ACCEPTANCE OF DRUG USE AND MOTOR VEHICLE LAWS

The Government of Trinidad and Tobago by Act No. 19 of 2007 (http://www.ttparliament.org/legislations/a2007-19.pdf ) must be commended for its approval of legislation to counter the unacceptably high levels of motor vehicle fatalities caused by drunk driving but the long standing acceptance by society of the use of alcohol will make it extremely difficult to eliminate drinking and driving and truth be told even a significant reduction seems unlikely. In the meantime we can expect our coffers to increase significantly as habits continue unchecked and motorists pay their rather substantial fines when caught in violation of the laws of Trinidad and Tobago.

This acceptance by Western Societies of what for many is a normal and enjoyable past-time is what makes it difficult for many to envisage life without some form of mood and mind altering substance thus becoming one of the foremost barriers to a preferred Health conscious lifestyle.

Many of us will therefore continue to find drug use attractive in spite of its potential for promoting depression, mental confusion, recklessness, addiction and fatal accidents.

Several years ago I conducted a survey among a number of primary schools in East Trinidad where more than seventy percent of ten to eleven year old confessed to alcohol use with the full knowledge, encouragement and acceptance of an older relative.

The results were actually expected with pre-adult alcohol use long being linked to poor preparation for adult life, poor examinations results, school drop-outs, gang membership, and incarceration.

I do not propose to debate the yea or nay of drug use whether for medicinal purposes or pleasure as I try to leave arguments to those skilled in the art of debating; but I do believe that the terms “responsible drug use” or “drink responsibly” are oxymora and ought not to be an aspiration for anyone.

Having said that, I believe that God gave each of us the power of free choice and that life’s decisions ought to be based on prayer, rational thought, wisdom and experience; and that the wrong motivation can lead to eventual disaster notwithstanding the external trappings of success.

PROBLEMS OF TOLERANCE

Most habit forming activities can become problematic and the continuous use of any drug often leads the individual to require an increased dosage to get the euphoric state he once achieved.

Persons knowledgeable about the “disease” of addiction recognize when “tolerance” is achieved by the inevitable boasting by an individual of being able to hold one’s liquor, especially in circles where the use of alcohol is prominent,with few seeing it as a precursor to alcoholism or drug addiction.

Unfortunately the boast of holding one’s liquor is often short-lived as persons at high risk of addiction begin to develop a dependence which causes them to spend more of their income on satisfying this urge, ultimately affecting their ability to manage their affairs as they would have liked.

If not addressed in its early stages, many would progress to a state of being where life without drugs is unthinkable, leading to borrowing from family, friends, and co-workers to augment their income as they come to accept as normal the by now regular drunken states which were once for them unacceptable.

Would these persons be swayed by the provisions within the Breathalyzer Bill? I think not!