The New Straits Times, March 1, 1999
THIS year's theme for the National Anti-Dadah Week, beginning Feb 19, was Masyarakat Tanpa Dadah: Tanggungjawab Kita. The aim in selecting this theme is clear enough, but not when it comes to putting it in action. What is our responsibility now that the dadah problem has been with us for decades?
At one time, the dadah problem used to take centrestage, strongly backed by the government. Now it has to share the limelight with other emerging social problems, HIV/AIDS in particular. Though they remain intricately intertwined, HIV/AIDS has somehow stolen the show. The World AIDS Day for example is more focused, well symbolised by the red-ribbon worn by thousands across the nation.
The Anti-Dadah Week lacks the lustre of its counterpart. Although millions have been spent, success was transient at best.
Of late, the Prime Minister even gave the sobering verdict that efforts taken to control the dadah problem have failed, and this was echoed by many sectors.
It looks as though that the dadah problem is here to stay. Yesterday it was heroin; before that ganja; then came Ecstasy. Tomorrow it may be something else. The list of dadah to watch out for is increasing over time, the problem seemingly is getting more complex.
The solution remains elusive. Recently, however there seems to be some flexibility in approach where NGOs are now recognised to be important players in finding a solution to this intractable problem.
Recent statistics revealed by the National Anti-Dadah Agency (NST, Feb 3) recorded an 11.6 per cent in the number of new and relapse cases between 1996 and 1998. The number involving those below 20 years of age is also becoming more significant.
At this juncture, perhaps it is best to go back to basics so that we are once again clear as to how to meet the objectives of a Society without Dadah.
There may be a need to emphasise not only the never-ending list of dadah but rather the understanding of dadah addiction itself.
This is imperative because addiction is fast becoming part of today's living, hallmarked by instant gratification for the quick gain of power, control and security, even though they are false. Its active ingredient is not limited to just dadah but ranges from tobacco to alcohol, or otherwise excessive indulgence in gambling, sex and violence just to name a few.
The current lack of understanding has somehow clearly dichotomised the approach in tackling the addiction problem. One is the virtual endorsement of what can be aptly termed as the "addiction industries", be they in the form of tobacco companies, breweries, casinos and gambling outlets. They are licensed and legal in every sense of the word.
On the other hand is the dadah "industry", which like prostitution, is illegal and unacceptable to our social norms. Yet they continue to co-exist with the other "addiction industries", sometimes a continuum of the latter.
Smoking is a case in point, often regarded as the "gateway drug" to dadah addiction. A large majority of dadah addicts were indeed initiated through cigarette smoking. Similarly it is not a coincidence that many alcoholics also smoke; and compulsive gamblers are also frequently heavy drinkers. Yet while dadah addiction is severely censured, the other forms of addiction are rather mildly dealt with, if at all.
Yet others are keen to classify dadah addiction as a "disease" with some underlying cause to be treated and rehabilitated (just like HIV/AIDS). Not so for the other form of "licensed" addictions.
Many even earned the status of income-generating industries from which the nation can derive revenue. Major sporting and entertainment events in this country continue to depend on them to survive although international sporting and health agencies have ruled to the contrary.
Thus to date, we continue to look at dadah addiction as an isolated phenomenon and pretend that we could "treat" it like some physical diseases with an innate underlying cause(s).
We remained too rigidly focused on the substance without recognising that addiction is the larger problem at hand. We are reluctant as a nation to link it to the other "addiction industries" and thus remain confined to a self-defeating approach of yesteryear. It is time therefore to redefine it as a problem of addiction.
Otherwise, our responsibility in creating a dadah-free nation by the year 2003 will remain just rhetoric. - The National Poison Centre.
