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THE DRUG EPIDEMIC AND ITS EFFECT ON THE COMMUNITY
(Dr. U.P. Seidel, Principal Medical Officer, Mental Health)
The usual classification of addictive drugs into "soft" and "hard" has led many people into false
security by believing that "soft" drugs are almost harmless and that only the "hard" ones need be
carefully controlled.
This point of view is, of course, completely falacious. "Soft" as well as "hard" drugs can cause
severe physical, mental and socio-economic disabilities. The former drugs being of even greater
danger because they are more easily obtainable and consumed in far greater quantities by more
people than the "hard" varieties.
Treatment of all types of addiction has not been as successful, I am sorry to say, as was originally
hoped for. The reason for this is not difficult to find if one considers that there are no legal
powers compelling a drug dependant person to seek treatment. He is quite happy and contented
in his deviant ways as long as he can get his regular supplies. Only when something goes
amiss either with the source of his supply or he gets himself into physical or legal trouble, will
he come to the attention of a Doctor. If his ailments have been treated successfully and he does
not then wish to submit himself for treatment of his addiction, the whole episode unfortunately
ends here, unless he has to seek medical advice again.
Drug taking, has assumed epidemic proportions and its contagious nature is felt, especially
amongst young people who, at first, perhaps quite innocently, accept a tablet for either
experiencing the thrill of its effect or not be left out and considered "odd", or merely to experiment
in the company of other youngsters and "to be with it".
We know only too well how often this constitutes the beginning of a downward path towards stronger
drugs and in increasing quantities, until the end of the road is reached when self-administration
of "hard" drugs by injection might well become a necessity. Once this final stage has been entered
the person is truly "hooked" for the rest of his very often shortened, disabled and ruined life.
One should not imagine that only adolescent and young people fall for this vice. There are far
more elderly and old folk who have become habituated to a different kind of a drug-taking scourge
and I refer to the inevitable sleeping tablets, which are being prescribed in enormous quantities,
and sometimes for many years, to individual patients. The dangers of this practice have been
pointed out repeatedly on many occasions but seem to have made little impression on people using
this type of hypnotic. These sedatives, in my opinion, can be equally as dangerous and harmful
as other "soft" drugs or even "hard" ones, for they also may adversely affect both body and mind.
Community hostels for addicts have been championed recently by a number of people, but I consider
their establishment highly dangerous to the surrounding community, especially to young people.
Believing as I do, that in most cases "once an addict always an addict", the vicious cycle cannot
be broken as the law will not permit compulsive treatment at present. We expose the surrounding
population to the very real risk of becoming "infected" by this scourge as addicts might well peddle
their surplus wares to outsiders in order to derive an income for obtaining further illicit supplies
for their own deleterious use.
What can be done to curb the present and ever increasing drug curse?
Firstly, circularise all General Practitioners, and suggest that all addictive drugs should be very
cautiously prescribed whilst the amphetamine type should be banned altogether, and further, all
sleeping tablet prescriptions, greatly curtailed. It would then naturally follow, that Chemists
would have to cease stocking the more undesirable drugs.
Secondly, more intensive health education in schools pointing out the dangers of even the very
first "trial" tablet. Talks should be directed, not only at the children, but also at the teachers
and parents acquainting them with the nature and adverse effects of habit forming drugs.
Thirdly, create powers by legislation whereby all drug addicts, whether on "hard" or "soft" drugs,
must submit themselves compulsorily to treatment and that treatment must finally aim at weaning
off these people from their addictive habits.
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