After a decade of drug abuse rumors, Whitney Houston finally confirmed in 2002: “My business is sex, drugs, rock and roll. You know? My friends, we have a good time. But as you get older and you get wiser – you stop a lot of the kid stuff. Trust me. I partied my tail off. You get to a point where… the party’s over.”
Embattled by drug problems, the American pop star entered rehab in 2004. She returned again in 2005 and in 2011. On February 11, 2012, Houston was found dead in her guest room at The Beverly Hilton, in Beverly Hills, California. The official coroner’s report showed that she had accidentally drowned in the bathtub, with heart disease and cocaine use listed as contributing factors.
Other famous people whose lives who snatched by drugs include Cory Monteith, John Belushi, Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland, Philip Seymour Hoffman, River Phoenix, Michael Jackson and Health Ledger.
“Drug abuse has ruined many lives,” declares Dr. Willie T. Ong, an internist-cardiologist and consultant at the Manila Doctor’s Hospital and Makati Medical Center. “The threat of illegal drugs is real and it’s closer than we think. In the Philippines, the drug abuse situation has actually increased over the years.”
It must be recalled that in 2008, the Philippine media reported the arrest of 11 high-school students who were caught doing a pot session in Quezon City. Most of the arrested students came from the ranks of “financially-distressed families.”
As the students could not afford to conduct “the pot session in a luxurious hotel or a mansion-like residence or condominium in one of the metropolitan areas’ premier locations that some scions of well-to-do families reportedly do on a regular basis,” they held it only in a “vacant lot.”
A drug is defined as “any substance intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, relief, treatment or prevention of disease or intended to affect the structure or function of the body.” A simpler but workable definition of a drug is any chemical substance that affects the body and its processes.
“By law, drugs are divided into two categories: prescription drugs and non-prescription drugs,” explains The Merck Manual of Medical Information. “Prescription drugs — those considered safe for use only under medical supervision — may be dispensed only with a prescription from a licensed professional with governmental privileges to prescribe.”
Non-prescription drugs, on the other hand, are those considered safe for use without any medical supervision (like aspirin, for instance). Oftentimes, these drugs are sold over-the counter.
To some people, the word “drug” means a substance that alters the brain’s function in ways considered pleasurable — a mind-altering substance. These are what the Dangerous Drug Board (DDB) as “dangerous drugs” or “illegal drugs.”
“Drug abuse exists when a person continually uses a drug other than its intended purpose,” the DDB explains in its website. “This continued use can lead to drug dependence, a state of physical and psychological dependence or both on a dangerous drug.”
“Different illicit drugs can have their own peculiar effects,” writes Dr. Ong in his book, Doctors’ Health Tips and Home Remedies. “As a whole, these drugs may lead to heart disease, stroke, cancer, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C, lung disease, obesity and mental disorders.”
Shabu, for instance, “can cause chest pain, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, heart attack and even cardiac arrest. Methamphetamines may also give rise to irritability, talkativeness, insomnia and violent and destructive behavior.”
Marijuana, on the other hand, “can cause chest pain, lack of coordination, poor memory, poor concentration, red eyes and temporary loss of fertility,” Dr. Ong points out. Constant use of marijuana can also “significantly reduces a person’s capacity to learn, carry-out complicated tasks, participate in sports, driving and operating other machineries.”
The use by young Filipinos of prohibited drugs is now considered as one of the country’s scourge. The abuse has reached epidemic, if not widespread, proportion.
In his book, Dr. Ong gives some possible signs of drug abuse. “First, the person may associate with friends who are known drug users. Second, the person often needs money and sometimes steals things at home. Third, the person may exhibit some changes in behavior and mood.”
On the latter, he explains: “He or she may be irritable, discourteous and aggressive. (If the person is a student, he or she) may stop going to class and receive failing grades. There may be poor personal grooming and a general lack of interest in life. Take note, however, that these behavioral clues are not always present.”
The DDB further gives these signs: asks to be left alone a lot, always tired (or makes it as an excuse to be left alone), careless and often becomes involved in accidents, implicated in a lot of fights, sudden change in appearance and conduct (red or puffy eyes, weight changes, constant complaints of headaches or stomachaches, shaking, incessant cough, brown stains on fingertips, stumbling, or a constant runny nose), loss of interest in hobbies or sports, exhibits poor judgment, and finds it difficult to concentrate.
“If you suspect that a friend is using drugs, talk to him or her,” the DDB suggests. “Let your friend know that you care. Talk to your parents, teacher, school counselor, or another trusted adult. Offer to go with your friend to his parents or a counselor for help.”
Help someone who is addicted to drugs. “Drug addiction is considered a disease and needs comprehensive and prolonged treatment,” Dr. Ong reminds. “After being rehabilitated, the drug abuser should still be closely monitored so that he or she will not relapse again into using drugs.”
