Drugs and alcohol
Participants saw the misuse of drugs and alcohol as very damaging to society, primarily because of the connections between substance misuse and violence, crime and anti-social behaviour.
Drug and alcohol misuse was suggested as a cause of ill-health, poverty and family breakdown. Conversely, drug and alcohol misuse was also described as a consequence of family breakdown, weak communities, child abuse, domestic violence, poverty, stress, unemployment and lack of opportunities or education.
Participants recognised that it could provide “a means of escape from social, economic, and other personal problems“. There was also concern that celebrities, films and television can sometimes glamorise drug and alcohol use, especially among young people.
Many of these concerns were echoed in the personal experiences of the unheard groups: some older participants highlighted the damaging nature of drug-taking and the devastating effects drugs could have. Ex-offenders who took part in the research spoke about the connections between drugs and crime in their lives.
It is worth noting that participants in the unheard groups also recognised the role of personal choice, emphasising that sometimes they took drugs because they enjoyed it.
Some comments from the consultation
“Drinking is considered acceptable and even funny in all forms of the media – especially well-known TV programmes such as Coronation Street, EastEnders and other ‘role model’ soaps. They then ask the question ‘why are our kids obsessed with booze?!’”
“Drug and alcohol addiction. This has a knock-on effect which we all have to pay for - financial, social and the pressure on the NHS.”
“Drug dependency and general lack of understanding of the problems faced by those caught in the trap of addiction.”
on April 20th, 2008 at 7:59 am
I’m very uneasy with the use of the term “drug and alcohol” when what we mean is “drug”. Alcohol is a drug in every sense of the word, the only difference being that it’s legal. This is a false distinction which leads people to believe the way to handle “drugs” is different to the way we should treat “alcohol”.
As they are both examples of the same thing, they need to be treated - and thought of - as being the same issue. What is true for attitudes to cannabis should be true for alcohol.
How has this happened? I would argue the criminalising of drugs has caused this false division and whilst it remains we will never have a coherent approach to the issue of intoxication.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on April 20th, 2008 at 11:24 am
Derek is correct
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on April 20th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
In my field of work, which is supporting adult male survivors of sexual abuse, I consider the greatest evil today to be the sexual abuse of children, and that leads to alcohol and drug misuse, as well as criminal acts, to name just a few things that occur after being sexually abused.
It has been stated that almost 80% of prisoners are abuse ‘victims’ and the same figure can be used for those in drug rehabs
Steve
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on April 20th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
The changes that are likely to be be seen within a year regarding Increasing Access to Psychological Therapies, i believe will have a positive impact on these issues. Problems cna be identified and addressed earlier by someone who has the time and whose role it is to deal with these things, including child abuse issues and dependency.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.I believe that a better understanding of community issues through this, and better application of community psychology, with much bottom up local proactive research would help in the long term to address and manage our underlying problem of lack of social cohesion, and general lack of understanding of respect for ourselves and each other.
Of course, the issues of economic and health inequalities also has to be addressed by someone who holds the purse stings.
on April 20th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
What can we do about the whole situation ? Plenty - but it will take a concerted effort by all the community to have any effect in changing the culture. Some of the following suggestions may seem draconian - but they were not always thought so.
We need to take a proactive approach to prevention - this would include getting the media to stop normalising and glamourising drug use. This includes newspapers, television, radio and music. Schools need to stop using so-called drug education packs which teach that youth can ‘make informed choices’ about whether or not to use drugs.. with the many mixed messages they (and their parents) receive it is not surprising that a large minority choose to use; believing the hype that, for example, cannabis or cocaine can be used ‘recreationally’ and that they will be able to control their use. Once you teach young people that they can make a choice (informed with correct or incorrect information) you cannot then throw up your hands in horror if they choose to use.
Schools must also be able to revert to sensible disciplinary procedures for bad behaviour in the classroom - and if a pupil is expelled tht decision should be upheld more often rather than allowing that pupil back into the school. Young people need to learn they are responsible for their actions and that there are consequences to be faced. Magistrates need to be more consistent with their sentencing. The police need to use common sense instead of political correctness - victims of crime need to be supported and not made to feel as if they are the perpetrators.
Families need to eat together. The computer should be strictly regulated in the home - young people should not have computers or tv’s in their bedrooms.
Government should help local authorities to fund healthy recreational activities that the community can afford - not close down youth clubs and sports facilities to save money.
Instead of giving free football tickets to drug users - which may or may not be helpful, the clubs should be giving passes and substantially discounted tickets to non users to reward their good behaviour. How about local businesses offering an ID card - with photo to prevent fraudulent copies - which would be accepted in music shops, cinemas, sports centres,burger cafes, etc. for a 25% discount —- the card to be issued if the young person agrees to be randomly drug tested. This system has been successfully used in Houston, Texas. This way they have an incentive to stay drug free - and be encouraged to pursue healthy pursuits.
The prevailing attitude to drug users ought not to stigmatise them - rather to be sympathetic and to offer fast track into treatment leading to abstinence. That might mean 6 months residential treatment which works - not prescribed methadone which keeps an individual addicted.
There is plenty that could be done to decrease drug use if the community has the will - and the money to do so. In the USA between l980 -1992 the use of all drugs by all ages was reduced by 60%. The US government then thought they had solved the problem and reduced funding for prevention - the result was that use then began to increase again. An about turn in funding resulted in use between 2001 and 2005 being reduced by 25%. But then the USA government advocates prevention of use - unlike the UK government which has pursued a harm reduction policy.
Prevention organisations like my own, the National Drug Prevention Alliance have been starved of funds - nevertheless we have succeeded in keeping prevention on the agenda - with adequate funding we could make a big difference. Remember, many of the problems discussed in the forums relating to the breakdown of family life, escalating crime, anomie and despair relate directly to the use of drugs - instead of people feeling the need to escape into an alternative reality we should be improving reality for them.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on April 21st, 2008 at 11:42 am
Good positive and firm parenting would be a start to shaping a young mind, no matter what social class they are from, as there are some serious problems with all classes. Secondly I would bring in the use of apprentiships in the work place. The apprentiship should start within weeks of leaving school and in so doing would give a young person a goal to achieve a career of some sort. Also it would get their mind set into the work ethics of life. Also being able to socialise in the adult world and being able to support themselves to a better degree than is happening now. Young men and women are living at “home” far too long and are being supported far too much. This takes away their natural desire to fend for themselves, they then are bored, especially if they have no work. Its also a good idea for 13 year olds upwards to have saturday jobs. (If they can get them). I would suggest that its best not to give young people time to even contemplate the drug culture. Keeping busy with good things is a healthy way of life. Years ago, when many apprentiships where available most youngsters became responsible citizens and went on to be responsible parents. Yes, there will always be some that fall by the wayside, however a few that fall are easier to pick up rather than the thousands of today. I speak from my own experience as a mother to 2 children who are good parents and good workers. And a grandmother to 5 children. I also still work in the same career that I trained for as a 15 year old, having enjoyed every minute of it for over 40 years. So, I feel that no matter what goes on around us, we must strive for good parenting, good manners, good apprentiships and to give confidence to those young people coming out into the world today.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on April 23rd, 2008 at 10:29 am
[…] today’s social evils? One of the answers they’ve had back suggests that people think that drugs and alcohol should […]
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on April 23rd, 2008 at 10:16 pm
I could not disagree more with Derek-the first poster here, drawing false parralels bewteen alcohol and the illegal drugs is at the very heart of the increasing problem the UK has with illegal drugs. Alcohol can certainly be very harmful and the UK has a distinctly worse problem with it than other societies where use is accepted, but in those societies where there are religious, social or legal taboos against its use, there is much less total harm from it. We should learn from that and we should beware of those who have campaigned for years for legalisation and liberalisation of the illegal drugs. Those drugs are illegal because they are harmful not harmful because they are illegal. There is a substantial number of people involved in trying to trivialise drug use, to normalise it and ultimately to legalise them all. It is a mistake and the public have woken up to the dangers of it. That debate is surely over. Sanity has started to come back.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on April 25th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
Drugs and alchohol misuse is not a disease it is a sympton they are what we turn to when we lose self raspect and self satisfaction nor is it confined to those in poverty often it appears to be used to subdue a bad conscience or guilt why else would those who have more than their share of lifes needs seek oblivion in drink or drugs?
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on May 6th, 2008 at 10:44 am
JOSEPH ROWNTREE – ERIC BERNE
Joseph Rowntree called upon us all to seek out the fundamental causes of weakness and evil in society.
Eric Berne gave us a succinct view of self-and-others; the tool required to achieve the above aim.
I would assert that (whether evil comes from social incompetence or – if such is your view - from letting the Devil in) its root cause IS weakness; the weakness of the individual.
In Berne’s terms, weakness amounts to an under-developed Adult ego state* in the psyche; a condition I see as pertaining all over the planet. The two terrible truths of society, are: (1) individual weakness is increasing, and (2) the overcompensating-weak, rise to positions of power. Consequently, any corrective effort must reach out directly to the very young as the Powers That Be are, instinctively, fearful of general empowerment.
I have synthesised an approach. It can be found www.barriesingleton.co.uk as outlined in 1995 to Rowntree. Click on “Visionary Stuff”.
Only wisdom empowers; cleverness is inclined to enslave. Development of a strong Adult ego state engenders wisdom and is vital to individual, family, group, state and world stability. Adult strength is the ultimate answer to every weakness and evil.
* Transactional Analysis http://changingminds.org/explanations/behaviors/ta.htm
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on May 6th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
The tax on alcohol should be directly related to its strength. This might encourage the entertainment industry to sell greater quantities of low strength drinks, thus encouraging greater true social intercourse rather than drinking to excess.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on May 9th, 2008 at 8:34 am
Two thoughts for now.
First, is enough being done to make alcohol-free choices socially acceptable? My opinion is that much more could be done but that it also needs adults to participate so that role modelling and peer influence forces can work positively. At its most basic, we all need to show that alcohol-free options are something to be valued.
Second, where is tobacco? For a substance that is linked to 114,000 deaths each year (ASH stats I think) it seems to get missed off the list quite often. The Government’s Drugs Strategy seems to have included alcohol (about time) but doesn’t say anything about dealing with or preveting the harm associated with nicotine.
As for solutions, I would suggest much more investment in community based alcohol, tobacco and illegal drug education/prevention work, reaching out to voluntary groups (including faith groups)and harnessing the potential contained within the time of their members and their organisational structures.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.on May 12th, 2008 at 11:25 am
There is a popular misconception that drugs, including alcohol, are problems. This false idea is one of the biggest barriers to solving substance abuse.
Abusive? Inappropriate? Report this comment.Having made that controversial statement, let me explain what I mean.
The biggest reason for people wanting to take substances in the first place is that they are perceived as solutions to life. They take a place as anaesthetics or distractions to the real problems people face. This will often be denied, but a closer look will reveal that it is probably invariably true.
There is no question that drug and alochol misuse should in themselves be regarded as wrongs, but merely concentrating on them as basic wrongs will never be the whole answer.
We need to look at the false answers frequently offered by psychology and psychiatry and question whether this is the way forward.
Any truly effective answer to drugs will entail a look at the person’s whole life and put them on the track of personal development, not just “becoming better adjusted”.
Check out www.narconon.com for some real solutions.
on May 25th, 2008 at 12:09 am
For addicts, the pain and hunger for the substance is like a dying hunger for food! Though we must understand how they become addicted to drugs or alcohol in the first place.
The substance is a quick getaway from the stressful dealings in life. Many find it hard to deal with and resort to drugs and alcohol.
The first crucial step is taking the step to getting treatment! Following the treatment is the commitment to receive the after care program and continuing it.
Lora
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