of something.
            Drug Abuse: Misuse of, or overindulgence in, drug and/or substance abuse.

Addiction: A state of mental or physical dependence on a substance despite it's damaging effect.

Prison: It is a place of mental, emotional, or physical confinement.

 CATEGORIES OF HARD/ILLEGAL DRUGS AND SUBSTANCES:

 A.      PRESCRIPTION DRUGS INCLUDE:

 

o   Depressants: Xanax, Valium, Lebrium, Ativan, Klomopin, Amytal, Luminal, Nembutal, Seconal, Haldol, Navane, Thorazine, Mellaril, etc.

 

o   Opiods and Morphine Derivatives like Percpcet, Lortab, Vicodin, Dawson. Demerol, oxycotin, Tylenol with codeine, Empirin with codeine, Roxanol,

o   Percodan, etc

 

o   Stimulants like alcohol, opiates, heroine, narijuana, tranquilizers,

o   Anti-depressants

 

o   Sedatives and Hypnotics

 B.      CHEMICAL/ SYNTHETIC DRUGS

Examples: Kolorado, Canadian loud, Ghana loud, Skunk popularly called SK, Ice, etc

 

C.      COMBINATION DRUGS: These are a mixture of two or more different types. Examples: Cocaine and heroine, tramadol and codeine, or coccinellids, heroine and marijuana mixed together. It is also called cocktail.

 D.      LIST OF SOME ABUSED DRUGS AND THEIR STREET NAMES.

i. Alcohol ii. Cigarettes iii. Weed: Marijuana, Eja, Ewe iv. Heroine. Cocaine: Coke, Crack, Flakes, Sniff Rock vi. Codeine vii. Tramadol vi. Evostic ix. Ice x. Loud: SK xi. Methamphetamine (MTH)

E.       CAUSES OF ILLICIT DRUG ABUSE

          Some of the causes of the use of Illicit drugs are:

1.       Wrong Association and Negative Peer Pressure

2.       Greed

3.       Insubordination/ Lack of submission to parental and other relevant authority.

4.       Emotional imbalance resulting from lack of positive assertions from parents and loved ones.

5.       Broken home/ disjointed family setting

6.       Traumatic experiences like failure, sexual abuse, maltreatment etc.

7.       Low self-esteem

F.       EFFECTS OF ILLICIT DRUG ABUSE

·         Drug abuse confines, and restrains you from living a normal healthy life and achieving your God-given purpose in life.

·         Abuse of Illicit drugs can cause serious health hazards to the organs in your body like your brain, lungs, kidney, liver, heart, reproductive systems and gastrointestinal organs.

·         Increase in the crime rate in the society which endangers the safety of life and property.

 

ABUSE OF ILLICIT WILL KILL YOU IF, YOU DON’T STOP NOW!!!

·         Drug abuse turns you into a liability, nuisance, miscreant, thief, criminal, outcast, outlaw, a laughing stock; a disgrace to yourself, your family, friends, the society, and your Creator, God. Getting involved in drug abuse is equal to wasting your life, your purpose and God-given talents and, you will give account to God for everything you do.

·         The future of the society and the human race in general, is bleak when majority of the youths waste their lives on the use of illicit drugs.

DRUG ABUSE KILLS! NOBODY CAN KILL DRUGS.

G.      RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE USE OF ILLICTT DRUGS AND CRIME IN THE SOCIETY.

The use of illicit drugs is the NUMBER ONE CAUSE AND PROMOTER OF CRIME IN OUR SOCIETY!! Without the use of illicit drugs, crime rate in the society will drop by 90% at least. The use of illicit drugs stimulates and induces an individual to commit crime without any inhibition. "KEEP OUR SOCIETY FREE OF CRIME BY SAYING NO TO THE USE OF ILLICIT DRUGS!!!”

WAY OUT OF ILLICIT DRUGS!! ILLICIT DRUG ABUSE
Finding a way out of drugs involves seeking professional help from substance use therapist trained for substance use treatment. There are basically two ways out of drug abuse:

1)       Psychotherapy - where the patient meets with professional therapist or psychologist that will take the patient through professional counselling. During this process, the victim is helped to discover certain traumatic experiences in the past that led to drug use and eventually addiction. If, after all the counselling sessions the patient is unable to be sober then, he/she can be referred to a rehabilitation centre.

 

2)   Rehabilitation- In rehabilitation, the patient is taken through the process of detoxification which is a practice of getting rid of drugs situated in the body system of the patient. Followed by more counselling for a period fixed by the rehab.

 

3)     Abstinence from drugs- Prevention is better than cure. Do not take hard drugs. Do not abuse prescribed drugs. SAY NO TO DRUG ABUSE!!


 

4)      Right Association -Your association determines your assimilation and your destination. Who you hang out with determines how you end up. Choose good, well behaved and upright people as your friends. Follow quality people who have quality vision and focus so that you will be positively influenced to impact your family and the society positively.

 

5)     Parental Watch - Parents, Guardians and other Loved Ones should pay closer and more keen attention to the raising of the children in their care and area of influence. Inculcate discipline and the right values in them. Monitor their activities and know their friends. Lead them by example.

 

6)       Breast Milk - Mothers should endeavour and, be encouraged to breast feed their new born babies for at least the first-six months. BREAST MILK GIVES THE BABY A HIGH LEVEL OF IMMUNITY AGAINST DISEASES, AND ENHANCES HUMAN COMPASSION. Human compassion fosters empathy which will in turn reduce violent tendencies.

 

7)     Heavy Penalty for Illicit Drug Barons, Traffickers and Peddlers: Legislations with heavy penalties should be put in place to discourage the sale of, and trafficking in, illicit drugs.

 

8)      Enforcement of the relevant Laws/Edicts: There should be serious commitment to the enforcement of the relevant Laws and Edicts.

 

9)       Counselling Centres and Toll-free Telephone Lines - More Counselling Centres and Toll-free Telephone Lines are vital for easy access to professional counselling

 

10)     Awareness Against The Use Of Illicit Drugs ("SAY NO TO ILLICIT DRUGS") - should be introduced into school curriculum for primary, secondary and tertiary institutions by the Ministry of Education and other relevant authorities.

 Written by Barrister Mrs. Anthonia N. Ogadi (PCRC Area C Command) Culled from the book: 'Youths and Substance Abuse' by Keji Hamilton

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