Drug addiction caused by lax law enforcement

Drug addiction caused by lax law enforcement

By K. Basrie

JAKARTA (JP): Teenage drug addicts have acknowledged that the
lack of strict enforcement of existing rules, broken-homes, low-
income families and unfavorable surroundings have led them to
become abusers of banned substance.

Drug addicts from low-income families, for instance, can buy
drugs and psychotropic substances easily at many small and large
drug stores, without doctors' prescriptions.

On the other hand, those from upper-income families get drugs,
which are more expensive but take effect quicker, at certain
points, such as nightclubs and pubs, where actually teenagers are
not legally allowed in.

"It's so easy to purchase Mogadon (a psychotropic substance)
pills at street drug stalls," Rakhman, 17, told The Jakarta Post
recently. Rakhman is a patient at the state-owned Khusnul
Khotimah drug rehabilitation center in Tangerang.

Rakhman and his friend, Mustopha, 17, another patient at the
center, admitted that they could easily buy a 10-tablet Mogadon
strip for Rp 4,000 (US$17.90) from drug sellers.

Budi Hariadi, 18, also a patient at the center, admitted that
he started using, and became addict to, cannabis, marijuana and
alcoholic beverages, such as Vodka, since he was 13.

It was his friends who introduced him to the illegal
substances.

Unhappy families and divorced parents have led Martinah, 15,
and Yuli, 21, to consume drugs and alcoholic drinks at nightclubs
in town.

Today, they are being treated at the City Police-sponsored
Pamardi Siwi rehabilitation center in Cawang, East Jakarta.

According to all of the teenagers, there are a wide range of
psychotropic substances available, and sold illegally by a number
of small-scale street drug traders all around the city.

Both Rakhman and Mustopha admitted that they have been addicts
since the age of 12.

"I come from a poor family and could no longer continue my
education, after graduating from the primary school," Mustopha
said.

"I then worked as bus conductor in Tanjung Priok (North
Jakarta) and with the money, we bought drugs, alcoholic drinks
and prostitutes," he added.

Rakhman added: "If I had no money but desperately needed
Mogadon, my girlfriend, a hooker at the Kramat Tunggak
prostitution complex, usually gave me some rupiahs to meet my
needs."

Motivated by one of their friends, who has been cured of his
addiction, Rakhman and Mustopha decided, on their own, to join a
series of treatment at the Khusnul Khotimah drug rehabilitation
center.

"We have vowed that we want to be people with a better
future," said Rakhman.

They said they were quite fortunate to realize they were on
the wrong tracks.

"I know that there are a lot of other victims in my age group,
who are addicted to drugs but have not yet realized what is
happening to them," Rakhman said.

He believed that teenagers would not have the chance to obtain
any type of drugs if the authorities had stricter control over
the operation of drug suppliers and traders.

Thanks to the government's fight against drug traffickers, the
number of local drug abusers is still much lower, as compared to
those recorded in other countries.

Official data shows that Indonesia has 11,860 addicts,
currently being treated at several state-owned and privately-
owned drug rehabilitation centers throughout the country.

Previously, drugs were made from plants, such as morphine and
heroin from the opium poppy and cocaine from coca leaves. Similar
to the trend in Europe and the United States, drugs today are
made from chemicals, usually found in the form of pills.

A big part of the drugs are amphetamine -- and barbiturate --
derivatives, mostly taken by well-off addicts because of their
expensive prices. (bsr)