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June 27, 2005
The war on drugs
China has embarked on the same journey as Malaysia - fighting drug usage.
May be both countries could talk to each other (and I think they do). China sees education as a key against drug usage, while in Malaysia, the government proposes the free provision of methadone to drug users, and the provision of condoms and needles, in order to combat the usage.
Both work well, I believe. In Frankfurt, where I am coming from, a Volkswagen Bus pulled up close to the railway station every afternoon. This was the main center of drug usage, as well as prostitution.
It helped a lot. Many drug users want to get their drugs in whatever way - be it via petty crimes or prostitution, trafficing of women and even gang wars.
While free provision of drugs, and condoms are frequently not seen as culturally appropriate, it really helped to dry the whole swamp that existed and allowed the police to concentrate on crimes of much heavier nature.
I like that in Malaysia, the religious bodies have been involved while in China, drug prevention has become a subject that lasts for a semester for the school's junior grade 2 students. And students are encouraged to volunteer and head into neighbouring communities to promote anti-drugs awareness.
But what is needed is education that goes beyond the government and religious bodies. It reaches into providing children with areas where they can live out their experience - aside of shopping malls, to give them sense in their lifes. It means that parents have more times that they spend with their children, to link up with them and create a mutual understanding.
Basically, it means the creation of new mental models on how kids are treated, how drug abuse is seen and how AIDS is managed, because if drug usage and AIDS grows despite everything that has been done already, we need a new strategy that really works. And I am not talking about isolated islands but about integration.
Enough said - this entry is already long.
Posted by Andreas at June 27, 2005 06:31 PM
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Comments
The fight starts at home.
BTW, I witnessed a girl high on pill yesterday. Blogged about it 'cos it looks freaky.
Posted by: lilian at June 28, 2005 02:03 PM
I doubt addiction to cigarettes can be decreased. I did a whole essay on this topic for my economics assignment and well, the best way so far is for parents to educate their kids so not to smoke in the future BUT it is also up to the individuals themselves to not let the habit get to them.
Hiking up the prices of premium brand ciggies does not help either because there are so many other alternatives to their addiction. Unless of course the government ban legal imports of cigarette into this country. Doubt that would happen coz they would lose alot on tax incomes generated from there.
Posted by: S-Kay at June 28, 2005 11:16 AM
S-Kay - I very much agree with your thinking. Not necessarily, so, with the rest of the comments. Shooting drug addicts? It s ld thinking, isn't it? It didn't work anywhere, as far as I can recall.
The prohibition time in the US, 70 years back or so, didn't do much to reduce alcohol consumption.
And, honestly, I believe that the illegal usage of drugs provides the breeding ground for petty crimes, or worse.
Talking about drugs in general: What about cigarettes - seen by the WHO as more addictive than heroin -, coffee, tea, "normal" drugs, etc?
Challenge your models!!
Posted by: Andreas at June 28, 2005 11:07 AM
Hmmm...I guess you ppl should read my post here :
http://skay.blogdrive.com/archive/90.html
The focus is to try to lower down the number of HIV patients first before they take more drastic measures to curb these activities. Encouraging drug addicts to quit their addiction (free needles and free condoms are only provided to licensed users btw) would cripple the demand for drugs in a long term basis.
Posted by: S-Kay at June 28, 2005 02:22 AM
Free needles and condoms might prevent AIDS but promotes drug addition and prostitution.
Double-edged swords. Let's just observe a few years for the real effect.
Though I agree education is the best mental reform.
The goverment always participate in expo's but setting up an Anti-Dadah booth, but often, the lack of soft skills and appearance of the exibitors just drive the public away.
How about some SYT to promote awareness? BTW, what happened to those drugs awareness slots on national tv?
Posted by: EF at June 28, 2005 01:24 AM
Corruption will never end. Being too strict with the addicts will not help either. Problem must be solve from the root. As long as drugs is available, there will be addicts.
Posted by: Joe at June 27, 2005 07:35 PM
It's tough, to give away free condoms and needles; it just gives the traffikers the "licence" to continue to trade! We should follow the China example, shoot them, destroy their properties, and hang all the corrupt politicians. If all the moeny siphoned off through corruption can be used for education, jobs, welfare, youth projects, we don't need free needles. Somehow, if you trace the sources of gambling and corruption, the drug lords can't be far away! Try it!
Posted by: susmayrosep at June 27, 2005 06:57 PM