SADA Vol 25 Jan 2013

Riffat Sadiq PhD (Fellow) Editor-in-Chief Safia Umar M Phil Associate Editor

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A Publication Of Drug Free Nation

www.sada.drugfreenation.org

Content Page Al Quran 1 Hadith 2 Golden Words 3 Poison of Heroin By Haider Ali 4 Effectiveness of Crisis Intervention in Drug Abuse Prevention By Riffat Sadiq

5

A parent’s view of decriminalization of illicit drugs By Bill Cameron

6

Life Time Grief 8 Regret Further Destroys You 9 From Sobriety to Success 10 Help line 11

Al Quran

If you avoid the major sins which you are forbidden, We

will remove from you your lesser sins and admit you to a

noble entrance [into Paradise].

Surat An-Nisā' (The Women) - ساء ن سورة ال

1

2 Hadith Nabvi

Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah: That he heard Allah's Apostle saying in the year of the Conquest (of Mecca) while he was in Mecca, "Allah and His Apostle have made the selling of wine (i.e. alcoholic drinks) unlawful." ... Sahih al-Bukhari

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) addressing in Medina. He said: O people, Allah is giving an indication (of the prohibition) of wine. and He is probably soon going to give an order about it. So he who has anything of it with him should sell that, and derive benefit out of it. He (the narrator) said: We waited for some time that Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: Verily Allah, the Exalted, has forbidden wine. So who hears this verse and he has anything of it with him, he should neither drink it nor sell it. He (the narrator) said: The people then brought whatever they had of it with them on the streets of Medina and spilt that. ... Sahih Muslim

. Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi from Abdullah ibn Umar that some men from Iraq said to him, "Abu Abd ar-Rahman, we buy the fruit of the palm and grapes and we squeeze them into wine and we sell it." Abdullah ibn Umar said, "I call on Allah and His angels and whoever hears of jinn and men to testify to you that I order you not to buy it nor sell it nor to press it nor to drink it nor to give it to people to drink. It is something impure from the work of Shaytan." . Muwatta Malik

3 Golden Words

Dear Heroin © Summer Sager

I am angry..

You made me believe you were the cure for my every kind of pain,

I had you wrapped around me while I let you take control of my veins.

At this point in time I didn't know who or what you turned me into,

But you made it impossible to get through days without you.

You had control of my body now, and if I didn't choose you,

you made me feel so sick to where I was helpless not knowing what to do.

By now I started doing the things I swore I would never do,

lying and stealing off the people who didn't mean a thing to you.

You had me convinced that throughout my life you were determined to stay, that I did not have that

option of turning and walking away.

Before you know it, everyone I loved seen this side of me that was hurting them inside, every time

they questioned,

I did what you taught me to do..Lie.

I wanted to let you go and get you out of my way, so scared to tell someone imagining what they

would say.

Don't want to be judged, it was a decision I would have to make, but I've wasted so much time, it was

a little too late.

Being put in jail was something I knew it was going to come down to, but it made me free of relief

knowing that I could not get to you.

It was a struggle, but a worth while fight because now I am in control and you are out of my life.

Being sober turned me into the person I've always wanted to be, and the was the one day you were

praying I would never see.

Now I am doing the good things I never imagined myself to do, and proudly I can say I am doing them

without you.

Reference: http://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/dear-heroin-addicted-to

heroin#ixzz2HOW80xJb

4 Article

Poison of Heroin By Haider Ali

Standing at the bus top of Esa Nagri, you come across the drug abusers wearing dirty clothes,

begging to passerby for food/ drugs and injecting them and to each other. Some of them are

young, or it is better to say that they must have been in college or university. They sleep under

the pedestrian or in shelters made for people waiting for public transport. In the morning they

are found to be sleeping there. These places are their home, restaurant, earning place etc. They

have been named as powdree, heroinchi, jahaz etc.

I tried to talk to some addicts sitting there. I found that mostly were abusing heroin through

injection, cigarette and tinfoil. I also found them sharing needles with each other. When I asked

them not to share the needles in order to avoid the risk of HIV, they said, “We are already dead’.

Heroin abuse resulted in mental dysfunction that impeded their social functioning and

responsibilities. They were guilty over present life but no other option except taking drugs.

“When I look back, I having nothing for which I quit drugs”, a drug addict said.

Addiction to heroin ruined everything, their family relations, career and respect in the

community. Even family members of many do not like to come to them. They have been left lying

over the garbage and living under the bridge. At one glance, they do not look human creature

that has been awarded as best among all creatures. But the poison of heroin did not let them

able to think in this way.

Here is the question for all, “for how long human creature (best creature) will be humiliated by

drugs, and how many human beings will die like animals on the street? Think over it,

5 Article

Effectiveness of Crisis Intervention in Drug Abuse Prevention

By Riffat Sadiq

The term, crisis, is defined as an experience of having conflict or problem that seems not to be

immediately solved. For instance; job lose, medical illness, death of loved one, divorce, separation,

family break up and so forth.

A sudden and unexpected crisis is like a threat to life that impairs the bio-psychosocial resources which

an individual possess. Psychic equilibrium of victim gets disrupted to the extent that a person fails to

cope up with the situation. More life-threating events disrupt more the perception, thinking, mood and

behavior of a person going through a crisis experience. He could not solve his problems which seem to

him beyond of his control. As a result, one tries to escape from the problematic situation by showing

avoidance or violent behavior. Desire to escape, sometimes, inclines him/her to use drugs. Many drug

abusers reported frustration, anger, family disruption, unemployment as reason of their drug initiation.

Crisis intervention for students, employees and others can help in developing coping skills to fight

unexpected life threating problems that may bring them towards the use of drugs. The crises

intervention team works for the restoration of psychosocial equilibrium of person experiencing crisis.

Psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, psychiatric nurse, mental health technologists, occasionally

crises veterans and volunteers are included in crisis intervention team. Crisis Intervention can be applied

in individual, family and group setting. It has seven following stages.

1. Psychosocial and lethality assessment

2. Rapidly establish rapport

3. Identify the major problem or crisis participants

4. Deal with feelings and emotions

5. Generate and explore alternatives

6. Implement an action plan

7. Follow-up

References: Robert, A. R., & Ottens, A. J. (2005). A seven- stage crisis intervention model: A road

map to goal attainment, problem solving and crises resolution. Brief Treatment and Crisis

Intervention, 5: 329-339; doi:10.1093/brief-treatment/mhi030

Wicks, R. J., Fine, J. A., Platt, J. J. (1978). Crisis Intervention: A Practical Clinical Guide (Eds).USA:

Charles B. Slack, Inc.

6 Article

A Parent’s View of Decriminalization of Illicit Drugs

By Bill Cameron

President, INVOLVED Scotland

Drug decriminalisation, drug relegalisation, drug legalisation or drug liberalisation?

Take your pick without introducing serious polemic and they all refer to the process of

eliminating or reducing drug prohibition. By allowing licensed clinics to sell or dispense hard

drugs, might we take business away from violent dealers and let rationality and regulated

economics rule the streets instead of crime. Is that so?

Parents who have struggled against drug addiction, many over decades, and their addicted

siblings might suggest that it has nothing to do with rationality.

We are painfully aware that legal Methadone is liberally sold on or streets and if their

prescribed dosage is insufficient then a short trip to the local dealer for a bag of heroin will do

the trick – FACT! Decriminalisation would not eliminate illegal dealing – there will always be a

dealer selling something to someone in need, for profit.

Drug addiction is not just about getting high, sticking a needle in your arm or a silver paper tube

in your mouth and using – it’s about the getting!

Demand for addictive drugs goes far beyond medical guidelines and although legal clinics might

know when to say when, legal dispensation of hard drugs might not sate regional cravings. And

now that this drug will be free, will not the addict be asking “How much do I get? Who decides

how much I will need? How often a day will I get it? How many drugs will be decriminalised -

crystal meth, ecstasy? What if I need more than prescribed? Are there trained people all over

the country to take these decisions? And by issuing dangerous drugs legally, who takes the rap if

I overdose?”

7 Article

Therefore, since even legalisers would hesitate to allow children to take drugs, decriminalization

might easily result in dealers turning their attentions to younger and younger children, who - in

the permissive atmosphere that even now prevails - have already been inducted into the drug

subculture in alarmingly high numbers.

It is unclear which drugs the legalisers are referring to and to whom they should become

available. Do they wish to legalise crack and will all people, regardless of age and mental

condition, be able to buy it? Doctors would be reluctant to prescribe. The implication that

cannabis is a benign substance is dangerous and inaccurate.

The policy must be “first do no harm” and Sweden is an excellent role model. The UK

Government has no intention of legalising drugs but the damage done by the publication of some

so called “Harm Reduction” reports should not be underestimated. (Dr Ian Oliver – “Drug

Affliction”)

The arguments in favour of legalizing the use of all narcotic and stimulant drugs are twofold:

philosophical and pragmatic. Neither argument is negligible, but both are mistaken, I believe, and

both miss the point.

Scotland is a signatory of all three conventions on Narcotic drugs 1961, 1971, 1988 and the

convention of the Right of the child article 33 which state this clearly. It limits the use of narcotics

drugs exclusively to medical and scientific purposes. It does not allow ‘recreational’ or religious

purposes. Children should be protected from drugs – our children, our future.

8 True Story

Life Time Grief

My cousin has been addicted to drug for last 15 years. My uncle’s family has faced

a lot of problem. Many times, he has been arrested by police. He was provided

treated 13 times. He relapses after few days of completing the treatments. A lot

of money was spent on his treatment and bail.

His mother (my aunt) is so worried about him. Someone suggested her to arrange

the marriage of her addicted son, if she wants to see him well. My aunt agreed to

her idea that marriage is a right solution for this problem. She started finding a

girl for his son. She approached many relatives but no one was ready to accept my

addicted cousin.

My mother forbade her from arranging his son’s marriage because it will ruin an

innocent girl’s life. But she wanted to make his son’s marriage at any cost. And she

did so. After marriage, the girl came to know that her husband is addicted to

heroin. She compromised over it. Now, she is having three children. My aunt has

died and cousin has ruined all family finances. Siblings are busy in their life. My

cousin’s wife was having bachelor degree and she joined as a permanent primary

school teacher in government sector. She is doing job to run household expenses. I

feel pity to see her and three innocent children who are deprived of father’s love

and sufficient economic resources.

9 True Story

Regret Further Destroys You

Two drug addicts died today because of cold. I am also feeling cold sitting under the

bridge. As usual, two drug peddlers came to us to sell drugs. I saw other youngsters

to purchase drugs. When I saw a young guy, will be around 21, I remembered my own

young life. I was very smart and healthy. I was very famous in the university. Other

students desired to make me their friend because of my active participation in class

and extracurricular activities. Now no one is ready to see me. Even my friends have

forgotten me.

I look like a skeleton since I started abusing drugs. I could not complete my studies

and ruined my life my own. I spend all of my time for searching drugs. Whenever a

drug addict dies, I search his body for drugs. I cannot help myself just regretting

over my deeds.

10

0 True Story

From Sobriety to Success

I am running a transport business very well. I am an owner of 50 buses and trucks. There

are 200 hundred employees in my company. I am married and having three children. About

20 years back, I was an alcoholic. My family life was too upset because of my drinking

behavior. I did not have control over my abusive behavior and used abusive words with my

wife in front of my children. Whenever I was intoxicated, I used to shout at my wife and

children. My neighbors were also annoyed over my behavior.

My business was getting destroyed. I had nothing. My in laws family was bearing the

expenses of my family. One day I was sleeping at my home after consuming a large amount

of alcohol. My elder brother came with three outreach workers of a drug treatment and

rehabilitation Centre. They took me to treatment centre without my consent.

During detoxification (initial ten days), I exhibited aggressiveness. I made plan to run out

of the Centre but I could not. First ten days I was too much aggressive. When I came out

from the detoxification phase, I started thinking in new way. I felt too much guilt about

my past activities. After three months of treatment, I tried to start my life with new

enthusiasm. Now, I am economically and emotionally and socially stable.

11 Helpline

Q: My husband died of overdose 10 months ago. He left nothing for us to utilize. I have two

school going children. I earned the degree the F.Sc before marriage. My husband was

employed in a government sector and we were living happily. After becoming heroin addict,

my husband was terminated from job. I got treatment for him but he relapsed many times.

Once he injected himself and died of overdose. After his death, no one supported us. Even

my own brothers do not support me. One of my sisters is cooperative with me. My mother is

not in a position to help me. I have to run my kitchen along with making my children educated.

I also got help from a welfare organization. Once my son heard other children saying, “ Is ka

paab heroinchi tha” ( his father was an addict). When my son told me, I started weeping. I

have multiple problems in my life. I curse my fate. Gul – Karachi

A: The problems you have in your life are being faced by many others due to bad economic

condition. Usually, family of drug addicts has to go through pathetic condition owing to

financial constraints, social stigma, social isolation and guilt. The positive thing we see in your

case is the degree you have. You studied science subjects till grade 12. You would have

knowledge and skills to be utilized for being self-supporting. You can revise your lesson, apply

in schools and also give tuition at home. You can also request to welfare organization from

you have been getting help for further help in this regard. There are some welfare

organizations in Karachi city which are providing opportunities to enhance occupational skills.

You can contact them to teach you computer skills. You will find many opportunities once you

come out of your depression. Stop thinking about what your husband was doing and how

glorious your past was. You have to work for today. As far as attitude of people is concerned,

they are habituated to laugh at others. If your husband had alive and living normal life, then

people would have been teasing you in other ways. So, let them comment and you just focus

on yourself and your children. When people see you working hard and leading a sober life,

they will appreciate you one day. Stand up and strive from today. You can also contact us for

further kind of help. DFN

Name and place of sender have been replaced to maintain confidentiality. Keep sending your

queries without hesitation to drug free nation at Dfn.pak@gmail.com

A Publication of Drug Free Nation

www.sada.drugfreenation.org