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Introduction

 
International Day Against Drug Abuse

Detailed ancient descriptions of the medicinal uses for marijuana come from China and India. Use of drugs in India has been mentioned in the scriptures and treatises as long as 3,500 years ago. The Rig Veda written by the Arayns mentions the use of a substance for its medicinal properties and since then has had social, functional and regional uses.

Though today, medicine does not comply with the medicinal practices of ancient civilizations, it is interesting to learn that Sushruta, an ancient Indian healer, used marijuana as a pain reliever. Commonly found plants in India include cannabis, poppy, khat and datura.

While cannabis and opium products were made illegal throughout India, alcohol has remained legal in most states. Ironically there is no dearth of it even in the states where there is prohibition. In the late '70's the Government of Maharashtra, took measures to make alcohol more easily accessible in order to increase the demand for it, thus, raking in Rs. 1900 crores as taxes in the year 2000.

A large number of licences, allowing tea stalls and eating-houses to sell liquor from 6pm to 11 pm were issued. Since the '80s, industrial night shift workers and college students became the new target group and several bars remained illegally open till 4 am.

Today in India, it is estimated that over five million people are addicted to drugs, mainly heroin, according to the ILO, and they are often examined through a criminal or medical point of view only. Reducing the supply and availability of illicit drugs is an essential component of the fight against drug abuse. UNDCP projects, seek to limit the cultivation, production, trafficking and distribution of drugs. The ILO has agreed to collaborate with industries to establish an Association of Resource Managers Against Drug Abuse-India (ARMADA), whose basic function is to serve as a network for sharing information and experiences among enterprises that have established a preventive program as well as act as a tool for promoting the concept of workplace substance abuse prevention program.

The Community Wide Demand Reduction programme in India, aims at creating the infrastructure for a government-based National Centre for Drug Abuse Prevention and eight NGO-based Regional Resource and Training Centres to mobilize community-based organizations and enterprises to reduce and prevent drug abuse on a nationwide scale. It expects to be set up on a sustainable basis, by directly targeting more than two million people.This project is inter-linked with another UNDCP programme, which is concentrating on assisting the government in establishing the infrastructure to initiate, support and sustain demand reduction activities in the North-Eastern states of India.

(source: www.ilo.org)

 

Some of the tell tale signs of Drug Abuse

• Attempting to lie

• Change in quality of work at school or office.

• Changes in attitude and outbreaks of temper for no reason

• Lack of interest in physical appearance.

• Hiding behind sunglasses.

• Making friends with other substance abusers.

• Stealing or borrowing money or things from friends, co-workers or parents.

• Secretive behavior regarding actions and possessions; poorly concealed attempts to avoid attention and suspicion such as frequent trips to storage rooms, restroom, kitchen, etc.

Certain drugs have definite and unique symptoms

Opiate:

A person on an opiate such as heroin or morphine will have: Constricted pupils that will look like pinpoints or small dots. Usually itches and you can see the person scratching himself. If the method of ingestion is sniffing, his nostrils may appear raw and red. If the method of ingestion is by injection there will be needle marks in arms, behind the knees or ankles. They may get very pale and sweaty or extremely thirsty. Opiates affect people in different ways: some may get very "hyper"(active or frantic) and run around working or looking busy while others get very lethargic (nodding or doping off). The person may go around asking others for money.  Use or possession of paraphernalia, including syringes, bent spoons, bottle caps, eye droppers, rubber tubing, cotton and needles. Slurred speech.

Cocaine, Crack & Amphetamines:

• A person on cocaine or speed will usually have glassy eyes and very,
  very large pupils. He may try to hide this by wearing sunglasses or other dark glasses.

• His behavior will be erratic. He cannot relax and isrestless.

• Stimulants speed up the body's functions and the person may have trouble sitting still, remaining inactive or controlling his or her temper. For this reason, there may be long periods without sleeping. The body, quickened by the chemicals avoids sleep for extended sleep for extended periods of time. The person may exhibit this tendency of insomnia and then "crash" and sleep for similarly long period of time.

• The person will tend to move fast and ramble or be non sequitur in his conversation-jumping from one topic to another.

• He of she will also experience "cotton mouth" and may drink a lot of water to satiate thirst and constantly be licking his lips.

• He may constantly be sniffing despite the lack of a cold or allergies.

• The person might exhibit unexplainable changes in appetite or weight. Stimulants diminish the user's appetite.

• If the person is injecting cocaine or stimulants you will probably be able to see fresh needle marks. He might try to hide these by wearing long-sleeved shirts, even in hot weather.

• Use or possession of paraphernalia including small spoons, razor blades, mirror, little bottles of white powder and plastic, glass or metal straws.

Marijuana:

• People on marijuana, pot, hash or hash oil will have irritated eyes.

• They can walk around in a daze or euphoric stupor staring out into space or at nothing and may go into fits of laughter or laugh when there is nothing to laugh about.

• Marijuana has a strong, pungent, virtually unmistakable odor. It's long lasting and difficult to mask.

• Sleepy or stuporous in the later stages.

• Forgetfulness in conversation.

• Tendency to drive slowly - below speed limit.

• Distorted sense of time passage - tendency to overestimate time intervals.

• Use or possession of paraphernalia including roach clip, packs of rolling papers, pipes or bongs.

LSD & Hallucinogens:

• A person who has taken LSD or other psychedelics will manifest glassy eyes and have a blank, vacant stare.

• Often he appears to be daydreaming and needs to be spoken to several times before responding.

• He will be found to have inappropriate and extended interest in common objects. For example, examining an ashtray or a drawing for a long time, turning it, viewing it from different angles.

• The person may also have a similar interest in body parts, such as a finger, hand or food. Conversation tends to be esoteric, like a "head trip."

• He will hallucinate.

• He will experience anxiety for no apparent reason.

• They may have dilated pupils and may be inexplicably high-strung.

Depressants:

• A person under the influence of depressants such as barbiturates or Valium may act intoxicated (slurred speech, stumbling gait, droopy eyes, etc).

• Depressants slow down the body's functions, which my prompt unwarranted sleep episodes.

• There will be pronounced tendency to fall asleep in unusual situation such as at dinner and the person will show signs of overall listlessness.

A World of Crisis in Search of Solutions
by Clark Carr, President, Narconon International.

The author attended the Hope 2000 International Conference on HIV, Substance Abuse, Prevention and Control at the close of last year in India, where drug abuse is out of control and an estimated 10 milion men, women and children are HIV-positive.

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