Drug abuse and alcohol addition

Not yet another social blight:

by Indeewara Thilakarathne

Although most of us consider drinking a glass of scotch or occasional smoking of a cigarette as a social habit rather than an addiction, beneath it lies the actual purpose of perpetuating that habit which is nothing but the addiction in a another form.

However, this doe not warrant one to brand every one who toasts at a party or a social gathering as hardcore drug addicts or as habitual alcoholics who would go out in the evening in search of a kick up, in the sense that it would boost up their depleting egos, perhaps, after a tiresome day.

Although diverse persons belonging into equally different professions cite singular reasons for their so called 'social habit', it is not the socialization that attracted and kept bounded to the magic bottle or glass of pleasure and contentment. It is, on the contrary, the different worries and discontentment, perhaps, the strenuous work that attract them to the bottle.

Most of the office workers that I met at various watering holes of the metropolitan belonged to the category of habitual drinkers who used to toss a glass or two of hard liquor at pubs and middle class restaurants which serve not only beer or hard liquor but also accompanying 'short eats' that go along with liquor.

Some of the teenagers and youth, who have enough money and time, roam in the night-club circuits whiling away their time and enjoying the dim-light dancing floors that provide ideal meeting places for couples.

However, little known fact is that they take 'ecstasy' before venturing onto the dance floor. The drug would give them a much needed boost and keep them alive throughout the night. As if in a wild-frenzy these 'rich brads' dance into the dead of night while their parents engaged in 'key' societies, exchanging partners.

Clubbing and acquiring the habit of drinking, smoking and drugging often commence at a party by the insistence of a peer or a so-called 'adult' who would initiate the youth into the habit by offering a glass of 'beer' which is considered as soft liquor.

Before long, the teenager graduates from beer to hard liquor and sometimes would smoke a cigarette while having liquor. One of the addictive factors of all most all liquor or drugs is that it provides an avenue for escapism. In other words, that the liquor or drug would provide a momentary solution to seemingly intractable problems or clamp down the weary mind, perhaps, after a strenuous assignment or a lesson.

However, this momentary escapism, in the long run, leads to manifold problems, adversely affecting the health and the economic wellbeing of the addicted person and his or her kith and kin.

At various restaurants and watering hole in the city, I met regular members as well as coupe of social drinkers who wish to share the reasons that keep them attracted to the bottle.

Viraj de Silva (not his actual name) is a typical government office worker who used to have a couple of drinks as he told me at the press club near the traffic police, although he had never been a member of the press.

"I do not consider myself as a habitual drinker because I do have only one or two glasses and that too with a colleague after a tiresome day. I would never start my day with alcohol. I am also not a type of person who goes in search of parties or cocktails like most of the drink-mates I met here at the press club", he said pointing a finger at a thin skeleton figure; I subsequently came to know as a sub-editor of an English publication with a legendary appetite for liquor.

Perhaps, it is strenuous work that we do at the bank that encourages me to have a couple of drinks here and to have a candid chat with a colleague on current affairs. I do not go after liquor. Unlike other clerks at the office, I never drink even a beer during my office hours. It is only after work that I have a glass of beer. Therefore, I do not consider myself as an alcohol addict" Viraj said.

Saleem Sulaiman is a westernized middle aged man who has apparently given away most of the orthodox and rigid disciplinary behaviours of a traditional Islam adherent.

I met Saleem at Nippon hotel, near famous Nana's way side restaurant. He was tossing a beer with a friend. "Deviate from the tradition, on special occasions, I used to have couple of drinks with a friend. I am definitely not an alcoholic addict who emotionally depends on it. I can go on without drinking for a long period of time.

It has become a social habit and I do not think that social drinking is bad or harmful to one's health. However, if you are smoking regularly, it would certainly cause damage to your system leading to many complications and making one susceptible to cancer," said Saleem.

However, the attitude of teenagers and youth whom I met at sprawling night clubs, towards smoking, drinking and taking drugs was entirely different from their adult counterparts.

Their principle argument seems to be that the various drugs they take in, ranging from ecstasy to heroine (which they admitted they could not get rid of) provide them with a kind of relief which the teenagers could not derive from recreational activities and that the clubbing would reduce stress often associated with highly competitive examinations and various assignments which the teenagers will have to be completed within a stipulated period of time.

Suresh Kanapathipillai is a student of a leading international school whom I met at a popular night club. He asserts that competitive environment the present day students learn and examination targets coupled with parental pressure on students, led teenagers to seek solace in the dancing floors of the night clubs.

Clubbing is an antidote for stress and enormous pressure brought upon students by parents and teachers. But it is not an excuse to take drug or to drink till midnight, thereby squandering parents hard-earned money.

They are really addicted to drugs as well as clubbing. One of my friends could not pass a day without clubbing and without being intoxicated with drug. They should be rehabilitated' said Kanapathipillai.

However, the most dangerous habit is driving after a heavy dose of alcohol which would not only endanger the life of the driver but also others who travel with him.

Although taken very lightly, drug addiction is rampant among the different sections of the society.

If this negative is not arrested at an early stage, drug abuse and addiction would cripple the workforce, incurring long term losses in terms of prolonged medical bills for various ailments that would cause over consumption of alcohol and smoking.

As it will adversely affect the family, the primary building box of the society, it would have a debilitating effect on the economy.

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