Crime Prevention Tips

DRUG ABUSE - DRUG ADDICTION

Information and help:

• Department of Addiction Diseases,
  Teodora Drajzera 44 Street, Belgrade
  centrala: 011 367 1 429


• Institute of Mental Health - Addiction Clinic:
  www.imh.org.rs


• Block for addiction diseases
  Palmoticeva 37, Belgrade
  011 3307 508, 3307 509

Since drug addicts are most often young people, one of the basic principles of all programs of the Special Hospital for Addiction Diseases is to work with the whole family, and not only with the identified patient. Usually, the patient comes for treatment accompanied by family or close friends, although it also happens that he comes accompanied by a school teacher or a social worker from a work organization. Some patients seek counseling first if they are unsure whether they need treatment or are not sufficiently motivated to seek treatment. Then they usually come under family pressure or one of the family members comes first to inquire about treatment.

WHAT ARE DRUGS?

The term drug is used in science for products of plants, animals and minerals that have healing properties. In ordinary speech, this term is used for narcotics that are psychoactive substances (those substances that change the state of consciousness, mood and behavior). Repeated intake of these substances can lead to addiction.

Due to numerous side and harmful effects, the production and trade of these substances are either illegal activities (eg production of opium, cocaine, etc.) or are strictly controlled by the state (for drugs such as amphetamines, morphine, etc.)

Modern classifications of diseases define all health disorders that can occur due to taking psychoactive substances. Among them, the most important are the terms acute poisoning (intoxication), substance abuse and dependence, and abstinence syndrome or crisis.

Drug addiction is a condition of periodic or chronic poisoning, harmful to the individual, as well as to society, caused by repeated use of natural or synthetic drugs.

Drug addicts change society and mostly socialize with people similar to themselves, with whom they can be open, exchange drugs or take it without hindrance. Their social status is changing. They neglect their obligations to study or work, often borrow money or lie, and even steal money from home and from others. Later, they need more and more money and often they resell drugs themselves and get into crime. Drug abuse often leads to crime, both through further drug trafficking and other crimes in order to obtain drugs. Very often it is theft, robbery, prostitution…

The relationship between family and friends, school, trust in professionals and institutions and seeking professional help are extremely important. Families often hide this problem even when they find out that it exists, and it is known that they have long refused to accept suspicions that it exists.

For many years, the Ministry of the Interior has been preparing and implementing activities in cooperation with schools, in order to acquaint as many children and parents as possible with the problems that lead to children entering the dark world of drug addiction from which there is often no return.

If you have information that someone in your area sells drugs or engages in any activities that enable the use of drugs, call the police on the phone number 192.

A very important fact, which most children and young people do not know or do not think about, is that any possession, possession or use of psychoactive substances in any quantity is a crime. Children become criminally responsible from the age of 14 and must be made aware of it.

These criminal offenses are regulated by the Criminal Code of the Republic of Serbia and belong to the group of criminal offenses against human health - Chapter 23.

Unauthorized production and distribution of narcotics, Article 246
Unauthorized possession of narcotics, Article 246a
Enabling the use of narcotics, Article 247

Procedure

Criminal proceedings for these criminal offenses are initiated by the filing of a criminal report by the Ministry of the Interior, the Police Directorate, namely the police station, whose police officers most often found narcotics during the examination of the suspect.

HARMFULNESS OF DRUGS TO HEALTH AND LIFE

One should not think that everything should be tried. A person who knows how to determine what is good and what is not, has a mature relationship with the authorities and respects the recommendations of the society in which he lives.

The use of drugs leads to changes in mental functions, altered state of consciousness (most often there is increased alertness or drowsiness - depending on which drug is in question), altered flow of thought, sometimes the appearance of hallucinations. Mood changes, there is euphoria, fear or panic attack. Behavior changes from hyperactive and accelerated, with many movements and overemphasized expression of emotions to slow, lethargic, where the person seems sleepy and absent. The duration of these changes depends on the type of substance ingested. In case of taking an overdose of a substance that can lead to a fatal outcome, it is called an overdose.

Addiction to a psychoactive substance implies the existence of at least three symptoms: craving for the substance, physical withdrawal syndrome when the use of the substance is discontinued, tolerance to the effects of previously effective doses of the substance, preoccupation with the substance, neglect of other interests. continuing to take the substance despite the knowledge of its harmful effects.

Polytoxicomania is a very common occurrence among young people and represents the simultaneous intake of several psychoactive substances, because by combining different drugs, drugs and alcohol, their effects are intensified.

Statistics indicate that most treated addicts first started with marijuana.

Many think that this is a harmless and harmless drug. It is true that there is no harmless drug.

Taking drugs is so harmful to human health, whose brain and organism are not prepared for constant exposure to their effects, so drugs are not accepted in society precisely because they endanger the development and life of the person who takes them, and have a bad effect on his family, work and society as a whole. Serious infections with bacteria or viruses that are transmitted through infected needles or sexual intercourse with an infected person can occur. The most well-known infections that are acquired in this way are the viruses of HIV, hepatitis B and C. The toxic effect of drugs especially damages the liver and kidneys, through which they are metabolized and eliminated from the body, but also the brain, heart, lungs, blood vessels.

It is possible to stop taking drugs. The natural development of each person, aided by family and professionals, leads to healing. After treatment, one can live normally. If the treatment is started on time and lasts as long as necessary, life can continue where it "stopped".

HOW TO RECOGNIZE ADDICTION?

Parents need to have more time for their children. They need to pay more attention to their behavior, especially during puberty and adolescence.

What are the risk factors for taking drugs, what are the signs and symptoms of using psychoactive substances (drugs, alcohol or medications), as well as what are the signs of marijuana abuse, signs of opiate abuse, see HOW TO RECOGNIZE ADDICTION?