Millions of People Struggle Daily with Their Drug Problems - Essay Example

Identify potential risk and protective factors that may influence adolescents drug and alcohol use, and why do we need to consider these. Discuss Introduction: Millions of people struggle daily with their drug and alcohol related problems. The toll these substances take on these people is noteworthy. They are an increasing threat for severe health issues, illicit activity, automobile collisions, and lack of efficiency in the office. However, people with drug and alcohol related problems are not the only sufferers. Their family, friends and society as a whole, suffer also to a great extent. The good news is that cure from drug and alcohol obsession is accessible and effectual. Competent, certified, and devoted professionals administer the treatment programs. These programs and services provided by the professionals meet the rigorous standards of the nations. They are considered to be the vertebral column of the public health reaction required to address this universal epidemic. The variation in treatment and the revitalization programs are considerable. However, it has been observed that these treatment programs are still not inclusive, accessible or affordable for everyone. Those individuals who genuinely need proper care and treatment must get access to it. In reality, out of five million individuals, nearly two million, who are suffering from drug and alcohol addiction, have the benefit of receiving proper and adequate treatment. Thus, about 60 percent of the drug and alcohol patients are deprived of proper treatment. One indisputable fact remains for the individuals who receive adequate treatment. This includes the assistance of families, pals and the society. They play a significant role in the overall recovery process. We should not underestimate their timely involvement, encouragement, support to get out the addiction and help them to maintain sobriety (Facts about Drug and Alcohol Addiction, Treatment, Recovery and Use, n.d.). Why are the young people addicted to drugs? According to the European Union, the main reasons that provoke young Europeans to go for drug addiction are curiosity, peer pressure, thrill seeking and problems at home. The other reasons are loneliness, recreation, problems at schools or workplace, lack of willpower, expected effect of the drug and social or economic problems (Young people and drugs, 2004, p. 25). Figure 1 shows the trend in the causes behind drug abuse between 2002 and 2004. Figure 1: Survey Results: Why most of the young individuals use drugs? Source: Young people and drugs, June 2004, p. 25. It has been estimated that nearly 3 percent of the total population of the world (that is, about 185 million people) have abused drugs during the period of June 2003 to June 2004. This report has been submitted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). About 13 million of the world population is addicted to cocaine. There are about 15 million addicts of heroin, morphine and opium. Cannabis has been used by most of the people. Nearly 150 million people all over the world have used it. The amphetamine-type stimulants–ATS follows cannabis having the record of 38 million users. There are approximately 1.3 billion tobacco smokers across the world. The number is seven times above drug users. According to the World Health Organization, about 200,000 people died due to drug abuse in the year 2000. This death is equal to 0.4 per cent of all deaths internationally (United Nations’ World Drug Report 2004 Presents an In-Depth Look into Global Drug Trends, 2004). According to the statistics provided by the European Union, the young individuals are provoked much more than before to resort to drugs and alcohol. It has been estimated that in 2004 curiosity increased by 3 per cent (64 percent of the drug addicts), while peer pressure reduced by 1 percent (45 percent) and thrill seeking reduced by 4 per cent (37 percent). Thus, it has been observed that drug use has risen with the increase in time period. The illicit drug usages among young individuals in the UK are the maximum in the European Union. The individuals who are interviewed in 2003 are all of 16 years of age. Among them 41 percent of them are boys and 35 percent are girls. These interviewees were addicted to cannabis. During 2001 and 2003, national surveys had been conducted among school students aged between 11 and 15 years in England. It has been observed that the frequency of drug consumption remained more or less stable between these two time points. Occurrence of drug consumption was estimated to be nearly 12 percent in 2003 on a monthly basis. On the other hand, the frequency of taking drugs in 2002 was 21 percent. The frequency of having ever consuming drugs was 30 percent. In the survey conducted in school, about 42 percent of students had been provided with drugs. The most generally offered drug was cannabis (27 percent), subsequently volatile matters (19 percent), poppers (12 percent), magic mushrooms (10 percent), crack (9 percent), cocaine (9 percent) and heroin (7 percent). It has been noted that prevalence rates are very much related with age. As per the assessment, about 4 percent of the students consumed drugs on a monthly basis in 2002 as against 8 percent in 2003. The students of 15 years of age consumed 23 percent of drug in 2002 and 38 percent in 2003 (Frisher, Crome, Macleod, Bloor and Hickman, n.d., p. 3). In another research, it has been evaluated that today the young individuals are offered with more drugs than before. The students aged between 14 and 15 are offered nearly 53 percent of drugs in 2002. However, in 1996, the consumption of drugs was equivalent to 33 percent in the age group of 14-15. According to the surveys conducted, it has been computed that with the increase in the age of the students, they began not to consider cannabis as unsafe. The surveys have also observed that the mentality of the people changes, as they grow older. Very few people now consider cannabis as always unsafe. The 2003/2004 British Crime Survey asserts that nearly 2.8 million individuals in England and Wales have consumed illicit drugs and 0.5 million made use of Class A drug in 2002. They all are of age group 16 to 24 (Frisher, Crome, Macleod, Bloor and Hickman, n.d., p. 2-3) (Trends Illegal Drugs-1987-2004, n.d.). History of Treatment: Nearly 27 percent of the clients, who have come up for receiving treatment in 2008/2009, had undergone treatment beforehand for drug misuse. Substantial diversifications have been observed regarding the treatment of the drug addicts and their major misused drug. Treatment had been provided earlier to the roughly 67 percent of clients addicted to heroin and 55 percent of clients addicted to other opiates. About 11 percent of benzodiazepines-addicted clients and 13 percent of clients addicted to other drugs had undergone treatment before. Variations have been noticed between the four most frequently used drugs and the age group (See Figure 2). Figure 2: Percentage of clients formerly treated for chosen drugs and age groups: 2008/09. Source: Statistics from the Northern Ireland Drug Misuse Database: 1 April 2008 – 31 March 2009, Oct. 2009, p. 7. The number of benzodiazepines-addicted clients had declined across the abovementioned three age groups. These clients were treated beforehand. The percentage of benzodiazepines-addicted clients had fallen from 31 percent having age group of 22-25 years to 21 percent having age group of 30-39 years. The percentage of cannabis–addicted clients had initially increased from 32 percent in the age group of 22-25 years to 35 percent in the age-group of 26-29 years. It again decreases to 31 percent for the age group of 30-39 years. The percentage of individuals who had received treatment before and are cocaine-addicted had increased from 29 percent of those having age of 22-25 years to 41 percent of those aged 30-39 years. A large number of existing clients, who were addicted to heroin, were provided treatment earlier. About half of the clients (48 percent) who are addicted to heroin and consider it as their main drug problem were given treatment beforehand in the age group of 22-25 years (Statistics from the Northern Ireland Drug Misuse, 2009, p. 7). Potential Risks Associated with the Use of Drugs and Alcohol: Generally parents are concerned about providing their kids with better opportunities for unverified activities. There has been constant concern about the safety of the children- whether they are involving in harmful behavior for example, consuming drugs and alcohol. These concerns have shortened the opportunities for the children. Therefore, they are not able to develop their knowledge and experience in a natural way (Our Children-Their Lives, 2000, p. 19). Parents who use penalizing discipline techniques or deviate from their spouses regarding discipline are more liable to account that their children are violent, have control difficulties and are noncompliant (Kandel, 1990, p. 183). It can be known from the evidence that the nature of the drugs issue is altering and becoming more multifaceted. Drugs are usually more widely available to youngsters (Prevention Research Supply Reduction-National Drugs Strategy (interim) 2009 – 2016, 2009, p. 38). Dr Jean Long (Senior Researcher, Health Research Board) has proposed an overview about the drug-associated deaths in Ireland. According to his estimation, the number of direct drug- associated deaths has risen in Ireland between 1996 and 2000. Dublin recorded to have the majority of deaths. In 2001, it has been recorded that there was a considerable reduction in the number of direct drug-associated deaths in Dublin and a sustained augmentation in direct drug- associated deaths outside Dublin. These individuals are those people who are searching for treatment of opiate use. It has been noted that number of deaths among men are greater than women in case of direct drug-related incidents. Entrance to or departure from prison is a risk phase for drug-associated deaths. Opiate-associated deaths comprise of the largest section of direct drug-associated deaths. Poly-substance consumption is linked with deaths among drug consumers. Injecting drug use is linked with contagion and successive mortality (Launch of the National Drug-Related Deaths Index, 2005, p. 1-2). Alcohol is among the most extensively abused matters in Ireland. According to a recent study, it has been found that about 22 percent of the Irish people revealed they had not drunk any intoxicating beverage during the last one year. A survey was conducted to those individuals who had consumed alcohol within one month. They disclosed that out of those individuals, nearly 41 percent of them consumed alcohol once in a week. However, 2 percent are regular alcohol consumers of alcohol. Globally, lifetime self-discipline is more widespread among females than males. This trend is also seen in Ireland. About 23 percent of females accounted never drinking alcohol in the previous one year, compared to 15 percent of males. Alcohol Action Ireland has accounted that while alcohol reliance is approximated to influence between 3 and 5 percent of the populace in Europe, dangerous and injurious drinking can influence up to 40 percent of the residents (Women and Substance Misuse: Alcohol and Women’s Health in Ireland, n.d., p. 4). In United States of America, it has been found that the use of alcohol or drug has been the major contributing element to traumatic brain injuries (TBI) (Doweiko, 2008, p. 2). All the substantiation illustrates that alcohol on the whole has more downbeat than encouraging consequences on a person’s health. Over the era 1992-2002, 14,223 individuals died in Ireland from conditions associated to alcohol use, for example, alcohol-associated cancers, alcohol reliance, never-ending liver disease and cirrhosis, severe alcohol conditions and suicide linked with alcohol consumption. In 2002, alcohol-associated deaths and disability reported for 9.2 percent of the burden of illness in Europe, with only tobacco (12.2 percent) and high blood pressure (10.9 percent) causing more destruction (Women and Substance Misuse: Alcohol and Women’s Health in Ireland, n.d., p. 9). Females have been observed to be more inclined to liver spoil from alcohol than males. Females develop alcohol-associated liver disease, for example cirrhosis or hepatitis, after a shorter phase of time and lower intensities of drinking than males. They are more probable to die from these conditions than are males (Women and Substance Misuse: Alcohol and Women’s Health in Ireland, n.d., p. 10). Over-consumption of alcohol has been connected by investigation to the expansion of upper gastro-intestinal cancer, liver cancer, oral and oesophageal cancer, and probably colorectal cancer. Regular consumption of 10 grams of alcohol (approximately one drink) has been considerably linked with a 9 percent enhancement in risk of persistent breast cancer. Risk augments with increasing quantities of alcohol. Thus, consuming in excess of 30 grams per day is related with a 43 percent augmentation in risk (Women and Substance Misuse: Alcohol and Women’s Health in Ireland, n.d., p. 10). Protective factors: There are significant Irish legislations, which involves from serving of alcohol in approved buildings to purchasing of alcoholic drinks in off-licenses to drinking alcohol in public zones. The laws associated with the alcohol include the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2008, Intoxicating Liquor Act 2003, Intoxicating Liquor Act 2000, the Licensing Act, 1872 and the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994. Under all the Intoxicating Liquor Acts, it is a crime to trade alcohol with any individual under the age of 18, to purchase alcohol for an individual who is under 18, or to act as if to be over 18 so as to purchase or drink alcohol. Under the 2003 Act it became a crime to provide alcohol to a drunken individual and to let a drunken individual to enter a bar. Supporters of licensed bars and foundations in Ireland are anticipated to behave at all times with appropriate respect for others. It is a felony to take part in unruly conduct on accredited premises in Ireland. Off-license sales of alcohol are only authorized between the hours of 10.30 am and 10.00 pm on workdays and 12.30 p.m. to 10.00 pm on Sundays. ‘Happy hour’ type endorsements were banned in Ireland under the 2003 Act. The main punishments for crimes under the Acts are fines, but provisional closure orders can be inflicted for some crimes. Under the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994, it is a crime for an individual to be so drunk in a public zone that he/she could rationally be supposed to be a risk to him/herself or to anybody nearby him/her. Most lately, the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2008 took an upshot on 30th July. The new Act informed the preceding legislation, made legislative improvements involving the sale of alcohol, issuing of certifications, and expanded opening hours. It gave end-products to many of the proposals made in the account of the Government Alcohol Advisory Group. The Act also includes measures to restrain drinking in public zones, particularly by those under 18, including permitting the Gardaí (an officer) (Gardaí arrest Thomas Cook staff, 2009) to take hold of alcohol. The Gardaí can also seize alcohol from any individual (in spite of their age) when the consumption of the alcohol in a public spot is affecting, or is possible to cause, aggravation, irritation or a violation of the peace (Women and Substance Misuse: Alcohol and Women’s Health in Ireland, n.d., p. 21). According to the research by Merchant’s Quay, the bulk of injector participants did not blend the cocaine with an additional drug. On the other hand, 41 percent blended it with heroin. The authors concluded that these high rates of infusing cocaine, crack and ‘speedball’ point to the high dangers taken by this group of individuals. The authors emphasized the high-risk performances connected with spree use and stress. This is a significant issue for harm minimization interferences. A lot of the injecting-cocaine consumers in the study accounted a variety of mental health issues, for example, dejection and hallucinations (Fionolla and Long, 2004). Recommendations: The Children Acts explain the accountabilities of local officials and other services for looking after children and supporting their welfare. The main principle of the Acts is to protect the interests of the child. The Acts place a duty on organizations engaging with problem drug consumers who have dependent children, or directly with the brood themselves. Their role is to evaluate the requirements of children if their health and interests may be at threat. The Acts assert that parents should generally be accountable to their children. This means that public officials should not part the youngster from the parent unless it is evidently in the welfare of the youngster to do so (Hidden Harm: Responding to the needs of children of problem drug users, 2003, p. 12). The Women’s Health Council considers it is necessary that females should be educated about the gender differentiations connected with alcohol use, mainly the differentiation that how males and females metabolize alcohol. They also need to concentrate on the fact that females undergo more pessimistic health influences even at the lower dosages of alcohol than males. Females must be made conscious of the dangers they may be exposed to whilst under the pressure, including the danger of unintentional pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases. It is very much important for the females that they must be responsive to the risks coupled with alcohol use at some point in pregnancy. Education on the particular outcomes of alcohol on females should occur in educational institutions. It has been seen that age at commencement of alcohol use is entrance in determining results. Price may also be a key policy in lessening the use of alcohol among young individuals. According to a latest Euro-barometer study, it has been derived that in Ireland the youngest participants and scholars seemed to be the most vulnerable to alterations in the price of alcohol. Learners (42 percent) and respondents who are of 15-24 years of age (44 percent) declared that they would purchase less alcohol if the price were raised by 25 percent. They have been reported to be more in numbers compared to the other age groups (Women and Substance Misuse: Alcohol and Women’s Health in Ireland, n.d., p. 21-22). On the 16th of June 2009, the Government of Ireland decided about the proposals set out in the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016, depending on resource concerns. Corresponding to the suggestions, the Government also supported the founding of an Office of the Minister for Drugs (OMD) to include the functions formerly assumed by the National Drugs Strategy Team and the Drugs Strategy Unit of my Department (Speech by Mr. John Curran T.D., 2009, p.4). Planning procedure for drug prevention normally initiates with an evaluation of drug abuse and other youngster and adolescent issues, which incorporates measuring the extent of substance abuse in the society as well as reviewing the extent of other society risk factors (for example, poverty). The results of the evaluation can be utilized to raise society consciousness of the nature and importance of the problem and direct the choice of programs most pertinent to the society’s needs. This is a significant procedure whether a society is selecting a school-based deterrence curriculum or scheduling multiple interferences that intersect the entire society (Preventing Drug Use among children and adolescents, n.d., p. 12). The legislative foundation for handling the children in need of concern and security is offered by the Child Care Act, 1991. The endorsement of the well being of children is the supreme principle strengthening the Act. Section 3, which is the keystone of the Act, sketches the functions of health boards. Every health board needs to encourage the welfare of the youngsters who are deprived of ample care and protection (Children First National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children, 1999, p. 19). Thus, the main preventive objectives should be to generate greater communal awareness about the risks and occurrence of drug misuse (Building on Experience- National Drugs Strategy 2001 – 2008, n.d.). References: 1. “Children First National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children”, Sept. 1999. Dept. of Health and Children. Available at: http://www.dohc.ie/publications/pdf/children_first.pdf?direct=1 (Accessed on Oct. 21, 2009). 2. “Launch of the National Drug-Related Deaths Index”, 2005. Drug net, Ireland. Available at: http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/11209/1/Drugnet_16.pdf (Accessed on Oct. 21, 2009). 3. “Our Children-Their Lives”, Nov. 2000. The National Children’s Strategy. Available at: http://www.dohc.ie/publications/pdf/childstrat_report.pdf?direct=1 (Accessed on Oct. 21, 2009). 4. “Building on Experience. National Drugs Strategy 2001 – 2008”, n.d. National Development Plan. Available at: http://www.pobail.ie/en/NationalDrugsStrategy/NationalDrugsStrategyOverview/file,2229,en.pdf (Accessed on Oct. 21, 2009). 5. “Prevention Research Supply Reduction. National Drugs Strategy (interim) 2009 – 2016”, 2009. Available at: http://www.pobail.ie/en/NationalDrugsStrategy/LaunchoftheNationalDrugsStrategy2009-2016/file,9964,en.pdf (Accessed on Oct. 21, 2009). 6. “Speech by Mr. John Curran T.D.”, Sept. 10, 2009. Available at: http://www.pobail.ie/en/NationalDrugsStrategy/LaunchoftheNationalDrugsStrategy2009-2016/ (Accessed on Oct. 21, 2009). 7. “Facts about Drug and Alcohol Addiction, Treatment, Recovery and Use”, n.d. Dept. of Mental Health and Services. 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