CHAPTER – 4

EFFECTS OF DRUG ADDICTION AND ALCOHOLISM

There are several effects of drug abuse and alcoholism on crime in our

society. It effects male and female of all ages; seniors, career-aged, young

adults, teenagers and even children. Intoxication is the main reason behind

every crime. The relationship between drugs and alcohol on crime is complex.

Most directly, it is a crime to buy, use, possess, manufacture, or distribute

illegal drugs (such as cocaine, heroin, and marijuana). The misuse of illegal

drugs or substances may also be connected to crime. For example, prescription

drug abuse may be associated with a variety of crimes such as prescription

forgery, illegal internet pharmacies, and drug theft. Similarly, alcohol, while

legal for adults, may be used in a manner that constitutes a crime. (i.e., while

operating a vehicle).

Drug addicts continue to use drugs in spite of the negative consequences

experienced by the drug addict and those around them. Overdose is often

caused, because abusers use more quantity of medicines, thus reaching a

dangerous level. They cannot work physically or psychologically without taking

199
drugs and when they are not using drugs, they sometimes face dramatic

withdrawal symptoms.1

The drug, can enter the human body in a number of ways, including

injection, inhalation, and ingestion. The method of how it enters in the body

impacts on how the drug affects the person. For example: injection takes the

drug directly into the blood stream, providing more immediate effects; while

ingestion requires the drug to pass through the digestive system, delaying the

effects2.

Drugs addiction leads to psychological and physiological dependence.

The term drugs abuse is used to indicate the excessive consumption of a drugs,

regardless of whether an individual is truly dependent on it. Drugs abusers are

generally immature, suffering from mental and physical health hazards,

emotionally disturbed and psychopathic in nature.3

Now researcher is focusing on psychological, physical, Economical and

other effects.

1
Drug Addicts: Drug Addict Symptoms and Life of Drug Addict by Natasha Tracy,
www.healthyplace.com
2
Effects of drug abuse and addiction the gateway foundation, www.recovergateway.org.
3
Eisch AJ, Harburg GC (2006). "Opiates, psycho stimulants, and adult hippocampal
neurogenesis: Insights for addiction and stem cell biology". Hippocampus 16 (3): 271–86.

200
 In this chapter researcher has tried to explain about the effects of drug

abuse and alcoholism. There are about three types of effects which are:-

PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS

PHYSICAL EFFECTS

ECONOMICAL EFFECTS

PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF DRUG ADDICTION

Drugs and alcohol use can also alter your mood-when you’re high, and

even when you’re not. Drug use can make stress or mental illness, or exacerbate

already existing issues.

STRESS

You might think that using certain drugs will help you relax and forget

about the issues that cause stress. But long-term drug use can have a big impact

on the way your brain works, and lead to increased anxiety and stress.

DEPRESSION

Feeling low after using some drugs-including alcohol-is common. You

might feel depressed because of the drug itself, or because of something that

201
happened while you were using. Sometimes people use drugs to cope with their

depression, but drug use can often worsen these feelings.

MENTAL ILLNESSES

Although scientists generally agree that there is a connection between the

use of drugs and severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, the National

Institute on Drug Abuse says that it’s still unclear whether serious drug use

leads to these illnesses or if having an illness increases a person’s chances to

abuse drugs.4

The psychological effects of drug addiction are accustomed to the user's

addicted of drugs as well as due to a change in brain, when a person becomes

addictive. Initially, many people start taking drugs to deal with stress or pain.

An effect of drug addiction creates a cycle where at any time the user faces

stress or pain, they feel the need to use medication. This is one of the

psychological effects of drug addiction in the "craving" of the drug. Craving is

an effect of drug addiction whereby the addict is obsessed with obtaining and

using the drug, to the exclusion of all else. One of the psychological effects of

4
Causes and Effect of Drug Addiction, By Novika Amalia, www.scribd.com

202
addiction involved in craving is the belief the addict cannot function or handle

life without use of the drug.

PERTURBENT

Perturbent is a French word, The term perturbent mean Psychodysleptics

disrupt. Psychodysleptics or psychic disruptors, disrupting the activity of the

nervous system, include most drugs: Hallucinogens (mescaline, peyote,

ketamine, phencyclidine, LSD); Narcotics (morphine, heroin, opium); Alcohol

and addictive behavior. The functioning of thought, leading in particular to

hallucinations. It is characterized by a psychic dependence and the absence of

physical dependence and Psychoactive substances disrupt the transmission

between neurons of "information" Responsible for our perceptions, sensations,

emotions, moods.

The behavior resulting from this effect is called disruptive behavioral disorder

(DBD). Disruptive behavior disorder (DBD) involves certain mental disorders

in children and adolescents, for example, it includes aggression, anger and

disobedience.

There is no doubt that there is close link between DBD and substance

abuse. However, the results of new studies suggest a more complex relationship

203
between disruptive behavioral disorder and substance abuse. Incidentally, if you

or someone in your family is showing signs, then people may have problems

with the combined effect of these disorders, then you should take care about it.

Children with DBD often face difficulties in home and school. In fact,

some children with DBD may later develop drug misuse and addiction in life.

Apart from this, adults with DBD are also more at risk of becoming a criminal

or physical assault. Opposing poisonous disorder (ODD) and conduct disorder

(CD) are the major components of DBDThe signs and behaviors that may be

associated with either ODD or CD include:

Being highly aggressive toward friends or family members or animals,

showing cruel behavior, which are not related to age or situation, deliberately

destroyed the properties of those who lie on purpose or fraud. For the sake of

reasons, remove the rules in the school or workplace who think that they are the

cause of their problem, they are hurting them.

Similarly, men with disruptive behavioral disorder also have six times the

risk of drug abuse, this happens when you compare the disorderly behavioral

204
disorder.

Other psychological effects of drug addiction and alcoholism are:5

 Wild mood swings, depression, anxiety, paranoia, violence

 Decrease in pleasure in everyday life

 Complication of mental illness

 Hallucinations

 Confusion

 Psychological tolerance to the drug's effects creating a desire to do ever-

increasing amounts of the drugs.

 Desire to engage in risky behaviour

Once a person falls into drug abuse, there is no power to control it. They

reach a condition where non-consumption of these drugs than they feel

unconscious, depressed and anxious, and increases their craving for more

drugs.6 Today, many illegal drugs are available in almost every country, it is

5
Psychological effects of drug addiction, www.Healty place.com
6
Drug abuse and addiction, by Maria, wikieducator.org

205
quite expensive and not easily accessible. It has been observed that drug abuse

addiction is one of the reasons for rising crime rates in the society. People steal,

go to prostitution and even sell their homes to make money for the purchase of

drugs.7

Drug addiction not only effects the person, but also his family and

friends. Drug addicts have the tendency to turn extremely violent, when they are

under the spell of drugs. Family members and friends feel helpless as they are

not able to do anything to help their loved ones from not taking drugs8. Drug

addiction is said to have resulted to the breakdown of many families, and it is

likely that addicts even lose their friends due to this habit. The effects of drug

addiction can also be seen in a person's professional life. It happens that the

person is not able to concentrate on the job, due to which his performance level

goes down, eventually leading him to lose his job.

It is rather difficult to treat a person from drug addiction, but is not impossible.

To start with the treatment, the drug addict must realize that he has a problem

which is dangerous not only for himself but, also for the people around him.

7
Illegal drug use and crime: A complex relationship, www.prl.gc.ca
8
Chapter 1 Substance Abuse Treatment and Family Therapy - NCBI www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

206
The person should understand the fact that drugs may give him an immediate

relief, but it is a dangerous addiction that can even take away his life.9

PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF DRUG ADDICTION

Physical effects of drug addiction vary by drug but are usually seen in

all systems of the body. Some primary physical effects of drug addiction are in

the brain. Drug addiction changes the way the brain functions and the way the

body feels pleasure. These effects of drug addiction are because the drug

repeatedly floods the brain with the chemicals dopamine and serotonin during

drug use. The brain is friendly and it comes to expectation, and depends on

these drugs, which brings to a higher level.10

Drug addiction can have severe effects on the entire body of the person.

Physiological effects that are found in the initial stages of drug addiction are

irregular breathing and, increase in heart rate and blood pressure. The person

may also experience sudden weight gain or weight loss.

The long term effects of drug addiction are more serious. Some of the

dangerous diseases that are caused due to drug addiction are brain damage,

9
Drug addiction and society, www.scribd.com
10
Effects of Drug Addiction (physical and Psychological) Natasha tracy, www.healthy
place.com

207
heart disease, arthritis and lung diseases. It is also one of the reasons for a

person getting infected with AIDS, due to sharing of syringes to inject drugs.11

PHYSICAL INJURIES

When you are under the influence of drugs, you can do things that you

will not normally do. You are more likely to experience physical injury or get

involved in car accidents. Worse, you also commit suicide and murder.

VIOLENCE

Some drugs can increase the likelihood of violent behaviour. Violence is

never an acceptable way to react in a situation, and if you become violent. when

you use drugs, it’s a good idea to re-evaluate your drug use. Drug-induced

violence can lead to serious injury to you and to others.

INTERNAL DAMAGE

Use of some drugs can damage your internal organs, such as liver, brain,

lungs, throat and stomach. For example, ordinary household glue can be

characterized as a drug if sniffed. if they're inhaled over a long period of time.

The chemicals in glue can cause hearing loss and kidney damage and if you use

11
www.thegooddrugsguide.com

208
marijuana continuously so it can harm the parts of the brain that control

memory, attention and learning.

DRUG ABUSE DURING PREGNANCY

During pregnancy, substance misuse can harm your child. These illicit

drugs may be the cause of pre-term labor and low birth weight, as well as

children with irritability and difficulties in feeding. Pregnant women, who use

marijuana and alcohol, face high risk of premature birth and low birth weight.

Smoking pot may cause developmental delays in the child. While you’re under

the influence of drugs, you might be less likely to remember to have safe sex.

Unprotected sex can lead to pregnancy or the spread of STDs like HIV/AIDS.

RISK OF OTHER INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Sharing needles from injecting certain types of drugs can put you at major

risk for getting diseases like Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, as well as HIV. These

diseases are spread through the transmission of body fluids like blood. You can

also contract other infections, like colds and mono, from sharing pipes or bongs.

Physical effects of drug addiction are also seen in babies of drug abusers as well

as in mortality statistics. One effect of drug addiction is: children born to drug-

209
using mothers can be cognitively affected throughout life. Regarding mortality,

one-in-four deaths are due to the effects of drug addiction.

ADDICTION

When you take drugs, there’s a chance that you could become dependent

on them. This means that you might feel like you can’t operate without drugs in

your system or that you spend a lot of your time and energy finding and using

the drug. You might also have withdrawal symptoms when you stop using the

drug. If you use drugs often, your tolerance to the drug might increase, causing

you to need to take a greater amount to get the same effects.

DRUG ABUSE AND HIV IN INDIA

Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur and Mizoram are the spellbinding names

of four of the eight states in the north-east of India, squeezed between

Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Myanmar and Nepal. These states showcase the

natural beauty of India's far-flung east.

According to the Department of AIDS Control, Ministry of Health and

Family Welfare of the Government of India. There are other, little known

realities. Some 100,000 people live with HIV and AIDS in north-east India.

210
 In September 2012, a team of Delhi-based United Nations staff travelled

to these parts, where the United Nations has teamed up with the National AIDS

Control Organisation to carry out an HIV and AIDS prevention and care

programme. Adult HIV and AIDS prevalence rates in Manipur and Nagaland

are 1.57 and 1.2 per cent respectively and well above the national average of

0.34 per cent.

Among the high-risk groups, the numbers are alarming: in Manipur,

19.8 per cent of injecting drug users are HIV positive, as are 10.4 percent of

men having sex with men. In Nagaland, 16.4 per cent of female sex workers are

living with HIV and AIDS. All of these numbers are well above the national

average. Although national HIV prevalence has been decreasing since 2002, this

has not translated into a similar decrease in the north-east. Whereas

interventions for injecting drug users have had an impact, prevalence rates

remain well above the national average of 6.9 percent, meaning that much more

needs to be done12.

During the joint mission, staff from the Joint United Nations Programme

on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the

United Nations Development Programme and UNODC heard the voices of drug

12
2009-10-08, Drugs and HIV: voices of hope in India - Drug Free Zone

211
users, both male and female, who now receive support through the United

Nations13.

OTHER PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF DRUG ADDICTION INCLUDE:

 Heart rate irregularities, heart attack or heart failure

 Respiratory problems such as lung cancer, emphysema and breathing

problems.

 Abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, diarrhoea

 Damage of Kidney and liver

 Brain damage, Seizures, stroke,

 Changes in appetite, body temperature and sleeping patterns

ECONOMICAL EFFECTS OF DRUG ADDICTION

Economic effects of alcohol abuse or addiction are harmful in the form

of the health of the country, affecting families, communities and people of all

ages. Underage drinks are interfering with the development of children, thereby

13
Drugs and HIV voice hope in India, Cristina Albertin, www.unodc.org

212
affecting the nation's ability to respond to the economic challenge in the future.

The college aged may be the most difficult to educate about alcohol abuse

because of drinking patterns established at an early age and susceptibility to

advertising inducements.

Reports by UNDCP have pointed out that the economic effects of drug

abuse can be measured in two forms. One is the cost of government drug

enforcement policies. Nations around the world have spent billions annually on

other efforts for the purpose of law enforcement and drug interdiction. Because

a central theory in economics is that resources are rare and there is a need to

make decisions about how to allocate them, it follows that money spent on drug

enforcement is money not spent on education, public infrastructure, or given to

the public in the form of lower taxes. The lost human productivity is an another

economic effect of drug abuse, such as lost wages and decreased production that

results from illnesses and premature deaths related to drug addiction.

According to the UNDCP, the economic impact of drug misuse of each

country is different, which cited some individual nations as specific examples in

its reports. In Canada, for example, UNDCP estimated that lost productivity

related to drug abuse accounted for 60 percent of the economic effect of drug

abuse there. According to the estimates of Germany that, about 10 billion US

213
dollars per year of abuse, drug enforcement and treatment costs, half of which

arise from disease and productivity arising out of premature deaths.

Heroin, cannabis and cocaine are the drugs most frequently reported by

people entering treatment worldwide. It is estimated that only one in six

problem drug users worldwide. •

In Africa only 1 in 18 drug users receives treatment. In Latin America,

the Caribbean and Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, approximately 1 in 11

problem drug users receives treatment, while in North America an estimated

one in three problem drug users receives treatment interventions. If all

dependent drug users had received treatment in 2010, the cost of such treatment

would have been an estimated $200 billion- $250 billion, or 0.3-0.4 per cent of

the global gross domestic product (GDP). Research findings clearly show that

investment in treatment is cost-effective compared with the cost of untreated

and continuing abuse. Research conducted in the United States of America

reveals that every $1 invested in treatment yields a return of between $4 and

$12 in reduced crime and health-care costs.14

FINANCIAL ISSUES

14
Substance use and abuse2nd edition: Everything matters By Rick Csiernik, P- 40 (2016)

214
The costs of an addiction not only affect the sufferer but can also encompass

family, friends and society as a whole. There are the costs of policing, drug

addiction help lines, support groups and rehab clinics. Indirectly there is lost

revenue in the form of tax and national insurance contributions each time an

addict loses their job or is unable to work. This means a drop in revenue for the

Treasury and an increase in welfare benefits, e.g. unemployment benefit.15

This may sound extreme but if you multiply all of this by the number of drug

addicts in the UK then it all adds up to a hefty drain on the country’s purse

strings. On a smaller scale there is the financial damage to family or friends as

the addict will resort to theft or other criminal means in order to fund their habit.

IMPACT ON PUBLIC SAFETY

Beyond health costs, people under the influence of drugs pose major

safety risks and costs to people around them and the environment. For example,

drug-affected driving accidents have emerged as a major global threat in recent

years. Additionally, a greater awareness of the impacts on the environment of

illicit drug cultivation, production and manufacture has emerged.

MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY

215
 Globally, it is estimated that drug-related deaths account for between 0.5

and 1.3 per cent of all-cause mortality for people aged 15-64 years. It is

estimated that there are 211,000 drug-related deaths annually, with younger

people facing a particularly high risk. In Europe, the average age of death from

drug use is in the mid-30s. It is important to note that little information

regarding drug-related mortality is available for Asia and Africa. In addition to

drug-related mortality, estimates indicate that of the 14 million injecting drug

users worldwide, 1.6 million are living with HIV, 7.2 million are living with

hepatitis C, and 1.2 million are living with hepatitis B.16

A global scientific study estimates that due to the abusing of the drugs in

2010 compare to 1990, the burden of the disease has increased significantly.

Out of 43 risk factors, drug use was the nineteenth in the ranking of top global

killers (alcohol was the third and tobacco was second). For people aged 15-49,

the abuse of drugs was the sixth most common reason of death.

DRUG-AFFECTED DRIVING

Abuse of drugs affects perception, attention, cognition, co-ordination and

reaction time are affected between other neurological functions, which affect

safe driving. Cannabis is the most prevalent illegal drug detected in drivers in
16
World drug report 2012(UNODC) www.unodc.org

216
Canada and the United States and Europe and Oceania. Research has found that

the habitual user of cannabis is associated with the risk of 9.5 times-fold greater

risk of driving accidents, cocaine and benzodiazepines increase the risk 2-10

times, amphetamines or the use of many drugs increases risk 5-30 times, and

increases the risk, and alcohol in combination with drugs increases the risk of

getting seriously injured. • at increased risk also has consequences for

passengers and others on the road, who may become victims of drug-affected

driving.17

IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT

Illegal production and disposal of medicines and pharmaceuticals, due to

the preceding chemicals and active ingredients or substances required for the

manufacturing process, are also becoming the cause of environmental pollution.

Disposal introduces those substances into the environment in sewage, from

where they can enter sediment, surface and ground water and the tissues of

vegetation and aquatic organisms. As a result, wildlife and humans can be

chronically exposed to very low doses of drugs and the chemicals used in their

17
Annual report of INCB 2013,Theamatic chapters, Chapter –I, p-2, www.incb.org

217
illicit manufacture. As a result of cost to individuals and governments, because

they are responsible for ensuring public health.18

Illicit cultivation of both coca bush and opium poppy has often resulted in

the clearance of forests—in the case of illicit cultivation of coca bush, primarily

in Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Colombia and Peru19.

Some devastating effects of illicit cultivation of cannabis plant, coca bush

and opium poppy on biodiversity are the loss, degradation and fragmentation of

the forests, and the loss of areas where food could be grown. In addition to the

deforestation caused by illicit crop cultivation, chemicals used for the

processing of illicit drugs can be harmful to biodiversity20, both in the

immediate area and downstream, as a result of chemical run-of. There can also

be negative effects associated with the aerial spraying of crops.

Another value of drug addiction, which is often cited, is loss of

productivity, when drug offenders are under the influence of abusive drugs or

are experiencing the consequences of drug abuse (e.g., treatment, in jail Or in

18
Ibid,p17
19
Economic consequences of drug abuse, www.incb.org
20
The War on drugs causing deforestation, www.countthecost

218
the hospital). Then incentives in the productivity of drugs. These studies have

put the cost of productivity lost by employers of millions of dollars.21

Now we will discuss about some other factors, Which has the effects the

drug abuse and alcoholism. Which are given below:-

SOCIETY

The effects of substance abuse and alcoholism can be felt on many levels:

on the Society, Marriage/Relationships, Home/family life, Education,

Employment, Health, Personality, Financial issues, Law and order. Some drugs

can even change a person's body and brain or mood in ways that last long after

the person has stopped taking drugs, maybe even permanently22.

Most drugs have directly or indirectly targeted the brain's reward system with a

flood in the circuit with dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter present in

the areas of the brain, which regulates the feeling of movement, emotion,

sensation, inspiration and pleasure.23 When drugs enter the brain, they can

actually change how the brain performs its jobs. These changes are lead to

habitual drug use, the sign of addiction.

21
Ibid, p 17
22
Effects of drug abuse and addiction, www.recovergateway.org
23
Drugs and the brain, National Institute Of Drug Abuse (NIDA), www.drugabuse.gov

219
 Drug addiction is changes the user’s brain, body, and spirit. People are

addicted to not only street drugs such as heroin, cocaine, crack, meth, and

marijuana but also prescription drugs including Valium, Percocet, OxyContin,

Vicodin, Xanax, and Ritalin etc.(bhang charas gaanja etc)

The effect of drug addiction on the user can range from mild itching to

comas and death. In addition to the physical and psychological effects of drug

addiction. The worst of which is of course their drug addiction. Addicts find

that they are no longer able to distinguish between right and wrong and make

poor judgment choices24.

Scientists have determined that most addictive drugs initially affect the

brains reward system. This part of the brain rewards us when we do the things

necessary to survive--eating, drinking, having sex to perpetuate our species, and

so on. Cells in this part of the brain release chemicals that make us feel good

(reward us) when we engage in these behaviours and teach us to repeat them.

Drugs mimic the brain's natural chemicals. Instead of teaching us to repeat

survival behaviour, drugs teach us to take more drugs. If use continues, the

harmful effects of drugs gradually change the user’s brain and lead to drug

addiction.

24
Effects of drug addiction, www.drug-rehab.org

220
 Tolerance is an another effect of drug addiction, which means increasing

amounts of the drug are needed to duplicate the initial effect. Other effects of

drug addiction include sharing hypodermic needles. This dramatically increases

the risk of contracting AIDS and some types of hepatitis25.

The effect of alcohol with motor control and are factors in many

automobile accidents. Users of marijuana and hallucinogenic drugs may

experience26 flashbacks, unwanted recurrences of the drug's effects weeks or

months after use. Sudden abstinence from certain drugs results in withdrawal

symptoms. For example, heroin withdrawal can cause vomiting, muscle cramps,

convulsions, and delirium. Many drug users engage in criminal activity, such as

burglary and prostitution, to raise the money to buy drugs, and some drugs,

especially alcohol, are associated with violent behaviour.27

In the workplace it is costly in terms of lost work time and inefficiency.

Drug users are more likely than nonusers to have occupational accidents,

endangering themselves and those around them. Over half of the highway

deaths in the United States involve alcohol. Drug-related crime can disrupt

neighbourhoods due to violence among drug dealers, threats to residents, and

25
Drug use and abuse, Stephen A, Maisto, Mark Galiziov, Page 18
26
Drugs and their effects, www.infoplease.com
27
Smoke and Mirrors: The War on Drugs and the Politics of Failure (1996); M. Massing, The
Fix (1998); J. Jonnes, Hepcats, Narcs, and Pipe Dreams

221
the crimes of the addicts themselves. In some neighbourhoods, younger children

are recruited as lookouts and helpers because of the lighter sentences given to

juvenile offenders, and guns have become commonplace among children and

adolescents. The great majority of homeless people have either a drug or

alcohol problem or a mental illness.

Individuals who use drugs experience physical effects due to their drug

addiction. People with drug addiction may experience anxiety, fatigue,

depression, and a strong desire to use more cocaine to alleviate the feelings of

the crash28.

Family and friends feel the effects of drug addiction as well. The abuser

who are preoccupied with the drug usually have changeable mood, which is

likely to cause marital problems and poor work performance or dismissal. Drug

addiction disrupts family life and creates destructive patterns of co-

dependence.29

Drug users are more likely than nonusers to have occupational accidents,

endangering themselves and those around them. Drug-related crime can disrupt

neighbourhoods due to violence among drug dealers, threats to residents, and

28
Drug addiction and drug abuse,www.infoplus.com
29
Drugs and their dreadful effects on the body, www.drugpolicy.org

222
the crimes of the addicts themselves. In addition, drug addiction will cost

billions of dollars each year. Heroin use alone is responsible for the epidemic

number of new cases of HIV/AIDS and drug addicted infants born each year.

Drug addiction is responsible for decreased job productivity and attendance,

increased healthcare costs, and an escalation of domestic violence and violent

crimes30

There are many negative physical health effects of drug addiction, in

which minor issues such as digestive problems or respiratory infections are used

for potentially fatal diseases. The effect depends on the drug and its amount,

method and frequency. The result of this is that regular drug abuse or drug

intervention can have physical dependence, which means that when a person

stops taking drugs, then he experiences symptoms of physical withdrawal and

for medication Feeling craving.

Drug addiction can cause brain damage. Drug addiction affects the

functioning of the brain and changes its reactions to the world. Drug abuse will

affect the behaviour, actions, feelings, and motivations of drug abuser. By

30
Drug abuse and addiction, Nessa A1, Latif SA, Siddiqui NI, Hussain MA, Hossain MA,
2008 Jul;17(2):227-35.

223
interfering with the natural functions of the brain, the abusers expose

themselves to the risks, which cannot be imagined.31

We know little knowledge about the physical and psychological effects

of an addiction and do not even know about social effects or more? In many

ways, it is more harmful than the other two. Drug addiction affects : It has a far-

reaching effect, including family, friends, employers, health professionals etc.

HOME/FAMILY

The family structure in every society in India is growing from the

traditional family to single-parent families, stepfamilies, parents families and

multi-family and most of its losses have been noticed. Therefore, when a family

member misuses substances, the effect on family according to family structure

may vary32.

Under the influence of addiction, family members may experience

feelings of abandonment, restlessness, fear, resentment, anxiety, humiliation or

guilt. They want to neglect or deduct relations with substance exploiter. Some

31
Drugs and their dreadful effects by Lazoi Team, www.lazoi.com, 26 august 2015
32
Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No. 39. Center for Substance Abuse
Treatment. Rockville, Substance Abuse Treatment and Family Therapy (Impact of
substance abuse on families), www.ncbi.nim.nih.gov

224
relatives or family members may also feel the need for legal protection from the

misbehaviour. Apart from this, the impact on families can continue for

generations. Negative effects of intergene-based interactions of drug abuse can

negatively affect the negative role, modeling, belief and conduct, which can

harm relationships between generations. Like a young man with a parent, who

can become more and more vigilant and controlled guardian due to abuse,

which does not allow enough autonomy for his children

Abusive peer groups, colleagues and neighbors, they also experience the

effects of drug abuse on the basis that the person who regularly misuses drugs is

unbelievable. Peer groups can be asked financial help or in different ways.

Colleagues can be forced to lower efficiency or express unbalanced parts of the

workload. As a result, they can provoke misbehaviour

Those who suffer from drugs and alcohol, they are probably going to

separate themselves from their family. Often they like to cooperate with people

who abuse drugs or take an interest in some other types of antisocial activities.

When liver cirrhosis or damage, cancer and heart failure, these alcohol

develops during the related illness; The old effects that directly result from

alcohol misuse are rarely seen in young people. That is why this is a short term

225
intense effect of alcohol consumption which is more apparent in this population.

In particular, acute drug addiction can occur faster and surprisingly in children

and youth, which may be due to a combination of physical factors and socio-

cultural reasons. The most common physical effect of alcohol is coma and

vomiting33.

The use of alcohol plays an important role among the youth for general

and brain injury. It is estimated that 1.5-2 lakh people are injured every year in

India and 10 lakhs are victims of death. Road traffic injuries are the major

causes (60%) of TBI, followed by falls (20% -25%) and violence (10%). Wine

participation is known for being present between 15% -20% of TBI. The need

for rehabilitation of injured persons in the brain is quite high and is increasing

year after year. To cope with the major challenges of prevention, pre-hospital

care and rehabilitation in their rapidly changing environment in India and other

developing countries, they have to reduce the burden of injured brain injuries

33
Lamminpaa A. Alcohol intoxication in childhood and adolescence. Alcohol & Alcoholism.
1995;30(1):5-12.

226
(TBI)34 And due to the risk of disease and death at an early age, mainly due to

suicide and violent accidents35.

Alcohol abuse is linked to drinking partners and many negative

consequences for children. Many women consume alcohol during pregnancy, so

this can be the result of fatal alcohol syndrome in children, and if parents are

excessive alcohol, then it is related to child abuse and many social,

psychological and economic Methods have an impact on the child's atmosphere.

Drinking, drinking as a parent, in the form of a husband or wife, and as a

contributor to the functioning of the house can spoil the performance. There are

other aspects of drinking which may fail to function like a family member.

Mainly drinking out of the family can be home and in many societies. In this

separation, spend time while spending time, often competing with the time

necessary to run the family's life. Drinking is also used to spend money and may

affect the resources of a poor family, so that other family members leaving

unfounded. Apart from this, it is worth noting that in specific addictive

34
Rogers PD, Harris, J, Jarmuskewicz, J. Alcohol and adolescence. Pediatric Clinics of North
America. 1987;34(2):289-303.
35
Thunstrom M. The alcohol intoxicated child and its prognosis. Acta Paediatrica
Scandinavica. 1988;77(1):3-9.

227
incidents, there may be permanent consequences through domestic accidents

and family violence36.

MARRIAGE/RELATIONSHIPS

Situation in one half of a couple is an addict then this can cause untold

hardship for the other half. The person who is addicted may change with an

already easy personality which appears in mood swings, violent explosions,

secrecy and other forms of extreme behaviour.

This is difficult for their partner to deal with and is even worse if there

are children involved. It is both distressing and confusing for children to see one

parent (or even both parents) exhibit signs of their addiction.

The addictive person may be in financial difficulties, which is unknown

to the other person. It is a recipe for your irrational behaviour, paranoia and in

many cases, combine with criminal behaviour and your marriage breakdown. In

many cases, the addiction is desperate for her next 'fix', if she is craving for a

drink, a cigarette or a particular drug, but is unable to satisfy the craving - either

36
Global status report on Alcohol, World health organisation, Department of mental health
and substance abuse, Geneva 2004

228
lack of money or prevented from doing so by their partner then violence is often

the result.37

The sad fact is that these actions are often committed by someone who is

not a violent person by nature but is driven by their need for this substance.

Their addiction is his main priority in life and this is important for him.

Anyone from any addiction may be unaware of the concerns of selfish,

self-centered and other people. Things such as mortgage and payment of bills or

issues of day to day run are not important for them.

It often leads to breakdown in marriage relationships and others, which

causes financial difficulties and distress. The second half is left to deal with it,

which is even more difficult for the children.38

What can happen is that other members of the family closes ranks and

exclude the person with the addiction. This is mainly done to protect the family

from other consequences of his/her behaviour but also as a means of presenting

a united front to the rest of society.

37
Social Effects of an Addiction - Drug Addiction ,wwwmedic8.com
38
Cultural Sociology of drug abuse, M.E. Maxwell,2013, P45

229
DOMESTIC PROBLEM

Domestic Violence is a crime that is committed behind closed doors in

the privacy of the family. It is a problem that tends to be denied, tolerated or

ignored by our society which has viewed abuse within the family as a private

matter rather than as a social problem. An effective method to deal with

domestic violence issues is very important on the use of drugs and alcohol.

Many studies have shown that due to the misuse of drugs and alcohol, there are

frequent quarrels and families break down.39

Women who are not abusers may be affected by

problems related to drug abusing by the men. The problems of male partners

may affect women in the form of difficulties in child abuse, interpersonal

relationships, instability, sexual abusing, economic insecurity, violence,

deprivation of schooling and risk of sexually transmitted disease, including HIV

infection etc40.

Under the influence of addiction, husbands and wives, brothers and

sisters, and sadly children are also affected. Families can be the source of

39
Consequences and social implication of addiction, www.shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in
40
The social impact of drug abuse, UNDCP as a position paper for the World Summit for
Social Development (Copenhagen, 6-12 March 1995)

230
strength and support, or they can be able to advance from inactivity. Families

participate in improving drug addiction or they themselves become victims. 41

Alcohol abuse, other substance abuse and psychopathology have been

studied among family members. It is well known that having biological relatives

with alcoholism increases the risk in unaffected individuals. Also, families with

histories of psychological and social pathology may be at increased risk for

alcohol problems. The degree to which similar processes apply to other drugs is

not as well established. Persons who are heavy users of alcohol or other drugs

may show psychiatric symptoms such as depression. Dysfunctional drug or

alcohol use may mask an underlying emotional illness.

The consequences of an adult who abuses substances and lives alone or

with a partner are likely to be economic and psychological. Money can be used

for the use of drugs; The partner who is not using the substance often plays the

main role. Psychological consequences may include denial or protection of the

person with the substance abuse problem, stress, chronic anger, shame,

hopelessness, inappropriate sexual behaviour, stigma, anxiety, neglected health,

and isolation.

41
Ibid

231
 In this situation, it is important to understand that both partners need help.

Both treatments for both partners will be affected, and the drug treatment

programs are welcomed by both partnersIf a person does not have an immediate

family, then family medicine should not be deprived of themselves. Regarding

the family of a lost family, a disfellowshipped family or origin, can still be

relevant in the treatment. A person who misuses substances has an impact on

the members of his family who may be ready to participate in family

remedies.42

EDUCATION

Alcohol and substance abuse have also become a serious problem in

college campuses. In today's educational space, most students can be seen drug

addicts. Such people create their own group, they start with BD, cigarette,

which gradually reaches to alcohol and drugs. In 2010, 22 percent of college

students admitted to using illicit drugs, and 63.3 percent of college students

identified as heavy drinkers, according to the results from the National Survey

on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings. Alcohol and substance

abuse among college students has a number of serious, detrimental effects on

42
Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No. 39. Center for Substance Abuse
Treatment. Rockville, Substance Abuse, Treatment and Family Therapy (Impact of
substance abuse on families), www.ncbi.nim.nih.gov

232
both the individual and campus levels43.

Education is the main means of preventing drug abuse. Apart from

educational institutions, other teaching is important for those contributions that

they do for learning and socialisation. Home, workplace and religious

institutions, in the name of three examples, are like settings for the education of

youth and the elderly. Most officers have supported the education of drug

misuse in mainstream institutions, whether public and private, religious or

secular.44

If a child is suffering from an addiction then this will impact upon their

schooling, relationships with other children and their home life. One such effect

of this is truanting from school.

This can happen when a child is addicted or his parents have an addiction

and neglect to take care of them. The temptation of alcohol, cigarettes or drugs,

it is difficult for a child or a young person to oppose the desire to become a part

43
The Effects of Drugs & Alcohol on College Campuses, by Ashley Miller, Demand Media,
www.seattlepi.com
44
School base education for drug abuse prevention (UNODC), www.unodc.org

233
of the gang, or it may be addicted as a means of growing 'forbidden fruit'.

Addiction in a young person is likely to be very high compared to an adult.45

An issue, often unstated, is whether, to have real impact on the drug

problem, society or the individual should be the initial target for change.

Seeking the root causes focuses on the social conditions that lead persons to

engage in drug abuse. Gradually and indirectly, education is only seen as a

result of walking only for long periods of time, in which parents are involved,

and occasionally, or regular use of drug use. To gradually make social changes.

The short-term approach (to control the supply of drugs) and the long-term

demand reduction approach by education are two ends of a continuum which

are often placed in opposition to each other. In fact, both drugs are essential

parts of broader view of prevention of drug abuse 46.

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

The decline in academic performance is often one of the first signs of

drug abuse or alcohol by college students. Due to the misuse of substances or

45
Ibid 37
46
The Social Problems on Young People which Related to
Crime,www.blablawriting.com

234
alcoholism, the grades are sliced, because addict person are unable to maintain

their studies and perform their best. 47

In some countries, only a minority of the children go to school, and those

in school may stay there for only a few years. In these situations, methods need

to be adapted when preparing health education approaches for drug abuse

prevention, particularly for rural area youth. Flexible methods include

innovative out-of-school approaches for health promotion activities. When less

children go to school or when families are less integrated, adaptive changes are

required in academic intervention for both formal and informal methods.48

Drug abuse and Alcoholism can also have a negative financial impact on

college students drugs and alcohol aren't usually free. Many college students are

already financially ineffective, and sometimes they do not have the money to

buy books, they spend so much money on drugs or alcohol that they sometimes

do not have money for that food too. It often happens with people living outside

the house.

If you are addicted to alcohol then you losing

your money, suffering from poor health and failing your classes wasn't bad

47
The Effects of Drugs & Alcohol on College Campuses by Ashley Miller,
www.educationseattlepi.com
48
Drugs and education, www.ibfn.com

235
enough, you might also have to face legal consequences. College students who

are under 21 and drink or those over the age of 21 who supply minors with

alcohol might be subjected to disciplinary action, such as suspension or

expulsion or even arrest Illegal use of drugs and alcohol is an offense, so the

students caught on the basis of illegal substances depend on many factors,

amount and type of medicine or whether they are selling or occupied Drugs

have been caught in.49

The effects of cannabis, the most widely used illicit drug have been

reviewed by many researches. One research has indicated that chronic or acute

use of cannabis may result in preoccupation with the immediate present, an

impairment of short-term memory and other mental functions, impaired tracking

ability in sensory and perceptual functions, adverse emotional and social

development of children and youth, and impaired classroom performance. The

degree of impairment follows the dosage amounts used, everything else being

equal. Summarizing the potential impact of several kinds of drugs, another

researcher has concluded that "drugs can decrease cognitive operations, making

it difficult for the youth to develop a functional set of values and ideals.

Reduced cognitive efficiency also leads to poor academic performance and a

49
The Effects of Drugs & Alcohol on College Campuses by Ashley Miller,
www.educationseattlepi.com

236
resulting decrease in self-esteem, contributing to instability of the individual's

sense of identity". Drugs may preoccupy and come to dominate the person's

thinking as providing a solution to problems that need, in reality, non-drug

solutions. Young people, as well as adults, can take medicines to deal with

problems that can not be solved by such substances.50

“Approaches to education about drugs may be grouped conceptually into

a threefold typology: (a) the chosen educational strategy or approach (direct,

alternative or indirect and selective); (b) the target group and (c) the type of

activity and teaching materials used. Depending on the target group, a direct

substance-centred approach may be used. It is possible to make the environment

of the individuals involved the target, although this is not frequently done. Also,

educational activities may be carried out by adults, teachers, specialist

educators, youth leaders, parents or peers.”51

Spending for the general education of youth, frequently relatively small,

is often allowed to fall behind other areas. According to UNESCO, "public

expenditure in education has continued to stagnate in most countries,

accounting for about 3 per cent of GNP for the developing countries of Asia as

a whole". Where drug abuse education fits into overall national funding

50
Most commonly addictive drugs, NIDA, www.drugabuse.gov
51
World Bank, World Development Report, 1993 (Oxford University Press, 1993), table 19.

237
priorities is not clear. Nor is information available about the relation of amounts

spent on drug abuse education compared to other educational activities.

Programmes for educating various target groups vary enormously in cost, from

practically nothing for activities using donated time or free resources from

sponsors to very expensive for high technology mass media programmes. The

cost-effectiveness approach is a means to determine the most suitable responses

to drug abuse. Unfortunately, information about the costs and outcomes of

various intervention measures for drug abuse education is not usually available.

In the absence of this kind of information, alternative educational measures may

be compared on the basis of costs and other factors to determine their suitability

for use in programmes.52

HEALTH

As alcohol-related diseases such as liver cirrhosis, cancers and heart

disease take time to develop; the chronic effects that directly result from alcohol

misuse are rarely seen in young people. Thus it is the shorter-term acute effects

of alcohol consumption that are more evident in this population. In particular,

acute drug addiction and intoxication can occur faster and surprisingly in

children and young people, which may be due to physiological factors (such as

52
The Social Impact of Drug Abuse UNODC, (1995) p-24

238
limited ability to metabolise alcohol and lower body weight) and socio-cultural

causes (in which experience Due to the effects of drinking alcohol and

dissatisfied references) The most common impacts of alcohol intoxication are

vomiting (60% of children hospitalized for alcohol use) and coma, which in

cold environments can result in fatal hypothermia.53

Drug addiction and the effects of alcohol may be far-reaching, which can

affect almost every part of the human body. The drug can use:

 Weaken the immune system, increasing susceptibility to infections.

 Cause cardiovascular conditions ranging from abnormal heart rate to

heart attacks. Injected drugs can also lead to collapsed veins and

infections of the blood vessels and heart valves.54

 Cause nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

 Cause the liver to have to work harder, possibly causing significant

damage or liver failure.55

53
Lamminpaa A. Alcohol intoxication in childhood and adolescence. Alcohol &
Alcoholism. 1995;30(1):5-12.
54
Illegal drugs and heart disease, wwww.heart.org
55
Possible causes, Cirrhosis of the liver: Causes, symptoms, and treatments,
www.medicalnewstoday.com

239
 Cause seizures, stroke and widespread brain damage that can impact all

aspects of daily life by causing problems with memory, attention and

decision-making, including sustained mental confusion and permanent

brain damage.56

 Produce global body changes such as breast development in men,

dramatic fluctuations in appetite and increases in body temperature,

which may impact a variety of health conditions.57

CHRONIC HEALTH PROBLEMS

As alcohol-related diseases such as liver cirrhosis, cancers and heart

disease take time to develop; chronic effects resulting directly from alcohol

misuse are rarely seen among young people. Thus it is the shorter-term acute

effects of alcohol consumption that are more evident in this population. In

particular, acute intoxication can occur rapidly and by surprise in children and

young people which is probably due to a combination of physiological factors

(e.g. limited ability to metabolise alcohol and lower body weight) and socio-

cultural reasons (including a lack of experience of the effects of alcohol and

drinking in unsupervised contexts). The most common impacts of alcohol

56
Effects of Drug Abuse and Addiction, May 11, 2011 from www.rwjf.org/files/publications
/SubstanceAbuseChartbook.pdf
57
Effects of drug abuse and drug addiction, Gateway treatment centre,recovergateway.org

240
intoxication are vomiting and coma, which in cold environments can result in

fatal hypothermia58.

ACUTE HEALTH PROBLEMS

It is highly likely that children’s and youths inexperience of the effects

of alcohol intoxication, and the fact that they are more likely to consume

alcohol in ‘risky’ environments brings with it an increased risk of accidents and

injuries leading to the need for hospitalisation59.

Alcohol use may be a significant contributor to injury in adolescence

and may play a role in more than 50% of traumatic brain injuries in

adolescents60. Alcohol use was also linked to 80% of adolescent deaths from

homicides, suicides and unintentional injuries61 and to an increased risk of

illness and death at an early age, predominantly caused by suicide and violent

accidents62. Irwin and Millstein (1986) reported that adolescents who were

involved in drowning, falls and burns had a greater frequency of blood alcohol

levels over 0.10% . It should be noted that reviews in this area are often unclear
58
Alcohol intoxication in childhood and adolescence. Alcohol & Alcoholism. 1995;30(1):5-
12.
59
Newburn T, Shiner M. Teenage Kicks? Young people and alcohol: a review of the
literature. York Joseph Rowntree foundation; 2001.
60
The neurocognitive effects of alcohol on adolescents and college students. Preventive
Medicine 2005;40(1)
61
Alcohol and adolescence.www.alcoholindia.ins
62
The alcohol intoxicated child and its prognosis, by Thunstrom M.

241
as to whether hospital presentations relate to acute alcohol effects such as

alcohol poisoning, to the consequences of drinking, such as injury or to chronic

conditions although the latter are rare in young people.

EFFECT OF DRUG ADDICTION ON BRAIN

Addiction is a complex disorder characterized by compulsive drug use.

While each drug produces different physical effects, all abused substances share

one thing in common: repeated use can alter the way the brain looks and

functions.

 Taking an entertaining drug increases the level of dopamine in your brain,

which triggers feelings of joy. Your brain remembers these emotions and

repeats them.

 If you become addicted, then the substance takes the same importance as

the behaviour of other existences, such as eating and drinking.

 Your brain interferes with your ability to think clearly, make good

decisions, control your behaviour and feel normal without drugs.

 Whether you are addicted to inhalants, heroin, xnax, speed or Vicodin,

the uncontrollable craving to use grows more important than anything

242
 else, including family, friends, careers and even your own health and

happiness, uncontrolled lust to use it.

 The urge to use is so strong that there are many ways to reject or

rationalize addictions in your brain. The amount of medicines you are

taking you can make very little guesses, how much impact it has on your

life, and how much effect your level of control is on the use of drugs.

Human nervous system is a wide wired circulatory system, and is the

brain control center. The brain gives sensory information from the whole body,

guides the motion of muscles and arms, controls a number of physical functions,

converts thoughts and emotions, changes the perception and mood, and all

behaviour inevitably controls.

Although initial drug abuse may be voluntary, drugs have been shown to

alter brain chemistry, which interferes with an individual's ability to make

decisions and can lead to compulsive craving, seeking and use. This then

becomes a substance dependency.

All drugs of abuse - nicotine, cocaine, marijuana, and others - effect the

brain's "reward" circuit, which is part of the limbic system. Drugs hijack this

"reward" system, causing unusually large amounts of dopamine to flood the

243
system. This flood of dopamine is what causes the "high" or euphoria associated

with drug abuse63.

Some substances such as alcohol or caffeine which is fine on an

occasional basis or in moderate amounts but it is when they become a regular

habit that damage to your health occurs64.

Drugs such as heroin, cocaine, amphetamines, poppers, ecstasy are

dangerous in any amount and should be avoided. There is no such thing as a

safe, moderate amount of crack cocaine or heroin.

People who are suffering from addiction or alcohol often have one or

more medical issues, which may include lung or heart disease, stroke, cancer

and mental disorders. Imaging scans, chest X-rays, and blood tests show the

harmful effects of long-term drug abuse throughout the body. Another research

has shown that inhalants are toxic to the nerve cells and can damage or destroy

them in the brain or peripheral nervous system.

THE IMPACT OF DRUG ADDICTION CAN BE FAR-REACHING

 Cardiovascular disease
63
Disorders of the Immune System, National institute of allergy and infectious disease (NIH),
www.niaid.nih.gov
64
Effects of drug abuse and addiction, www.recoverygateway.org

244
 Stroke

 Cancer

 HIV/AIDS

 Hepatitis B and C

 Lung disease

 Mental disorders

Apart from long-term effects on health, it is also a fact that an addiction can be

fatal. Alcohol, cigarettes and drugs can kill either due to excessive quantity,

suicides, accidents or physical damage due to these substances. Other side

effects include an increase in the number of sexually transmitted diseases,

unwanted pregnancies and birth defects. Result of mother addiction.65

PERSONALITY

Addiction affects the personality and behaviour of a person in various

ways, although it depends on the amount of substance and quantity used too

65
Social effects of drug addiction, www.medic8.com

245
much; Their psychological habits and physical health and their lifestyle make

them first.

Young people who drink a large quantity and regular quantities and

There is a possibility that who experience more negative consequences as a

result of their drinking, are more likely to be categorized as impulsive, effective,

hard-working, honest and sensational, joy or novelty.66 Such individuals have

also been characterised as showing disinhibition, deviancy, rebelliousness and

less behavioural control as well as being non-conforming, radical and less

committed to conventional values than less regular or lighter drinkers67.

Some substances have a greater effect on mental health than others, for

example, heroin is more powerful than nicotine and it has a big effect on the

brain.

The fact added in it is that we all are different in relation to our

psychological, which means that two people are not affected in the same way.

Therefore, a person may experience more 'disadvantages' than the other person

who uses the same substance, mainly because of his brain chemistry.

66
Brennan A, Walfish, S, AuBuchon, P. Alcohol use and abuse in college students: I. A
review of individual and personality correlates. International Journal of the Addictions.
67
Borsari B, Murphy JG, Barnett NP. Predictors of alcohol use during the first year of
college: implications for prevention. Addictive Behaviors 2007;32(10):2062-86.

246
 The most obvious sign is the fact that they behave in ways that are

completely out of character. They may be confidential or deliberately

aggressive; self harm; Lying, cheating or stealing; Or place their need for their

addiction to family and friends

The brain is affected by chemistry addiction, for example, using crystal

meth, amphetamine, cannabis, ecstasy and excessive alcohol. Among them,

there is the power to change some person's brain structure, which has a dramatic

effect on the person's personality.68

WORK

The relationship between drugs and alcohol abuse and the workplace is

significantly influenced by national, social, cultural, ethnic, religious and gender

issues. Cultural or group practices may also facilitate drug or alcohol abuse.

Drinking or drug abuse cultures exist in some workplaces and some of them set

a standard that may be imposed on the non-user. In addition, conditions in some

workplaces involve exposure to harmful or dependence-producing substances,

such as glue in shoe factories. Employees may follow fads or local customs and

accept substance abuse, holding views that are clearly inconsistent with known

68
Social Effects of an Addiction - Drug Addiction,www.medic8.com

247
facts about their physical effects69.

While the consequences of unemployment vary, it usually reduces the

ability of the person to participate in the social, economic and political life of

the community70. Unemployment is itself a marginal status so long as

employment is the norm. With increased migration from rural areas to cities,

more competition exists for jobs. Without training and employment, young

people may find themselves on the fringes of an urban society. Since the

expectation exists for most people to engage in productive work of some kind,

unemployment may become a state of idleness. When employment means

separation from the family and friends, social relationships may deteriorate.

Drug abuse occurs more frequently in young people than in other age

groups. The risk factors for drug use often occur before entry into the

workforce. The drug abuse problems of the community are, therefore, brought

into the workplace. The age group with the highest frequency of drug use is

often 18-35 years, although wide variation exists between countries. Thus the

point of maximum benefit of prevention programmes may occur before or at the

69
Orlindo G. Pereira, "Alcohol and drugs in the workplace: attitudes, policies and
programmes in Portugal", Country report for ILO in collaboration with the Commission of
the European Communities, Lisbon, 1993
70
Le Thanh Khoi, "For or with young people: the Asian perspective", in Facing the Future:
Young People and Unemployment Around the World (Paris, UNESCO, 199 1).

248
point of entry into the labour market. Employers can make major contributions

to the prevention of drug abuse, helping themselves and the community in the

process. Effective workplace initiatives to prevent drug abuse should begin in

the community and be directed at young persons who are potential workers71.

In many parts of the world, the workplace and living areas are not

separate. Even if property lines set these two areas apart, people pass back and

forth frequently between the two. The close connection between the family and

the work setting make it more difficult to use formally organized welfare

services or assistance programmes to assist with workers' problems. Moreover,

community or government agencies, such as occupational safety and health

departments, are less able to assist workers in informal or in home work

settings72.

EMPLOYMENT

If any of his employees is affected by the development and addiction of

the employer, then the employee, smart, can change the person who can delay

71
Orlindo G. Pereira, "Alcohol and drugs in the workplace: attitudes, policies and
programmes in Portugal", Country report for ILO in collaboration with the Commission of
the European Communities, Lisbon, 1993
72
Michael D. Newcomb, Drug Use in the Workplace: Risk Factors for Disruptive Substance
Use Among Young Adults (Dover, Massachusetts, Auburn House).

249
working from time to time and the skilled worker, his presence and Personal

hygiene and e-mail display level of irregular or unacceptable behaviour.

They can not be absent for any good reason, have not been able to fulfill their

duties or can steal from associates and / or company. As a result, the employee

has to lose his job, after which he has an impact on the lives of his family and

his family. Loss of your work means lack of income - especially if it is a major

adult, and puts stress on the relationship. This could be due to breakdown and /

or divorce due to marriage or relationship.

This can be difficult if you suspect that one of your colleagues has become

addicted and may be more difficult if you work in a highly stressful job, which

is a part of the company's culture by taking excessive drinking and / or

medication. If many teams enjoy working in bars and clubs after work or are

part of this job, eg How do you know entertaining customers that social use of a

substance or colleagues has become an addiction with some drink?73

All these things also show that addiction is a serious disease. For most people,

this is an old, re-established brain disease, which is characterized by the demand

and use of binding medicine, despite harmful consequences. Because medicines

73
Social Effects of an Addiction - Drug Addiction. www.medic8.com

250
change the brain; They change their structure and how it works. These brain

changes can last a long time and can lead to many harmful, often self-

destructive behaviours. It has implications for behaviour and socio-contextual

aspects which are important parts of the disorder. Therefore, we should treat

addict like a patient, not as a criminal.

251