STAY SMART. SAY NO TO DRUGS

Transcription

1 STAY SMART. SAY NO TO DRUGS The addicts are viewed with pity or contempt as people who have willfully messed up their future and yet don t care about it. But, how were they before addiction set in? Were they really failures destined to end this way No, not at all. Most of them were youngsters brimming with energy, ambition and heaps of potential. To mention just a few. Twenty four hours in a day did not seem enough for Pradeep. The gym, sports, partying and his college schedule-something interesting was on all the time. But today he is a physical wreck busy searching, paying, injecting himself and staying doped showing no interest in the activities he once found exciting. Basker s dream was to become a top notch executive with nothing less than a degree from abroad. But.. it is two years since he left college and his entrance test scores are now getting poorer and poorer. He is too busy doing brown sugar to even think about his MBA. Rakesh s father set up a small unit for him two years ago. Looking at the profits at the end of the very first year, he exclaimed. Rakesh is born to be an entrepreneur! But calls from angry customers and creditors are the reality today. His addiction to drugs has totally taken away his enthusiasm and zeal. Stories like these are not uncommon. Similar stories with different beginnings, but the same sorry endings are innumerable. But how did it start? Only once in a way, they told themselves initially and with curiosity started using drugs.. Things are fine, so why not more frequently?, they continued. Even daily use won t hurt; I can stay in control, they reassured themselves later on. But they quickly found that they were unable to stay off drugs. Addiction gradually set in without their even being aware of it. Drugs slowly took charge, and took precedence over everything else. Their health, family, careers and their very personality underwent a complete change. When the realization came, that they had to give up drugs, they found that getting out was not as easy as getting in. Drugs can really HURT, As a youngster you don t have to make the same mistakes Pradeep, Basker and Rakesh did!. Stay smart; do these 3 things and make a difference First get the facts straight about drugs. Convince yourself, make a sensible choice and opt for a drug free future.

2 Second, to stay drug free, check on how you will say NO to offers of drugs from others who are using them. Third, talk about it. This will strengthen your own conviction and also help others make up their minds to stay drug free This pamphlet will help you to do these three things. What exactly is drug abuse? DRUGS INFORMATION There are some medically used drugs that can hurt you when they are abused - that is, if they are not taken according to directions. Sleeping pills, cough syrups, pain killers all can cause addiction if they are taken as and when we wish without the doctor s prescription. Drugs like ganja and brown sugar have no medical use. So using them is nothing but drug abuse which leads to addiction.. How do these drugs work? These drugs alter the mood, feelings, coordination and behaviour by disrupting the functioning of the brain. By doing so they trigger off serious psychiatric and physical problems in addition to making the user addicted. How dangerous is Ganja? Ganja, though of plant origin is being increasingly recognized as a dangerous drug of abuse. Ganja can. Interfere with concentration and affect memory, making learning very difficult. Loss of ability to understand and learn new information persists for a long time even after a person has given up. Give rise to reactions of panic and anxiety and the user may even lapse into a state of confusion leading to mental illness calling for prolonged psychiatric treatment. 2

3 Make youngsters apathetic and dull, taking away their enthusiasm and involvement with studies, work and even friends, leading them into a zombie like existence. Increase the time taken to react and respond to situations. Driving and other activities that require alertness then become dangerous not only for them but for others too. Impair lung function and give rise to cardiac problems. Reduce immunity, increasing the susceptibility to infection in general and respiratory and intestinal disorders in particular. Reduce the sex hormone level and can cause a marked change in the sexual drive and also cause permanent sexual problems. A wasted, poor physique narrow shoulder and poor muscle development in arms and chest can follow due to poor eating and sleeping habits What do brown sugar and other pain killers do? These are highly addictive. The drug quickly makes the user listless and passive and all other interests, goals and needs fade into the background. Quick deterioration in health is seen as even eating and sleeping patterns are grossly affected. Mental comprehension and enthusiasm for education and career deteriorate. When he is doped or the craving is on, sharing of needles is done very casually. HIV and hepatitis infections can develop Most addicts are forced to resort to crime to pay for their expensive drug. Possession of even small quantities of illegal drugs can lead to an arrest. The jail sentence can go on haunting him in the entire future. Brown sugar, an illegal drug, which is sold surreptitiously on the street or other drugs which are produced in illicit laboratories often contain contaminants that are responsible for unforeseen physical and mental damage. Coma or sudden death due to an overdose is an ever present possibility for every drug abuser. The addict quickly becomes a living corpse, living only for the next fix, a pathetic being with no semblance of the dignity of human life. Drug use is even more dangerous for the young. The adolescent is particularly vulnerable and the damage is even more prominent. He is undergoing rapid physical, mental and emotional development and drug abuse interferes with critical areas of growth. 3

4 Then why do youngsters try drugs? Most try drugs without knowing what they are getting into, Addiction can t and won t happen to me, is an oft repeated statement among the first time users. Sadly enough, addiction is a disease that does not wait for permission from the user to develop. Many unfortunate youngsters have desperately seen this progression happen to them. It shouldn t happen to you too! Don t try drugs not even once Excuses commonly given for trying drugs For fun Sports, swimming, reading, movies, chatting, each one is fun. Drugs are not. Drugs can give a high at once, but force you to hit bottom for a long time to come. Drugs are no fun; but life is stay off drugs But everyone is doing drugs! You are looking at the wrong crowd. Majority care about their minds and their bodies. Moreover, they have seen it wreck others and plan to stay clear. Drug education programmes have created awareness. The number of first time users has come down significantly. Stay drug free stay in control of your life But my friends may be offended if I don t try drugs! Friends truly care for each other s future. If a friendship can be won and maintained only by getting doped and risking everything else the friendship itself is questionable. Friends won t let friends try drugs What would they think of me if I say no? By saying NO and staying drug free you may be lending support to your friend too to follow suit. By saying NO you really stand out as a level headed, gutsy person to stand up for what you think is important and earn the respect of every one around. Say no and help others too to say so 4

5 But don t drugs help some perform better or cope better? They do neither. Apart from a temporary high, drugs do nothing. Drugs make minor emotional problems worse. Using drugs as an escape, prevents the youngster from developing into a responsible adult. He becomes someone who fails to learn how to make decisions, form opinions and even relate to others. How difficult is it to say NO Getting doped can do nothing positive for you. When you are convinced about the truth that drugs destroy people and that nothing positive comes out of them, saying NO will follow naturally and easily. To say NO effectively try the following. Repeatedly say NO Say NO clearly and briefly Say No, I am not interested in trying drugs Longwinded, vague statements fail to get others to see that you are serious about your decision. Come on, just once. You may never get another chance to try the drug. Invitations like these may be repeated several times. So, you also need to repeat your NO statements calmly. You will find that after a few NOs others will give up. Suggest an alternative activity All of us are planning to try a joint during the week end coming? Say NO, I don t intend messing around with drugs. How about going to a movie instead? What if they don t? Walk away. You need to take care of yourself. If your NO is unacceptable to them, it is their business, not yours. Staying around with them may make things difficult. Will this happen every time? Not at all. When others see you saying NO and sticking to your decision, they will see you as a non drug user and simply stop sending out invitations to try drugs. 5

6 Yes. Saying NO is not as difficult as it sounds. Look at the other person straight in the eye, start your statement with a NO and say it Is that all? In a clear, steady voice. Considering the fact that the NO is going to make all the difference to your future saying NO is definitely easy. Talk about it Do your bit to help others stay clean Help organize drug prevention programmes and participate in them Talk about your reasons for opting to say NO with friends and classmates If you suspect that someone is on drugs, help him get in touch with the nearest addiction treatment center or a professional who can help. Think about what you have read here and make a firm decision to stay drug free for life. By saying NO to drugs, you will join that crowd of smart youngsters who intend staying smart and full of life, energy and fun. You will stay with the crowd that intends to succeed. STAY SMART STAY DRUG FREE. 6