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)