Drug master plan not producing results
IN 1999, the government introduced its National Drug Master Plan (NMDP). The five key areas it planned to tackle were: crime; youth; a commitment to health and welfare; research; and international involvement.
While there is no doubt that arresting a druglord is an important step in curtailing the supplies of narcotics, it is not the main answer.
When the 1999 plan failed to achieve its objectives, a review was conducted, and the 2013/2017 National Drug Master Plan was released. It sought to introduce:
1. Devising solutions from the bottom up rather than from the top.
2. Shifting from a national to a community approach to devise a strategy (from a one-size-fits-all to a community-specific solution).
3. Shifting from supply reduction to primary prevention in an integrated strategy.
4. Developing and applying evidence-based solutions where possible.
5. Introducing a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) approach to the formulation of the results to be achieved such as impact, outcomes, outputs and targets.
6. Aligning the NDMP and the national and provincial departments drug master plans with an M&E approach
7. Applying research and development to meet the predicted needs and future changes in substance abuse.
8. Reporting in terms of M&E needs instead of activities carried out; and extending the reporting base beyond the chandra data analysis (CDA), and its supporting infrastructure by including non-CDA sources and linked databases.
Has the new plan brought about any significant change? From what I see, the problem of drug abuse remains as sinister as ever.
The starting point is recognising the fact that drug abuse by an individual quickly becomes a very serious brain disease. Narcotics alter how the brain works. This alteration is often pronounced and prolonged and leads to anti-social and criminal behaviour.
Researchers using brain-imaging scans of addicts have drawn attention to physical changes in the part of the brain involving learning, the making of decisions and the use of judgment. Once these are impaired severely, the individual is no longer in control of his/her behaviour.
Another important part of the brain affected is that which deals with pleasure. The initial feeling of getting high and feeling pleasure subsides with repeated use of a drug or drugs. At that point, a pathological pursuit of rewards occurs and addiction sets in.
This can happen very quickly or over a period of time. If more people understood the problem with getting hooked on drugs and the effect it has on the structure and functioning of the brain, more young people would become hesitant in experimenting with drugs.
Our brains are wired to make us repeat the activity that gave us the initial euphoria, again and again, leading to it becoming a habit. Drugs make the brain produce extra dopamine and in this way, people are induced into a false belief that taking drugs will lead to endless pleasure and is preferable to something else that is healthier and long-lasting. This is a grave error.