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"ADDICTION AND THE SOCIETAL PROTECTION [Addiction and Its Dangers]"        Drugs Abuse, Dangerous to Users.       Drugs users are also endangering themselves. First, they endanger themselves of being caught in possession of prohibited/regulated drugs and when convicted they are to serve prison sentence and for life have criminal records making them socially undesirables and unwanted. Second, they are driven to commit economic crimes such as theft, robbery, estafa, etc. in order to obtain money to buy the needed drugs and in the process they are either caught to face the court of justice or be mauled/injured or be killed by people they robbed in the latter's exercise of self-defense of person or in defense of their property. Third, users have high suicidal rates/tendencies; Fourth, addiction may lead to troubled minds and high incidence of nervous breakdown is attributable to drug abuse. Fifth, users are likely to lose their homes and family due to their neglect and irresponsibility of their duties to themselves and to their families. Sixth, economic dislocation- laziness and boredom being felt by drug abusers. Seventh, users disqualified themselves to travel abroad for most countries bar addicts and those with narcotic records to enter their respective countries.       Finally, their spirituality is highly questionable: they become atheist; they neglect sacramental obligations and above all, religion and God has no place in them.       Addiction: Endangered Society       Addicts are social outcast. Most schools disqualified addicts for fear of the safety of their studentry and the influence they may yield later on their students. They are refused admission and if admitted, they made themselves liable for expulsion. Society considers them dangerous. Most heinous and bizarre crimes are perpetrated by addicts. They kidnap, car nap, abduct, rob, and rape ; in other words, they are capable of committing all crimes listed in the Revised Penal Code, with no regrets, with no remorse to speak of. Addicts shattered many lives. Many lost their properties and love ones because of them. They destroyed not only their own families but also the families of their friends and that of the people unknown to them.       Addicts are unwanted. They are socially and psychologically outcast and feared by many. Addicts are however misunderstood. They deserve sympathy and understanding of the highest order by society. Perhaps this evangelical article may bring some changes in our attitudes towards the addicts in our society and make us understand why addiction is in our midst.       How Society Protects Itself       Prevention is the best approach to all forms of addictions: smoking, drinking[alcoholism] and drug abuse. Addiction may be prevented by proper development of parent-children relationship because the restoration and uplifting of humanity begins in the home.       Thus,       The Savior's early years are more than an example to the youth. They are a lesson, and should be an encouragement, to every parent. The circle of family and neighborhood duties to the very first field of effort for those who would work for the uplifting of their fellow men. There is no more important field of effort than that committed to the founders and guardians of the home. No work entrusted to the human beings involves greater or more far-reaching results than does the work of fathers and mothers [White, supra, p.279]. It is by the youth and children of today that the future of society is to be determined and what these youth and children shall be depends upon the home. To the lack of right home training may be traced the larger share of the disease and misery and crime that curse humanity.       If the home life were pure and true, if the children who went forth from its care were prepared to meet life's responsibilities and dangers, what a change would be seen in the world [id,p.279]. Parents may lay for their children on the foundation for a healthy, happy life. They may send them forth from their homes with moral stamina to resist temptation, and courage strength to wrestle successfully with life's problems. They may inspire in them the purpose and develop that power to make their lives an honor to God and a blessing to the world [id, p.280]. Youth need a hand stretched out to them in sympathy.       Kind words, simply spoken, little attentions simply be towed, will sweep away the clouds of temptation which gather over the soul [id, p.282]. As they become parents, a sacred trust is committed to them. Upon them depends in a great measure the well-being of their children in this world, and their happiness in the world to come.[ibid. p.285].The mother should cultivate a cheerful, contented, happy disposition... A cheerful spirit will promote the happiness of her family, and in very great degree improve her own health.[White, p. 300].       Other steps taken to eradicate addiction are as follows:       First, proper enforcement and implementation of laws governing drugs such as full implementation of the Dangerous Drugs Act.       Second, addiction is made a ground for annulment of marriage. Thus, the Philippine Family Code provides: "Art. 45. A marriage may be annulled for any of the following causes, existing at the time of the marriage: (1) x x x (3) That the consent of either party was obtained by fraud, intimidation or undue influence, unless the same having disappeared or ceased, such party thereafter freely cohabited with the other as husband and wife x x x [Art. 45(3)]; Art. 46. Any of the following of the preceding article: (1) x x x (4) concealment of drug addiction, habitual alcoholism or homosexuality or lesbianism existing at the time of marriage."       Third, addiction is made a legal ground for legal separation in the Philippines. [Art. 55. A petition for legal separation may be filed on any of the following grounds: x x x (5) Drug addiction or habitual alcoholism of the respondent xx x [Art. 55(5), Family Code].        Fourth, license laws and high rate of taxation being imposed on cigarettes and liquors by the National Internal Revenue Code].       Rehabilitative Confinement        "Drug dependence" - means a state of psychic or physical dependence, or both, on a dangerous drug, arising in a person following administration or use of that drug on a periodic continuous basis [Sec. 2(g), RA 6415].       Rehabilitative Confinement under the Dangerous Drugs Act in the treatment and rehabilitation center for drug dependents may either be:       (1) VOLUNTARY SUBMISSION of a drug dependent for confinement, treatment and rehabilitation by the dependent himself or through his parent, guardian or relative by filing sworn petition in court.[Sec. . 30, RA 6425].       (2) COMPULSORY SUBMISSION of a drug dependent to treatment and rehabilitation if a person is charged with an offense when found by the fiscal or by the court, at any stage of the proceedings, to be a drug dependent, the fiscal or the court, as the case may be, shall suspend all further proceedings and transmit copies of the record of the case to the board[Sec. 34, ibid].       The existing Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Drug Dependents at Tagaytay City shall continue to be operated and maintained by NBI under the supervision and funding of the Board. In addition, thereto, the Board shall encourage and assist the establishment, operation and maintenance of private centers. The Tagaytay center shall continue the nucleus of such centers as may be created, authorized and/or accredited under the law.       Suspension of Sentence.- If an accused under 18 years of age at the time of the commission of the offense but not more than 21 years at the time when judgment should have been promulgated, who is found guilty of violating Sec. 8, Art. II and Sec. 16, Art. III of the Act has not been previously convicted of violating any provision of this Act or of the Revised Penal Code or placed on probation as herein provided, the court may defer sentence and place him on probation under the supervision of the Board.21 Upon completion of probation the court shall enter an order to expunge all official records relating to his case[Sec. 32, Dangerous Drug Act].       Imposition of Penalties.- Application of penalties is subject to the quantity of the prohibited/regulated drugs involved. However, any person charged under any provision of this Act where the imposable penalty is reclusion perpetua to death shall not be allowed to avail of the provisions on plea-bargaining. The Narcotic Drugs Law [RA No. 953]; Act Penalizing and Regulating the Planting, Gathering or selling of "Tubi" and other Poisonous Plants [RA No. 1288]; Act prohibiting the Sale of Acetic Acid in any Form in Groceries and Retail Stores Selling Foodstuff [Rep. Act No. 1919]; An Act authorizing the Food and Drug Administrator to Order the Closure, or .Suspend or Revoke the License of any Drug Establishment [PD NO. 280]. Foods, Drugs and Devices and Cosmetic Act [RA No. 3720 as amended by EO. 175 of 1987, Powers of the Secretary of Health to Regulate the Labeling, Sale and Distribution of Hazardous Substances [PD No. 881], and Toxic Substance and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes of Control Act of l990 [RA No. 6969]; Penalizing the Use or Possession or the Unauthorized Sale to Minors of Volatile Substances for the Purpose of Inducing Intoxication or In any Manner Changing, Distorting or Disturbing the Auditory, Visual or Mental Process [PD No. 1619].       PRAISE THE LORD ! Back | Home | Next

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