Free Yourself from Drug Impact

PROBLEM narcotics, psychotropic and other addictive substances (drugs) is not the monopoly of the state alone. In almost every country, both developed and developing countries, has a problem. Various methods are used by the government of each country to "crush" drug of earth, but none of the listed countries have managed to beat the big enemy.
Australia, as a developed country that is located not too far from the Golden Triangle region did not escape from the problem. Even Australia was facing problems on tobacco and alcohol dependence. The impact, extraordinary and make the Australian Government stunned.

According to the latest tally is expected in 1998, approximately 22,500 people will die as a direct or indirect result of the use of dangerous drugs. Approximately 17,500 people Australia were hospitalized due to circumstances caused by the use of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs (Bureau of Intelligence Australia, 1999). In the late 1990's almost certain that one in five deaths in Australia associated with drug use (Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy, 1998). In the 1960's in Australia from a change in the pattern of drug use, ie the number of illegal narcotics supply and the increasing number of young people taking drugs. At the time that drug use began synonymous with youth. The fact is very surprising the people of Australia, and in the early 1970's they began to recognize, they have drug problems. Moreover, the reality shows, the increasing number of illegal drug use causes increased criminal cases, and decreasing health standards. Increased attention and awareness on the issue, urged the Australian Government to protect the people and tackling the drug problem. Costs for increased law enforcement efforts in number, and more severe penalties for suppliers and users into effect. Indeed, previous prevention efforts tend to focus on providing a warning to the public about the dangers of drug use. Shock and fear tactics used in Australian media, to make young people have a fear of the drug. But the campaign did not produce satisfactory results. Young people continue to experiment with drugs and drug usage statistics continue to climb. Prevention of anti-drug campaigns and school education programs are not able to change the behavior of drug use in young people, their problems and prevent drug-related. ALTHOUGH there has been a policy of prevention, supplier of market mechanisms and demand of illegal drugs still increasing, especially among young people. Crime increased along with the increasing number of drug users and the availability of illegal drugs. The act bans over the past decade aimed at wiping out the business of drugs, increased drug prices, and the prevention of further drug use, did not bring results in Australia. With increase number of young people who are victims of drug use, the public and governments are increasingly aware of the need for a more integrated policy approach to tackling the drug problem. Despite efforts to prevent drug use through education in schools in Australia began in the 1970's, only in the mid 1980's was the prevention starts correctly. Since the availability of Commonwealth funding for basic prevention strategies and education on drug programs in schools get better quality and Australia have embarked on an anti-drug prevention campaign is excellent. In 1985, Australia was radically changed the direction of drug policy, a policy with minimize hazards. Apparatus of the present danger requiring health, education, courts, and law enforcement to work together at the national and state level. The main objective of the partnership is to minimize the harmful effects of drug use in Australian society. Of the present danger is a combination of supply reduction (law enforcement) and demand reduction (education), to reduce the impact of drug use on health, social, and economic to the user and society.Since the mid-1980s, the National Campaign Against Drug Abuse is involved in the national effort to reduce the harmful effect of used drugs in Australia. The campaign was involved in the development and implementation of various strategies for reducing the desire, demand and need for drugs. With the help of Drug Offensive, Commonwealth, in collaboration with state / territory governments, community organizations, drug and alcohol agencies, and education officials together to develop campaigns for the community, public health and education programs in schools. SINCE this campaign, officially Australia uses three approaches to tackle the problem of drug use. The first reduction of supply (supply reduction), reduction in demand (demand reduction), and harm reduction (harm reduction). The first and second courses have been conducted for many years, but did not produce satisfactory results. Australia finally decided to also conduct three programs, namely the reduction of hazards, and the results are very satisfying. For the reduction of supply, Australia increasingly tightened restrictions on access to drugs. For example, to get the drug legally, apply age restrictions, restrictions on use, and the restrictions on the purchase. As for illegal drugs, Australia is also destruction of drug production, farmers who planted drugs dragged into court, and undertake a program of crop substitution.Crop substitution is a campaign to get farmers to change crops like narkobanya with other crops such as coffee and cocoa. The program is less desirable because of the money farmers dida-pat of plant drugs is much greater than the replacement plants. While that program is still accompanied by the prevention and repression of acts committed by the law. In all states and territories, Australia did demand reduction program. The program is run in the path of education, community health centers, and drug addiction rehab. On drug prevention education program, Australia has realized that the way to scare ineffective for users. The information disseminated in various forms on the dangers of drugs are also less effective. While approaches with peers, does not solve the perceived problem. Hazard reduction program aimed at limiting or reducing the harm caused by drug use. Dangers-dangers that arise among other health problems, social costs, and economic costs. The principle of harm reduction programs are short-term pragmatic goals. This program will involve drug users to run the risk hierarchy. Hierarchy of risk means, first asked drug users not to use drugs again. Second, if they can not, so was forced to use drugs, do not use injection drugs. Third, if forced to use a syringe, always use a new sterile syringe and needle for air or other injecting equipment.Fourth, if there is no needle syringes are sterile or have shared needles, always disinfect syringes before each use. There are several risk reduction strategies undertaken Australia. Among others provide needle exchange programs, providing various types of care, outreach (outreach) pharmacotherapy, and a program to achieve the termination of drug use. The results achieved from the 'marriage' three attempts this reduction was very amazing. In cities that run needle exchange programs HIV figures show a decrease of 5.8 percent per year. While cities are not doing syringe exchange programs showed an increase in HIV by 5.9 percent per year.In Sydney at the end of the 1980s had a number of HIV among injecting drug users (Injecting Drug Users / IDU) of 3-5 percent. After doing needle exchange programs, methadone programs, and outreach in the year 1987-1988, the rate of HIV among IDUs is less than 4 percent. Whereas in 1996 the figure was down to less than 3 percent. Evaluation of needle exchange programs suggests, the program is able to save about 3,000 lives in 1991 alone. Only it costs 400 Australian dollars for every life saved. However the cost is nothing compared to the cost savings of 300 million Australian dollars per year for HIV.From this evaluation also showed that needle exchange programs do not lead to an increase in the number of IDUs and drug use. Sources: www.kompas.com