Drug abuse in Bangladesh

Rowshan Ara Firoz

Drug abuse is a gruesome menace in the society with grave biological, social, financial, psychological and security effect on the individuals, families and the community. It is a curse of the modern free world and the scientific and technological civilization. The widespread abuse of drugs has become a human tragedy. In Bangladesh about 80 per cent of the drug addicts are adolescents and young men of 15 to 30 years of age.

Drug abuse is now prevalent everywhere: in the house, streets, in the workplace, parks, slums, markets and even in educational institutions both in rural and urban areas. Virtually all segments of society are severe-ly affected by this problem. Near about 25 lakh people are drug addicted.

The spread of multiple drug use has aggravated the overall problem, personal and social days function, impairment of health, crime and other violent behaviour.

Young people abuse drugs due to complex social and peer groups influence, frustration, depression, curiosity, sub-cultural and psychological environment that induce the youths to take drugs. Major risk factors responsible for drug abuse are family disorganisation, parental neglect, parent-child conflict, loss of spouse strife, in discipline, isolation, lack of emotional support, rejection of love, over protection, unemployment, repeated failure and personality mal adjustment and easy availability of drugs.

The major drugs of abuse in Bangladesh are heroin, phensydyle, ganja, pethedine, tranqulizers, and poly drug abuse, especially by young and adolescents using inhalants or psychotropic substances in varying combination with or without alcohol. Smoking is also increasing on an alarming stage creating serious health hazard in the public placed. Work for a Better Bangladesh

(WBB) the Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance (BATA) and PATH, Canada, carried out a mass media survey in 2001 as port of its joint project on tobacco centre of funded by the. government of Canada through CIDA. Among the respondents 65 per cent were smokers and 35 per cent were non-smokers.' A majority were ignorant about tobacco related heart ailments. Surprisingly, 63 per cent of smokers and 37 per cent non-smokers were ignorant about he addictive nature of tobacco. People need to be made aware that tobacco is like heroin and cocaine, a addictive drug.

Parents, teachers and guardians must identify the symptoms of addiction physical symptoms of drug abuse are red eyes, imprecise eye movement, wearing sun-glasses at inappropriate times, change in speed patterns, insomnia, sleeping at inappropriate times, sudden appetite especially for sweets psychological symptoms one unpredictable behaviour, aggression or depression reduced short term memory, untidy appearance apathetic, disappearance of money or valuable items, anxiety, hyper sensitivity, decreased interaction with others, lethargy, need for instant gratification and abrupt change in values, ideals and beliefs etc. Drug addiction, maladjustment, rising crime, health hazard, murder, suicide are the consequence of drug addiction.

Effects of drug abuse knows no bound, drug addiction and family also organisation is highly co-related. Drug addiction leads to disintegration of family lies. The drug addict in a threat to the family. Because of the hostile behavior of the drug abuser the family in at risk. Normal activities of the family disrupts due to anti-social activities of the abuser. The drug addict youth drops out from school/college or university education.

The service holder loses his job because of irregularities. Social isolation and alienation are very common. Family of the drug addict became isolated from the community the drug abuser swallows the lion share of family income because of buying drugs. Treatment is also very expensive.

The long term effect of addiction is alarming drugs can distort perception thus increasing accident proneness. Chronic drug use can lead to poor nutrition and damage of vital organs. Injectable drug users have risk of infection as viral hepatitis and AIDS as consequence of the use of unsterilized needle. It is very difficult to get rid of drugs.

Positive coping skills are to be developed among youth through training and counselling to combat drug abuse. Brainstorming on skills and strengths needed to be developed in the individual to successfully cope with the pressure of critical factors that drive him to get hooked on to drugs. These strength are ability to say 'no, developing self-confidence, self-esteem, of leisure time, recreation, managing time, resolving conflict, handling situation of depression and frustration and developing healthy social values etc.

Introducing family life education is of utmost importance which will promote positive family life for the youths. "Family life education touches every aspect of family life and interpersonal relationship within and outside the family as well as values and attitude relating to such matters as sex, marriage, child bearing and often psychobiological factors relating to family life and will-being.

It is a process of enabling people to realise their fullest potential in the social and cultural milieu in which they live. Social mobilisation and public support for elimination of drug abuse in necessary. Government has limited programmes. The support and the increased participation of community based grass root organisation, NGOs are essential to sensitise people about the dreadful consequence of drug-abuse. Political commitment is required to combat the illicit drug-traffickers who are sucking the blood of innocent youths and becoming rich very quickly through smuggling of drug. Recently 'Prothom Alo", the daily newspaper, has started campaign against drug abuse with the help of the youths. They have involved the writers, teachers, singers, magicians and social workers in this campaign.

'Apon', an NGO set up in 1994 so far has cured about 1000 addicts. 'Apan' generally works on heroin, phensydyl and pethedin addicts. From the beginning of the nineteen-nineties Dhaka Ahsania Mission started its anti-drug project 'AMIK' which is dedicated in fighting the spread of drug abuse in Bangladesh. AMIK mainly works on social mobilisation against drug-addicts.

AMIK has 402 branch-committees throughout Bangladesh. It organises rallies, debates, essay competitions, seminars, training programmes, detoxification camps etc. Recently AMIK set up a rehabilitation centre in Gazipur. 'Adhunik', 'Work for a Better Bangladesh' are doing massive campaign against smoking. Besides' these are 'CREA', 'BARBA'. Manash LIFE, BRAC and few other organisations who work on drug abuse problem.

UNDCP, Bangladesh had organised divisional workshop on drug demand reduction strategy in 1994-95 with the joint collaboration of Department of Narcotics control.

Preventive education against drug abuse is essential effective enforcement of laws by the law enforcing agency is needed to curb drug trafficking. The whole community should participate in awareness, raising programme and peer-conselling in important to change the negative behavior of the youth. If we fail to control of this problem it will destroy the whole civilisation.(Reprint)

The author is Professor, Dept. of Philosophy, Dhaka University and ex-consultant UNDCP.

 

Drug abuse in Bangladesh

Rowshan Ara Firoz Drug abuse is a gruesome menace in the society with grave biological, social, financial, psychological and security effect on the individuals, families and the community. It is a curse of the modern free world and the scientific and technological civilization. The widespread abuse of drugs has become a human tragedy. In Bangladesh about 80 per cent of the drug addicts are adolescents and young men of 15 to 30 years of age. Drug abuse is now prevalent everywhere: in the house, streets, in the workplace, parks, slums, markets and even in educational institutions both in rural and urban areas. Virtually all segments of society are severe-ly affected by this problem. Near about 25 lakh people are drug addicted. The spread of multiple drug use has aggravated the overall problem, personal and social days function, impairment of health, crime and other violent behaviour. Young people abuse drugs due to complex social and peer groups influence, frustration, depression, curiosity, sub-cultural and psychological environment that induce the youths to take drugs. Major risk factors responsible for drug abuse are family disorganisation, parental neglect, parent-child conflict, loss of spouse strife, in discipline, isolation, lack of emotional support, rejection of love, over protection, unemployment, repeated failure and personality mal adjustment and easy availability of drugs. The major drugs of abuse in Bangladesh are heroin, phensydyle, ganja, pethedine, tranqulizers, and poly drug abuse, especially by young and adolescents using inhalants or psychotropic substances in varying combination with or without alcohol. Smoking is also increasing on an alarming stage creating serious health hazard in the public placed. Work for a Better Bangladesh (WBB) the Bangladesh Anti-Tobacco Alliance (BATA) and PATH, Canada, carried out a mass media survey in 2001 as port of its joint project on tobacco centre of funded by the. government of Canada through CIDA. Among the respondents 65 per cent were smokers and 35 per cent were non-smokers. A majority were ignorant about tobacco related heart ailments. Surprisingly, 63 per cent of smokers and 37 per cent non-smokers were ignorant about he addictive nature of tobacco. People need to be made aware that tobacco is like heroin and cocaine, a addictive drug. Parents, teachers and guardians must identify the symptoms of addiction physical symptoms of drug abuse are red eyes, imprecise eye movement, wearing sun-glasses at inappropriate times, change in speed patterns, insomnia, sleeping at inappropriate times, sudden appetite especially for sweets psychological symptoms one unpredictable behaviour, aggression or depression reduced short term memory, untidy appearance apathetic, disappearance of money or valuable items, anxiety, hyper sensitivity, decreased interaction with others, lethargy, need for instant gratification and abrupt change in values, ideals and beliefs etc. Drug addiction, maladjustment, rising crime, health hazard, murder, suicide are the consequence of drug addiction. Effects of drug abuse knows no bound, drug addiction and family also organisation is highly co-related. Drug addiction leads to disintegration of family lies. The drug addict in a threat to the family. Because of the hostile behavior of the drug abuser the family in at risk. Normal activities of the family disrupts due to anti-social activities of the abuser. The drug addict youth drops out from school/college or university education. The service holder loses his job because of irregularities. Social isolation and alienation are very common. Family of the drug addict became isolated from the community the drug abuser swallows the lion share of family income because of buying drugs. Treatment is also very expensive. The long term effect of addiction is alarming drugs can distort perception thus increasing accident proneness. Chronic drug use can lead to poor nutrition and damage of vital organs. Injectable drug users have risk of infection as viral hepatitis and AIDS as consequence of the use of unsterilized needle. It is very difficult to get rid of drugs. Positive coping skills are to be developed among youth through training and counselling to combat drug abuse. Brainstorming on skills and strengths needed to be developed in the individual to successfully cope with the pressure of critical factors that drive him to get hooked on to drugs. These strength are ability to say no, developing self-confidence, self-esteem, of leisure time, recreation, managing time, resolving conflict, handling situation of depression and frustration and developing healthy social values etc. Introducing family life education is of utmost importance which will promote positive family life for the youths. Family life education touches every aspect of family life and interpersonal relationship within and outside the family as well as values and attitude relating to such matters as sex, marriage, child bearing and often psychobiological factors relating to family life and will-being. It is a process of enabling people to realise their fullest potential in the social and cultural milieu in which they live. Social mobilisation and public support for elimination of drug abuse in necessary. Government has limited programmes. The support and the increased participation of community based grass root organisation, NGOs are essential to sensitise people about the dreadful consequence of drug-abuse. Political commitment is required to combat the illicit drug-traffickers who are sucking the blood of innocent youths and becoming rich very quickly through smuggling of drug. Recently Prothom Alo, the daily newspaper, has started campaign against drug abuse with the help of the youths. They have involved the writers, teachers, singers, magicians and social workers in this campaign. Apon, an NGO set up in 1994 so far has cured about 1000 addicts. Apan generally works on heroin, phensydyl and pethedin addicts. From the beginning of the nineteen-nineties Dhaka Ahsania Mission started its anti-drug project AMIK which is dedicated in fighting the spread of drug abuse in Bangladesh. AMIK mainly works on social mobilisation against drug-addicts. AMIK has 402 branch-committees throughout Bangladesh. It organises rallies, debates, essay competitions, seminars, training programmes, detoxification camps etc. Recently AMIK set up a rehabilitation centre in Gazipur. Adhunik, Work for a Better Bangladesh are doing massive campaign against smoking. Besides these are CREA, BARBA. Manash LIFE, BRAC and few other organisations who work on drug abuse problem. UNDCP, Bangladesh had organised divisional workshop on drug demand reduction strategy in 1994-95 with the joint collaboration of Department of Narcotics control. Preventive education against drug abuse is essential effective enforcement of laws by the law enforcing agency is needed to curb drug trafficking. The whole community should participate in awareness, raising programme and peer-conselling in important to change the negative behavior of the youth. If we fail to control of this problem it will destroy the whole civilisation.(Reprint) The author is Professor, Dept. of Philosophy, Dhaka University and ex-consultant UNDCP.