Drug and Alcohol Prevention

Drug and Alcohol Prevention

This article is based on the speech and the presentation about “Drug and Alcohol Prevention” was delivered by Mr. Pubudu Sumanasekara, who is Executive Director of Alcohol and Drug Information Centre(ADIC) of Sri Lanka. He made this valuable speech at the UCSC auditorium, under Enhancement program for the 1st year students of UCSC undergraduate program on 7th November 2018.

As I understood, this lecture was mainly based on Drugs, alcohol and their influence for the life. This speech has contained more facts, advices and social issues and science beyond the drugs through his experiences.

At first Mr.Sumanasekara was understood us “why is he speaking to us?”, which means the outcomes and objectives of this session. The outcome of the session was improvement of the happiness and life. When it goes to the middle of his speech, we understood the meaning of that. Then the outcome was the clear-up the mind what you are thinking of drugs and alcohol. He asked us to think critically for these two hours and practice it for the rest of our lives.

"Critical thinking belongs if you can question your own thinking."

Let’s get in to the topic. At first, I want to ask you few questions.

Do you know how many people die in your country per year? 

Then, how do the drug companies keep their customers continuously?

Please, think critically to see the truth.

Actually, in Sri Lanka there are 20,000 premature people claim the dead because of drugs and alcohol. So, drug companies have to get addicted the young generation to the drugs continuously. They have launched many secret programs to get you in to the drugs. Are you a dupe for them?? Think a bit critically.

We have to figure-out the answers for two questions.

1. Why people start alcohol/tobacco/other drugs use while knowing harm and unpleasantness?
2. Why people keep using alcohol/tobacco/other drugs while knowing harm and unpleasantness?

If it is a ziggurat, it will definitely make you tears, cough. If it is heroin, the person who smokes has to face a more uncomfortable situation that I can’t describe. Why people do it?

If someone feels so uncomfortable at the first time his body will make some adjustments to contain the situation. Then most probably he will think that he can manage this so well. He won’t think about that unpleasantness and harm. While using it for a long time the unpleasantness will be gone from him. To reduce unpleasantness, he uses some snacks and sandy with alcohol.

Then I have to ask some questions again…

Where is the pleasure part of the alcohol/tobacco/other drugs that makes people addictive to those? 

Why do people miss their conscientious after taking alcohol/tobacco/other drugs? 

Then, how a drunk man avoids challenging the police or thugs and loses his conscientious at the same time?

Actually, the thing is most people makes their privilege or a social excuse after getting some drugs. They have “Don’t hit him, because he is drunk” as the excuse of abusing others after drunk. Actually, they do not abuse others or behave bad because of they are drunk. They have taken drugs because they have to behave like that, which for their social excuse. Doing that makes them cheaters too. Because They’re not because of a chemical effect, this is all about that social excuse. It means they actually know what they are doing.

Nowadays getting drunk is a privilege. Do you know how it feels when the girls use high-heels for parties? Why they don’t use them every day? What if a girl doesn’t use high-heels for a party? They are probably rejected from the society. Wearing high-heels make it very hard for girls. But they should have to wear. Men have that pressure to the girls on high-heels with alcohol. But they don’t tell that pain to anyone outside.

Some children, those who takes drugs thinks that they are using that a world that only adults has the permissions. Some of them are thinking taking drugs is heroes’ thing to do. Because of cartoons, movies and commercials that they have watched. Actually, casting those things that has type of media content is a child abuse. Tobacco companies pays golds for those scenes. They are managed to use that type of techniques to promote their business.

While taking drugs for a long time makes you addictive to that. You will miss enjoying other things after starting enjoying drugs and alcohol. And why people do not enjoy alcohol/tobacco/other drugs anytime? They set it for weekends, for evenings, for party times. It is because that they do not enjoy the drugs. It is because that they set the environment for the drugs and take drugs to enjoy that environment. Why can’t you enjoy without drugs?

Marijuana is the latest drug type that companies wants to promote among the people. Because the trend that they made for ziggurats is getting decreased now. Most of the companies that want to legalize marijuana are the same tobacco companies. They will try different types of experimental actions, promotions to promote marijuana among the people like they did in early nineties to promote ziggurats.

Mr. Sumanasekara made us understood the science beyond alcohol/tobacco/other drugs. It was very helpful us to make our lives happier. Actually, we understood that drugs are not stimulate, it is a depressant. That will harm for our health and personality.

We had a good time with him on that day. We learnt many things from his life experiences that are important to us. I also decided to avoid from alcohol/tobacco/other drugs. Blessings for your wealthy longevity! Thank you, sir.

-Asela Kotagama