Drug of ignorance

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA --- Someone once said to me that within hours of arriving in the Philippines he would be offered the drug, once dubbed the "poor man's cocaine", Shabu!  The offers are apparently from people who are on the surface, respectable members of society and of comfortable economic status.  I do not need to tell you how frightening that sound.
     I personally became aware about drugs as a teenager growing up in Zamboanga City but like most, if not all of my peers, I was illiterate about the drugs and their effects on our health and our society.  Drugs became fashionable, no thanks to Woodstock and the hippie revolution. 
     Just as fashion goes, imitation and experimentation were the key to success.  During my time marijuana was the drug of choice and benzodiazepines or anything over the counter mixture that may contain stimulants. 
     By the time my family left Zamboanga City heroin was already available.  To tackle the already growing drug problem at that time the Philippine government did set up some sort of a Drug Enforcement agency whose role, it would have appeared, was to infiltrate rather than educate the public. 
    To give them their due I took part in a drug education program but the only activity that sticks to my mind was sitting in a cafe with "hippie" looking officers chatting about anything but the negative aspects of drugs. 
    I had nothing to pass on to my peers but I have no doubt we looked "cool" at that time! That same Drug Enforcement agency eventually became riddled with drug abusers and stories of anomalies that followed were typical of many corrupt government agencies!
    It was a few years later that I learned and understood the dangers of drugs and alcohol when I got my first job working in the administration section of an Alcohol and Drug Detoxification Clinic - I was 21! 
    That was the first of my 16-year journey with the side of life many of us would not know exist or would rather not think about.  These were the victims that sometimes make the news as a result the economic demands they make to society.
    A drug addict is a very costly burden to society but the human cost make the problem even greater hence the need for each and everyone to be properly educated of its dangers and the costly demand it makes to society.

 (I have left that part of my life nearly four years ago and I am now making my living with the other nasty side we sometimes call capitalism and they do not only fill most of the space in the newspaper they probably own it.  Please don't ask me which I think is the worse!)

     The drug problem is so entrenched in society that the choice of what aspect of the problem should be given priority often sparks enormous debate.   In fact in certain countries such debate could virtually make or break the government in power.  But no matter how much we debate about how to tackle the problem one thing seems to constantly emerge and that is, drug EDUCATION or the lack of it.
     In the Philippines public education about the dangers of illicit drugs is almost non-existent and in my experience the little knowledge that are being circulated on the streets and in the media can be just as frightening and possibly just as dangerous as the drug itself!
     In fact, in 1983 the Detoxification Clinic where I was working in had a visiting Medical Doctor from the Philippines sponsored by the World Health Organisation.  She spent two days in the Clinic and on the second day the Psychiatrist Superintendent called me in his office for a chat. 
     Apparently our Superintendent, who was a very polite Scot, was a little astounded to hear that the Philippines according to the visiting Filipino doctor do not have a "drug problem and that everything was in control"!  Our Superintendent needed to get it "out of his chest", as he was too nice and polite to tell the visiting doctor the ridiculousness of such a statement!
     In 1998, while living in Zamboanga City a radio commentator suggested, parents who could not curtail their child's abuse of drugs should perhaps take their child to the local priest who could give the child some spiritual guidance and lecture him about his selfishness, and inconsiderate behaviour towards his parents! 
      I was dumbfounded and got very angry and would not dare repeat what I thought of the commentator.  But I eventually felt sad as I know that there is very little information available even for research about drugs in Zamboanga City I could not totally blame the commentator's obvious misinformation not to mention his inappropriate advice.
      Not that long ago it was reported that some members of the City Council with the support of some educational institution were pushing to make blood testing for illicit drugs a pre-requisite for prospective students!
      I do not underestimate the effects Shabu has on the youth and families in the Philippines but there is something more dangerous than Shabu IGNORANCE.
      Interestingly though, I have not actually seen Shabu and have not witnessed anyone using it but its devastation were visible in Zamboanga City and I know of close friends whose lives have been dramatically affected by Shabu.
      I have no doubt that there are other people the likes of John Shinn III who have first hand knowledge about Shabu or other illicit drugs.  And I am suggesting that perhaps these people could share some of their knowledge and experiences to the people of Zamboanga City.
      I would, therefore, like to make a suggestion.  As an added project for those wonderful social events we often read about organised by Zamboangueno Social Clubs around the world, perhaps these Clubs could unite and look at a common project.  How about compiling educational information on the dangers of illicit drugs for distribution in the schools and health centres in Zamboanga City?
      I know that there are many Zamboanguenos out there who have the knowledge and expertise to make this happen.
      Let us all give a little.