Also known as World Drug Day, The International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is observed annually on 26 June. The day as an event is celebrated all over the world with much focus on making people aware and to emphasize the hazards of drug addiction and illegal trafficking. The day also marks as an opportunity for various Nations to reaffirm their support for the organizations that attempt to control the world’s drug supply.
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Better knowledge is needed for better care
Every year UNODC {United nations office of drug control} celebrates this day with a new theme and initiative.
UNODC signifies that we need better knowledge for better care. According to UNODC, the field of addressing drug abuse has been ‘plagued’ by the misinformation of many types. There are many myths and stigmatization which have to be fought with knowledge and facts.
The major concern this year is to create worldwide awareness among the masses about various hazards of drug addiction. Better knowledge will foster worldwide cooperation for dealing with the impact on health, social and economic stability.
It urges to share facts for solidarity on various social media platforms for global action.
What is drug abuse?
Drug addiction is now a growing concern. Drug abuse is not necessarily about heroin, cocaine, opiates, or other illegal drugs. One can get addicted to liquors like alcohol, nicotine, steroid painkillers, and other legal substances too.
- People often use drugs to forget their problems for some time. Some want to live in their world of hallucinations.
- Most of the teenagers voluntarily intake drugs as fashion. For them, it is a sign of thrill and excitement while others try it under peer pressure. At first, you may like the way how it makes you feel.
- Initially, It makes you feel relaxed and helps you to avoid reality. But repeated intake makes your brain addictive to be present in those hallucinations.
- When you are addicted, you are unable to take control of your behavior and habits. There is a desire to consume drugs which cannot be controlled, as a result of which addicted people engage in compulsive behavior to take drugs.
- Mental health gets destroyed as a result of which the person loses control over his life. Drug addiction has taken more lives than we can imagine.
What is illicit trafficking?
The term Drug trafficking refers to global illicit trade that includes the cultivation, production, distribution, and sale of substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Drug trafficking is a serious offense around the world. Penalties vary with the type of drug, the quantity trafficked, and how they are distributed. If the drugs are sold to underage people, then the penalties for trafficking are harsher than in other circumstances. But the strange irony here is that despite the very strict laws and regulations, drug mafias have spread their network worldwide.
An analysis of drug abuse in India
In India, drug abuse has turned out to be an epidemic. This virus of drug abuse is widely spread among youth especially teenagers. The roots have spread to such an extent that the intake of drugs has become a part of culture.
A child today grows up listening to the fancy songs in which there is a rich representation of drugs. States like Punjab, Haryana and Goa have 75% of youth suffering from addiction of various types despite of high literacy rates. Many families get destroyed while paying for the everlasting cravings of drug abusers.
A nation cannot proceed further when the mental health of citizens is at such a high risk. A country like India today needs much attention regarding the problem of drug abuse and illicit trafficking.
Hazards of drug addiction
When you use drugs for a long time and in repeated doses or intervals, it can cause changes in brain chemical systems and circuits as well. They can hurt your decision-making, memory, judgment and ability to learn
Repeated intake of same drug after short intervals result to:
- Mood swings
- Slurred speech
- Withdrawal symptoms like anorexia can be observed
- Tremors in hands
- Altered behavioral changes can be observed
- Low self-esteem
- Cravings for the drug that can lead to reckless behavior
- Facing trouble while doing routine tasks
- Sudden weight changes can be observed
- Always appears anxious
- Unable to concentrate properly
- Spend more time alone.
- Suicidal thoughts might start ruling the mind
The person gets too addicted to drugs that reality seems meaningless to him. Sometimes he is ready to sacrifice everything, even his life for the sake of drugs.
What can be done regarding drug abuse?
- Every year United Nations launches its World Drug Report. On this occasion, many countries use this as an opportunity to highlight and enforce existing legislation and initiatives. There are several campaigns to raise awareness about the global drug problem.
- UNODC urges to use hashtags on various social media platforms like #FactsForSolidarity, #WDD and #WorldDrugDay
- Creating mass awareness about the disastrous effects of drugs is the key step. Various awareness programs must be organized especially in schools and colleges.
- Various organizations encourage and conduct slogan making poster making and various other competitions to make youth aware.
- Prevention is always better than cure. And thus saying no to drugs is the best way to tackle the problem. The propagation of drugs via various songs has to be stopped.
- Drug abusers have to be properly counseled and treated, although the journey from being a constant drug abuser to becoming sober is not an easy one, but with the much-desired medical care, they can start their normal life again.
- Health and social problems associated with the use of and dependence on drugs can be prevented by greater awareness by individuals, families, and societies.
- Government of various nations have to make sure for the strict implementation of law regarding drug trafficking.
Conclusion
It is high time that we all stand up together against drug abuse and illicit trafficking by the drug mafias and make this world drug-free to live in.
Writing Credits: Lovepreet Arora
