Handling drug abuse
Introduction
I have seen that drug abuse is a serious social problem that affects human in the society, the national and international community. We can prevent drug abuse through the following ways:
Ways of reducing drugs abuse
- Choosing Good Friends: The role of friends in the lifestyle of an individual is very important. You can be easily influenced by your friends. That is why you need to apply wisdom in order to choose the right kind of friends. There is an adage that says, "bad company corrupts spoil useful habits or good manners". This means that if you are a good person from home but you decide to be friends with a drug addict, you can be easily influenced.
Who are your friends? Are they of good character? If any of your friends involved in drug abuse, kindly advise him or her but if he or she refuses to change do not walk with him or her again. Always follow responsible friends because "birds of a feather flock together".
Forming Drug-Free Clubs: In order to discourage drug abuse in school, you can form a drug-free club. A club is an association of people or a group of people with a common interest. Now that you know the dangers of drug abuse, with the help of your teachers and parents, you can form a club. You can help others who are drug abusers to change and drop the habit.
Constructive Use of Time:* The way people use their time is very important. Remember that "an idle mind is the devil's workshop." If you are not occupied with something meaningful, there is the possibility of being influenced by others. As a student, do you have a study timetable? Do you have time to play? There is time for everything. Try to cultivate a time management habit. This will help you to stay away from the influence of drug abusers.
Acquisition of Coping Skills: There are a number of skills that are necessary for individuals to acquire in order to prevent them from drug abuse or the influence of drug abusers. These skills are:
i. Assertiveness: This has to do with being confident in stating a position or claim. If you are confident in defending your position against abuse of drug, it will be difficult for anybody or any of your friends to influence you to abuse drugs.
ii. Refusal or Resistance Skill: The extent to which you are able to oppose what is not good will determine whether you can be influence to do it or not. For instance, if you have decided not to use any drug without the prescription of medical experts, it will be difficult for anybody to impose it on you.
iii. Communication Skills: Your ability to pass your opinion, feelings and ideas across to others will also help people to know your position of the use of drugs. Nobody will be able to convince you to abuse drugs no matter how fluent he or she may be.
iv. Decision Making Skill: Decision making is the process of making choices or reaching conclusions on any issue. Anybody who does not have a good decision making skill can be easily influenced because other people will have to make decisions for him or her.
v. Education on Drug Use in School: Good knowledge and useful information on the use of drugs and drug abuse through the teaching-learning process is very important at the school level. The school authority can make drug education part of their curriculum. Medical experts such as medical doctors, pharmacists, nurses and laboratory technologists can be invited to give talks on drug-related issues. Also, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) officials can be invited to speak on the dangers of drug abuse.
Campaign Against Drug Abuse by the Mass Media:
The mass media is important instrument of reaching out to a lot of people on the effects of drug abuse. Mass media such as radio, television, films and newspapers are of vital importance in providing public education on drug abuse and drug trafficking.
Government Policies on Drug Abuse and Manufacturing of Hard Drugs: There is need for government to come up with laws against the manufacture and consumption of hard drugs. Such laws have to be made public. In addition, enforcement of such laws and policies on drugs should be intensified to discourage people from going against them.
Sale of Drugs: It is important for government agencies to monitor the sale of drugs, ban and discourage hawking of drugs along the street, inside the bus or around motorparks or schools. Lack of easy access to drugs would help in preventing or reducing drugs abuse to a great extent....
