RESEARCH PAPER OF JP POGI
In addition, addicts also develop a tolerance to he drug and so doses that once satisfied the craving no longer do so. As a result, addicts need larger and larger doses to achieve the same effect. Three major groups Of drugs can cause addiction: Narcotics, such as heroin and sedatives, including barbiturates and some sleeping pills and tranquilizer and alcohol do. Almost anyone who takes several doses of heroin daily for two weeks becomes addicted to the drug. Sedatives and Alcohol, though less likely than heroin to cause addiction can create even stronger addiction.
With drawl from a narcotic causes aching muscles, chills, ever, runny nose and eyes, stomach cramps, and general body weakness. True symptoms resemble these of a bad cold. Withdrawal illness from sedatives or alcohol causes a high fever and convulsions. It also causes delirium treatments, a condition in which the victim becomes shake and sees and hear things that are not present. Too swift a withdrawal from alcohol or sedatives can cause death the difference between addicting drugs causes a strong psychological craving that may make a drug habit as hard to break as physical dependence does.
In addiction many non-addicting drugs produce a tolerance in regular users. For such reasons, many expert uses the term drug dependence rather than addiction. Many addicts spends so much time under the influence of drugs that they neglect their health, work, family, and friends. They find it difficult to keep a job or to handle family responsibilities. They fail to eat well and to maintain personal cleanliness. As a results many addicts suffers from malnutrition. Addicts who inject drugs may get such diseases as hepatitis or tetanus from an institute needle.
For most drug addicts, the chief goal in life is obtaining more drugs. Narcotics cannot be obtained legally thou a physician’s prescription, but they may be bought illegally at extremely high price. Some addicts turn to crime, such as robbery and prostitution, to support their drug habit. An addict may withdraw from using a drug by slightly decreasing the daily deuce’s a period of weeks. Gradual withdrawal reduces the severity of withdrawal illness. But even after addicts have withdrawn completely, they feel irritable and restless for weeks or months. Some of the craving for the drugs may remain for months or years.
Many persons who have withdrawn eventually return to drugs and to read diction. They do so partly because they have not solved the problems that first led them to drugs. Some people who treat drugs addiction believe that addicts can profit from treatment in groups composed of other addicts these experts feel that by being confronted by other addicts, drug abusers can achieve a better understanding of their selves and their social responsibilities. These confrontations involve frank discussions of the problems of and motives for drug abuse. One group that uses such treatment, alcoholics.
When people start taking drugs, with time the way their brain functions and looks is altered. First of all, drug taking causes elevation of dopamine level in brain, which results in the feeling of pleasure. Brain remembers this event and wants it repeated. So, the drug a person takes eventually reaches the significance that other physiological needs have. As a result, the person’s abilities to think clearly, control behavior, exercise good judgment and feel well without drugs intake becomes affected. This, in its turn, causes problems in relations with family, friends, at work or in university.
It is extremely important to recognize drug addiction at the right moment, preferably in the ginning, so as not to spoil social relationships and health. It is necessary to understand that the sooner the problem will be attended, the better it is for the treatment progress. There are certain symptoms of drug abuse: when drug is getting people into legal trouble, if because of it people start neglecting their responsibilities, when they use drugs under dangerous conditions, and when they cause problems in relationships. (http://www. Appertaining. Mom/free-examples/thesis-paper-on-drug- addiction. HTML#quizzically) Many people do not understand why or how other people become addicted to drugs. It is often mistakenly assumed that drug abusers lack moral principles or willpower and that they could stop using drugs simply by choosing to change their behavior. In reality, drug addiction is a complex disease, and quitting takes more than good intentions or a strong will. In fact, because drugs change the brain in ways that foster compulsive drug abuse, quitting is difficult, even for those who are ready to do so.
Through scientific advances, we know more about how drugs work in the brain than ever, and we also know that drug addiction can be successfully treated to help people stop abusing drugs and lead productive lives. Http://w. Www. Drugless. Gob/ publications/druggists/understanding-drug-abuse-addiction ) Drugs & the Brain Drugs react in the brain to change the way the body feels. The brain is the master control center of the body and it sends messages to the rest of the body based on the signals that it gets from chemical messengers, or drugs. Most of the chemical messengers are actually made in the body to do specific jobs in the brain.
But drugs, which aren’t made by the body, are chemical messengers that can send the wrong messages to the brain, which then sends the wrong signals to the body. In essence, if the brain gets the wrong sages from drugs, you can end up seeing or hearing things that aren’t real, feeling things that aren’t there, or doing things that you wouldn’t normally do. Drugs can make your heart beat faster, your body move slower, your throat feel dry, your pupils get bigger, and can make you breathe too fast or too slow. Drugs can affect the way you see, hear, feel, smell, think, move, eat, and even how often you go to the bathroom.
Most people who do drugs for a while develop what is called a “tolerance” to the drug. This means that their body gets used to it. Although some people who do drugs think that his means that their body is “accepting’ the drug, it actually means that the person is killing the parts of their body that used to try to resist the drugs. When this happens, the person doing drugs will need to do more and more of the drug to get the same feeling. This is not only expensive, it’s dangerous! Some people even try doing drugs that are a lot stronger just to try to get the good feeling back again.
Because drugs can change the way you interpret what is going on around you, they can change the way you act and react in certain situations. You can end up making some bad choices because the rugs you’re doing change the way you perceive things. Ultimately, you might make some decisions that put you into unsafe situations like agreeing to unsafe sex, drinking and driving, or walking around after dark in a bad neighborhood. Some drugs, especially drugs like crystal meet, can change your appearance. Many people who do drugs like meet and other amphetamines don’t feel hungry so they don’t eat and end up very thin and unhealthy.
Meet users also tend to have skin that has lost its elasticity and luster, making them look as much as 20 years older than they really are. Some meet users also get what’s called “meet mouth. A user with meet mouth has rotten and broken teeth because meet makes the salivary glands dry out, makes users grind their teeth, and many users forget to brush their teeth because they are too high to care. Many drugs can cause liver damage, make your body unable to fight off infection, make your heart beat too fast, cause your body temperature to get so high you could damage your brain, cause a stroke, and even cause death.
There’s just no need to risk the sometimes permanent side effects that come from a few minutes of getting high. By McKay Arnold A US government report in 2009 concluded that illegal drug use was a significant problem in the Philippines due to corruption and poor law enforcement. There was particular concern expressed about the amount of methamphetamine (shabby) and cannabis production in the area. Drug addiction appears to be on the rise in the Philippines. There are believed to be as many as 6. Million drug abusers according to figures from 2004- this is a dramatic increase from 1 972 when there was only believed to have been around 20,000 drug users in the Philippines. The drug that is most abused in the Philippines continues to be Alcohol – they are the second highest consumers of alcoholic drinks in South East Asia. Most Commonly Abused Drugs in the Philippines The most commonly abused drugs in the Philippines include: * Alcohol * Marijuana * Heroin * Cocaine * Methamphetamine (locally known as Shabby) * Inhalants such as nitrates and gasoline.
These can be a cheap way for people to get high. * Opium * Ecstasy (MADAM) Methamphetamine Hydrochloride (Shabby) Methamphetamine hydrochloride is found to have harmful effects to the brain. It changes how the brain functions. Studies have shown that methamphetamine abusers have reduced motor skills and impaired verbal learning as a result of alterations in the activity of the dopamine, a retransmitted involved in reward, motivation, experience of pleasure and motor function. Street names: Scabs, Ice, Meet, Crystal, Cristal, Absurd, Taws.
Other adverse effects of methamphetamine: Extreme weight loss Severe dental problems (“meet mouth”) Anxiety Confusion Insomnia Mood disturbances Violent behavior Cannabis Static (Marijuana) Marijuana use impairs a person’s ability to form new memories and to shift focus. Its active component, dehydrogenation’s (TECH) also disrupts coordination and balance, posture, and reaction time (experience commonly referred to as “spacing out”). Thus, chronic marijuana use significantly educes a person’s capacity to learn, carry-out complicated tasks, participate in sports, driving and operating other machineries.
Studies also show that marijuana use can lead to lung cancer and other problems in the respiratory and immune systems. Street names: Weed, Jutes, Pot, Grass, Adam, Choking. Health problems that come with the use of marijuana include: Problems with memory and learning Distorted perception(sights, sounds, time, touch) Trouble with thinking and problem solving Loss of motor coordination Increased heart rate and palpitations Inhalants The effects of inhalants are similar to that of alcohol, including slurred beech, lack of coordination, euphoria and dizziness.
Inhalant abusers may also experience lightheartedness, hallucinations, and delusions. Harmful irreversible effects of inhalants include: Hearing loss iamb spasms Central nervous system or brain damage Bone marrow damage (http://alcoholic. Com/drug-addiction/drug-addiction-in-the-Philippines/ ) Concerns for Shabby Abuse One of the most abused drugs in the Philippines is a local type of methamphetamine mixed with caffeine known as Shabby. This stimulant is believed to be the drug of choice for 90% of the Philippines illegal substance users.
This is a powerfully addictive drug that can cause people to have intense hallucinations and become extremely paranoid. Some users of this drug have even jumped off high rise buildings because they believed they could fly. Shabby didn’t arrive in the Philippines until the mid-eighties, but it soon became hugely popular among drug users. Methamphetamine causes feelings of euphoria and the user feels full of energy. Problems Related to Drug Addiction Drug abuse leads to many problems such as: * The individual does not have to be abusing a substance like Shabby long before they become addicted.
Those individuals who become addicted can become obsessed with their habit. This means that everything else in their life will take second place. * The individual’s behavior will change. They may become physically violent or engage in other types of bad behavior. * Those who abuse these drugs can struggle to keep down a job. They may become unemployable. * Young people who use these substances will be unable to perform well in school or college. This means that they will be limiting their future opportunities. * When drug users run out of money to feed their habit they will be tempted to turn to crime.
This may mean stealing from family and friends or from complete strangers. * Many addicts fall into a life Of crime and eventually end up in prison or worse. * If the drug addict is unable to escape this behavior it is highly likely to lead to their death. This individual will shorten their lifespan as a result of their behavior. * Illegal drug users run the risk of overdose. It can be difficult to assess the strength of illegal drugs, and it can be similar to playing a game of Russian roulette every time the addict uses these substances – it is even possible for people to die of an overdose after only trying illegal drugs one time.
Cost of Drug Addiction in the Philippines The cost of drug addiction is high for the Philippines and it involves: * A great deal Of domestic violence is associated with drug abuse. * A huge proportion of criminal acts are committed by individuals who are trying to satisfy their drug habit. * The economy suffers because drug users become less productive in their jobs or they become unable to work completely. * The government needs to spend large amounts of money on tackling drug problems. The resources used by law enforcement alone are a drain. Money hat could be spent to improve the life of a family is wasted because one member is a drug addict. It can lead to a situation where the rest of the family is living in poverty while one of them wastes thousands of pesos each week on drugs. * A criminal underworld had developed in order to take advantage of the desire for these illegal substances. The money made from selling drugs is used to finance other criminal acts as well as terrorism. * Drug addict can destroy communities. It can lead to a situation where people are afraid to leave their homes because of fear of crime. The individual who falls into rug addiction can lose everything – including their own self-respect. This miserable life is a waste of human potential. Treatment for Drug Addiction in the Philippines There are a number of treatment options available to people in the Philippines who need help including: * Narcotics Anonymous is a ;level step program that supports the individual to escape their addictions. This fellowship is not just focused on stopping the drug use but also on building a life worth living. *There are a number of drug rehabilitation facilities in the Philippines including Serenity at the Quarry. It is becoming more common or Filipinos to go abroad to seek the most effective treatment for their addictions. Drug and Alcohol Rehab Asia is based in Thailand and is considered to be one of the leading rehab in Asia. MANILA, Philippines-?The Philippines has the highest abuse rate for methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabby, in East Asia, according to the latest United Nations World Drug Report. The UN report was cited by the US Department of State in its 2012 International Drug Control Strategy Report, which is posted on the website of the US Embassy in Manila.
The state department also disclosed that 2. 1 percent of Filipinos aged 1 6 to 64 were sing shabby, and “domestic consumption of methamphetamine and marijuana continued to be the main drug threats in the Philippines. ” Citing Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency records, it reported that last year PEED “conducted 9,850 anti-illegal drug operations resulting in the arrest of 8,491 suspects and 9,995 cases being filed. ” Philippine authorities “seized 250 kilos of methamphetamine valued at $68 million (about PA. 92 billion); 4. Million marijuana plants and seedlings and 81 8 kilos of marijuana with a total value of $17. 4 million (P 748 million); 17,222 grams of cocaine worth $2 million (POP lion); and 960 Ecstasy tablets valued at $26,790 (Pl . 15 million). ” (http://newsiest. Inquirer. Net/1681 43/ UN-drug-report-Philippines-has-highest- rate-of-SSH ABA- use-in-east-Asia a#systematized H) SOME LAWS ABOUT DERELICTIONS ACT NO. 10586 Also known as “Anti -Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 201 3” An act penalizing persons driving under the influence of alcohol, dangerous drugs, and similar substances, and for other purposes. Http:// www. Doc. Gob. PH/images/front/other_matters/deadhead. PDF) R. A. NO. 953, Narcotic Drugs Law An act to provide for the registration of, with the collector of internal revenue, ND the imposition of fixed and special taxes upon all persons who produce, import, manufacture, compound, deal in, dispense, sell, distribute, or give away opium, marijuana, opium poppies, or coca leaves, or any synthetic drugs which may hereafter be declared habit forming by the president of the Philippines, their salts, derivatives or preparations, and for other purposes. Http://www. Chancellor. Com/republicans/ R. A. 9165 also known as “Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002” An act instituting the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act Of 2002, repealing Republic Act No. 6425, otherwise known as the Dangerous Drugs Act Of 1 972, s amended, providing funds therefore, and for Other purposes. (http:// www. Alpha. Net/statutes/repasts/arrear/RA_91 65_2002 . HTML) Most of the drug users in the Philippines are young people. Illicit drugs that are present include marijuana, LSI, opiates, and barbiturates.
While there are no hard fast statistics available, it is estimated that as many as 60,000 young people in the Philippines are dealing with drug addiction. Within a period of ten years, the incidence of drug addiction rose dramatically according to studies done in this tiny country. The majors¶/ of drug users are dents with marijuana being the drug of choice. Many people believe that this rise is attributable to simple curiosity, but more likely because Philippine youth are trying to emulate their Western counterparts here in the United States.
Because so much attention is focused on drug addiction in America, the information is readily available in the Philippines as are the drugs. This has increased the demand for drugs thus pushing drug dealers to grow their own cannabis plants, which is illegal in the Philippines. There have been recent reports as well of drugs being manufactured in illegal laboratories. Local argotic police have made several raids to try and curb this activity, but of course, to no avail. To meet the challenge of the drug abuse problem several measures, both private and governmental, are being taken.
Violators of narcotic laws who make known to the authorities the fact of their addiction and their desire to be cured are referred to the Addiction Institute of the National Bureau of Investigation so that they may undergo treatment and rehabilitation. On another front, a new organization-the Narcotic Foundation of the Philippines-has recently been formed. This is a private association not related o Government institutions and treatment centers; its aims are to raise funds for the treatment and reorientation of young addicts, and to educate the public against the dangers of drug addiction.
