DRUG DEMAND REDUCTION STRATEGIES: NEED FOR A FRESH LOOK

Drug addiction is a grim psycho-social medical malaise. It has made life of millions miserable in all nooks and corners of the world. Having shown its evil tentacles in many states of the country, it has made its unfortunate mark in small and beautiful Sikkim.

If the scene at a private de-addiction centre in South Sikkim is any indication, affected and unfortunate women look dejected, quiet and submissive, while men appear healthy and active. While women pick up the bad habit from the peers in school and neighbourhood, men take to it in course of driving or being engaged in various facets of taxi business along the border towns. The menace is spreading fast owing to well co-ordinated trafficking network as also availability of easy money and loosening of parental control.  It is not only the habit, how strong is the rule of law, that also needs to be looked into and addressed.

INITIAL STUDIES

Essentially it is a reflection of deviant behavior of teenagers and youth. While Talcot Parsons, the American Sociologist spelt out conformity towards the peer group, antagonism towards elders and having unusual idols as characteristic features of American youth, R.K Merton has described functions, dys-functions and non-functions to explain the phenomena. The addicts, obviously fall in last two categories. Experience has shown that drug addiction, alcoholism, suicide, prostitution and similar deviant acts, are inter-related.

Global  Context

The Substance Abuse Programme began in USA in 1970. A war was declared on drugs due to prevailing circumstances. Sincere efforts of the then First Lady Nancy Reagan paid rich dividends. By 1982, ‘Say no to drugs’ slogan was coined.  In December 1987, the UN General Assembly decided to observe 26^th June every year as International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

What Ignited The Fire ?

If they could do it in USA or other parts of country, why not in the manageable state of Sikkim, this became the thinking and planning point. As a matter of fact, those addicted, caretakers, former addicts as also family members already sensitized will have to be educated and made more aware in better ways about the impending dangers than before. Also changes need to be carried out in existing practices and policies.

How the Habit develops ?    

Interactions have revealed that it is the urge to ‘taste’ which makes the beginning, followed by a desire to experience for pleasure. Thereafter, experiments follow with all kinds of stuff, smoking and injecting.  Having over dose of medicines and injections without any confirmed sickness and bereft of doctor’s prescription are also witnessed. Impacts of such a state are in form of- changing sleep pattern, absenteeism , unexplained need for money, mood swings, changing friends, borrowing from peers, inculcation of stealing habits, use of code words, mental disturbance, stealing of cash, cell phones, indulgence in petty crimes, suicide etc.

Prevalent unauthorized Drugs

An analysis of seizures has shown the usage of following  drugs:  Spasmo Proxyvon (SP),Nitrosun-10,Recodex, Phencydyle  and Corex .In addition, a number of other articles of daily use are also resorted to, to provide a ‘kick’. Needless to say, these find origins in West Bengal, neighboring states, Nepal etc.

Why Is It Happening ?

Reasons, perhaps could be: old joint family norms getting disintegrated ,reduction in parental love and care in the event of both  parents being employed, decline of age old, primordial, religious and moral values, demonstration effect and taking recourse to drugs to escape hard realities of life is considered EASY.  

Objective

To minimise the use of  drugs in Sikkim society, as having an objective to make it completely drug- free will be a misnomer and impractical. Constraints, however, could be on account of elopement beginning early, liberal society, hollow economy  having low saving instinct, non-prevalence of Dowry system  and Income Tax free regime .

Dismal Scenario Demands:

A comprehensive strategy involving specific programmes and steps to bring about an overall reduction in use of drugs to be evolved by the Government  in close cooperation  with the NGO’s, schools and Panchayats. Immediate initiatives will have to be supplemented by regular and traditional measures, such as, education, counseling, treatment and rehabilitation

Need for changes in practices and policy:

Changes, recommended are not easy, as people at large are used to a lax, lethargic & non-responsive system. AND that any kind of change that asks for extra and sincere work & possibly hit the vested interests monetarily, is bound to be resisted.

Immediate taking of following steps is not only feasible and desirable but also necessary:

• sharing expertise, guidance & support of Government of India Ministries & Institutions,
• sustained vigil at check- posts and within the Districts, reward for whistle blowers and timely arrest and fitting punishment to the street peddlers,
• photography of offenders in “act”,
• regular awareness programmes involving teenagers, drivers and govt. employees to focus on using positive energy for good things in life,
• monthly ICDS meetings with mothers to include tips on harmful effects of drugs, values of moral education, Maya, Mamta & Sanskar (MMS),
• maintenance of inventory of major, dormant & suspected drug traffickers in cooperation with West Bengal and Nepal Police,
• orientation programmes in major schools and colleges on a quarterly basis,
• speeding up the process of setting up State Forensic Science Laboratory,
• build up a cadre of motivational counselors,
• modern treatment facility  for drug users at Central Referral Hospital and District Hospitals,
• development of Drug Abuse Monitoring System,
• immediate adoption of harm reduction measures and
• rehabilitation & social re-integration of recovered addicts with the help of NGO’s and  vibrant Panchayats.