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Social Challenges

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Submitted By Nanku
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University of Guyana

DPM 2200: Introduction to Public Policy
Understanding Public Policy in Guyana
Sarita Nanku Reg: 10/0806/0461 2014/04/22

2014

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Social Challenges Drug Use and Abuse in Secondary Schools It has been recognized in Guyana and other Caribbean countries that the youths are confronted with a number of challenges and Drug Use and Abuse in Secondary Schools is a major one. This therefore leads the mind to ask three questions; 1. Are Secondary school students making the decision to use drugs because of pressure from their peers? 2. Are Secondary school students using drugs because someone in their household is also using it? 3. Are students abusing drugs because it is easily accessible and affordable? According to the 2007 Guyana School Survey on Drug Prevalence in Secondary Schools, statistics indicated that the response of the majority of the students’ feedback was positive for the above three questions. How can we prevent drug use and abuse? What can treatment centers do to deal with abusers? Drug use (substance abuse) is a serious cry for help and making your child feel ashamed or embarrassed can make the problem worse. Some common behavior in changes you may notice is your child is abusing drugs and alcohol is: violent outbursts, rage, disrespectful behavior, poor or dropping grades, unexplained weight loss or gain, skin abrasions/track marks, missing curfew, running away, truancy, bloodshot eyes, distinct “skunky” odor on clothing and skin just to name a few. To prevent drug use and abuse communication is the key. Whenever opportunity arises parents should have conversations with their children and develop a friendship with them so that they know what is going on in their child’s life so that they will be able to pick up whether they taking the wrong path. Also the Ministry of Education should have programmes in place to sensitize the public and also schools across the country about the effects and negative impact that drug use and abuse could have on our lives. Treatment centers across Guyana should be able to provide efficient rehabilitation facilities for users and abusers. One rehabilitation center of such capabilities is The Salvation Army Drug Rehabilitation & Men’s Social Center. The Salvation Army has a six month drug rehabilitation treatment program for abusers and also a Half-way House for an additional six months. The Half-way House are for persons who has completed the six month programme and do not wish to go home back immediately , the half-way house encourages the abuser to remain for another six month for full recovery and makes provision for them. How can the Drug Information Network of Guyana combat Drug use and abuse in Secondary Schools? In the Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism 2006 it was recommended that the Ministry of Home Affairs should develop and implement an integrated system to collect, analyze, maintain and disseminate drug related statistics. The Inter-American Observatory on Drugs (OID), commissioned that the development of a Drug Information Network (DIN) in through the Ministry of Home Affairs. The overarching goal of the Drug Information Network is to improve Guyana’s capacity in the formulation of drug policy, design and implementation of

responses and programmes, and the evaluation of outcomes through the use of timely, valid and reliable information. To facilitate the Development of a Drug Information Network in Guyana, a Drug Information Needs and Resources Analysis (INRA) for Guyana was completed with the intention of establishing Guyana’s capacity for collecting information on drug abuse. The INRA was used as a mechanism to create an inventory of potential data sources to the Drug Information Network. On the 21st of August 2009, the first meeting of the Guyana Drug Information Network was called to order at the Drug Information Network Secretariat, Ministry of Home Affairs. For the reporting period there were two meetings of the Drug Information Network. The Network comprises treatment facilities, psychiatric facilities, agencies responsible for youth and education and law enforcement agencies. The following is a list of agencies that complete the Drug Information Network: Treatment Facilities: Drug Demand Reduction Programme, Ministry of Health, Phoenix Recovery Project and Salvation Army Men’s Social Service. Psychiatric Facilities: Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation Youth and Education: Ministry of Education and Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports. Law Enforcement Agencies: Ministry of Home Affairs, Guyana Police Force, Customs AntiNarcotic Unit (CANU), Guyana Prison Service, Guyana Defence Force, Guyana Revenue Authority, Drug Enforcement Unit and Food and Drug Department, Ministry of Health. Prevention programmes were implemented by the Ministry of Health and the Phoenix Recovery Project. The Ministry of Health implemented School’s Anti-drug programmes using Edutainment at Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary levels. It was reported that over 10,000 students received anti-drug use and abuse messages through this intervention. The programmes targeted both males and females. The Ministry of Health also conducted Workplace & Community Health and Wellness Programme targeting adults. Phoenix Recovery Project’s ‘Street-based Intervention’ targeted street children and homeless people. No data was supplied on the reach of this programme. Phoenix Recovery Project also implemented prevention programmes which were designed for people who are already experimenting with drugs or who exhibited other risky behaviours. This intervention reached 47 individuals comprising 17 females and 30 males. The 2007 Guyana School Survey indicated that a few studies principally quantitative assessments were done to give an overview of drug use among adolescents in Guyana. These studies have also raised the awareness that drug prevalence and patterns should be analyzed and recognized as a priority research topic for all Member States of the Organization of American States, including Guyana. As a result of this awareness, the SIDUC school survey instrument

was developed by CICAD to monitor the use of drugs among high school students with the aim of improving the understanding of the patterns and risk factors of drug abuse. The main aim of the study was to monitor the use of drugs among high school students with the aim of improving the understanding of the patterns and risk factors of drug use. In this respect the target population for this School Survey was Secondary school students in Forms 2, 4 and 5 (Grade 8, 10 and 11 respectively). The sample frame of all eligible schools and enrolment data was acquired from The Planning Unit of the Ministry of Education and was sent to CICAD/OAS where a sample was drawn that included 35 public schools and 4 registered private schools from Georgetown, Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10. Results from the 2007 School Survey show that students have tried or experimented with a variety of drugs. The lifetime prevalence ranges from a low of 1.2% for opium, morphine and hallucinogens to a high of 38.2% for alcohol. The annual prevalence ranges from 2.7% for cocaine and ecstasy to 16% for any illegal drug and 48.7% for alcohol. The current prevalence was most significant for any illegal drug and alcohol which were 10.7% and 38.2% respectively. Even if it is a very small percentage of students who have ever used a drug, the response of students to the variety of drugs listed on the questionnaire is an indication that these drugs are widely available and that students have access to them. The problems of associated with the use of legal and illegal drugs are many and it has become necessary to devise a plan to curb them. It is recommended that advertisements should not be placed in venues where a significant proportion of the expected audience is underage. The focus of prevention should be at three levels. The first level, the universal prevention, should target the general population, that is, all the students in schools. The aim here is to provide student with the opportunity to develop a healthy lifestyle. The second level, the selective prevention, should target at-risk groups or subgroups of the general population, that is, children whose parents are drug users or students who are poor school achievers. The third level, the indicated prevention, should involve students who are experimenting with drugs or those who exhibit other risk-related behaviours. Programmes should be designed to reduce risk factors and strengthen protective factors. Risk factors are those factors associated with greater potential for drug use. Protective factors are those factors associated with reduced potential for drug use. Special programmes should be designed for at risk groups, potential drop-outs, and should be appropriate to age group, gender and educational level. Programmes should also be for teachers and prevention agents. All programmes designed should be long-term, starting with pre-school and continuing at all subsequent levels of the school life. Every school should have a drug abuse prevention policy included in its educational plan. A team of responsible persons should be established. There should be a plan to train teachers to address the issue of drug use, as well as standard operational procedures for dealing with the instances of drug abuse.

References

1. Annual Report of the Drug Information Network 2011, Guyana, Jan-Dec 2011. 2. Annual National Report 2002 and Networking Meeting, Guyana, January, 2003. 3. Bourne, Paul Andrew, Substance Abuse in Secondary School, http://able2know.org/topic/58345-1 4. Eastern Caribbean - The Children: Adolescence: UNICEF BECO/2007/Asael: http://www.unicef.org/barbados/children_100.htm 5. 10 Tips to Prevent Teen/Drug/Substance Abuse, https://shine.yahoo.com/helping-kids/10-tips-prevent-teen-drug-substance-abuse134500209.html 6. CICAD Hemispheric Guidelines on School-Based Prevention Organization of American States – OAS, Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission - CICAD, Washington D.C. 2005 7. Guyana School Survey 2007 - Guyana Report - Substance use and abuse among secondary level students in Region 4[Georgetown-Demerara-Mahaica Region], Division of Health Sciences Education, Ministry of Health (Annexe), Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown. Guyana, South America. March 2003.

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