Why do people use drugs?
There are many factors to be considered in order to gave a definite answer why do people use drugs: Cultural Factors, Economic Factors, Social Factors and more, however, let us focus on the definition of “addiction” itself. According to National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), we are born with our basic biology, including our genes, with more or less risk of developing addiction. Biological factors that can affect a person’s risk of addiction include their genes, stage of development, and even gender or ethnicity. We are born into environments that give us more or less stress, and more or less exposure to a number of risk factors, and once in our lives, we are exposed to alcohol or drugs.
“Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use despite adverse consequences. It is considered a brain disorder, because it involves functional changes to brain circuits involved in reward, stress, and self-control, and those changes may last a long time after a person has stopped taking drugs.” Bethesda, MD (NIDA)
There are multiple stages of addiction that may possibly occur over a short period of time, or take months or years to develop. When a person was exposed to any risk factors, and the user first comes into contact with a substance, the first stage had come into fruition, which was the “initial use”. The next stage, is when an individual starts using substance on a recurring improper basis, “abuse”. Then, the “tolerance” comes into play, where the brain chemical changes that may lead to an increase of dosage taking in order to recapture the original euphoria. At a certain point, the body or brain becomes dependent on the having the substance to function properly, or for the user to feel normal, in other term “dependence”. After a long time use, “addiction” has been finally reached, where the individual use the substance to basically survive and to be functional. Eventually, an addicted individual can come to realize the harmful or dangerous consequences of their substance abuse, which may lead to an attempt to stop using but sometimes withdrawal symptoms, certain triggers, or other factors in the individual’s life may cause them to “relapse”.
In that sense, as a law enforcers, what can we do? where should we start?
Do we need to punish and/or penalize those people under a brain disorder?
Do we need to strengthen our relationship with the community by increasing their awareness regarding drug abuse?
Conversely, why not we first change our perspective in viewing the true meaning of addiction?
Addiction cannot and shall not be cured in prisons, it must be treated accordingly and fairly under rehabilitation areas. Thus, they can finally come back to their families and to the community.
Disclaimer:
The views expressed in this article are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the position of the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, or the Philippine Government.
(Anonymous Wolf)
