It is no secret that Guyana has a drug problem. The increasing creativity and scope of its drug operations has found its way into local and international entertainment. While there are occasional drug busts here and there, the government’s continued war on drugs has been failing miserably. This of course is in no small part due to the connections many connected to the government and private sector have to the drug trade. But the focus today is not necessarily on the governmental role in the narco-state, but rather, about those who battle addictions to the substances that make their way in and out of our shores.
Given the stigma that is associated with drug addiction, there is usually very little sympathy to be garnered for those who find themselves battling dependency on legal and illegal substances. A lot of this has to do with the way in which addiction continues to be framed as a personal failing rather than the debilitating disease that it is. The persistent notion that persons can will themselves out of addiction sees very little support being provided to those who find themselves struggling with substance abuse. This lack of support, of course, does nothing but prolong and encourage substance use disorders, as persons do not have the resources available to them to overcome their addictions.
There is genuine fear in seeking out help from family and peers given the belief that they will be embarrassed or would want to distance themselves from drug users. Unfortunately, many of these fears can often come to fruition as there continues to be severe misunderstanding surrounding addiction and many do not see past the demonized drug-addled image that traditional beliefs and mainstream media have sold to them.
The way in which the media and society at large frame those battling addictions has not done any favours to the way in which addicts continue to be viewed and treated. What this results in is persons trying to battle their addictions secretly, which in rare cases can work, but too often is a recipe for disaster. If it is that substance users come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds or are considered part of minority ethnic groups, they might be reluctant to seek support as they see addiction as adding another layer of stigma to their already marginalized situation.
Drug addiction however does not occur within a vacuum; it thrives within a space that is violent, impoverished and oppressive. It does not help that in Guyana, we have a culture that promotes excessive consumption of substances. The most abused and readily available of which is alcohol. Alcohol addiction is often under-discussed as many view it as harmless despite the destruction it continues to inflict on entire communities. But with alcohol contributing a significant chunk towards the country’s GDP, it is doubtful any serious efforts to address alcoholism will ever happen.
Many who begin using substances whether they are hard drugs, party drugs or depressants such as alcohol do so in an attempt to cope with the effects of trauma they have experienced or witnessed. That trauma of course can be social, physical, mental and economic. So efforts to target addiction must ensure focus is not only placed on supportive mechanisms for those with substance abuse disorders, but also ensuring corrective actions to the systemic issues that promote and perpetuate drug addiction.
There does however continue to be a very puritanical stance towards those who are classed as drug addicts. The remaining go-to response is that of imprisonment. While there have been some efforts through the drug treatment court, where those charged and found guilty of drug use can choose between community service and drug treatment programmes, it would be good to know about the success they have been having with this. The reality is that the drug treatment programmes available at places such as the Salvation Army and Phoenix Recovery project are out of touch with best practices for treating those with addictions. This often results in many persons simply passing through these program-mes without gaining the information and skills they need to stay sober.
Increasing the number of trained personnel in the public health and legal system are good steps to make when it comes to putting more supportive mechanisms in place to address addiction. Ultimately however, there needs to be renewed efforts towards ensuring that the systemic issues of social, political and economic violence are addressed holistically.
