‘Focus on 4-step strategy to eradicate menace of substance abuse’
Bhat Imran
Srinagar, Sep 22 : The draft drug policy framed by the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS) Kashmir has come up with a four-pronged prevention strategy to eradicate the menace of substance abuse in J&K.
The draft drug de-addiction policy states that the policy will be based on the preventive model of disease which involves prevention at primordial, primary, secondary and tertiary levels.
According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the focus will be on reducing behaviors’ in individuals that lead to substance use and making early intervention and preventing complications in cases where substance use does occur.
The policy has suggested preventing relapse of successfully treated cases and their rehabilitation into the community.
Under primordial prevention, the policy aims to reduce the emergence of risky behaviors in the general population that are likely to result in addiction and other related problems.
“The main goal of the policy will be to increase the knowledge base of the community about the potential risk factors and consequences of substance use and the means that can be adopted in order to avoid those factors,” the drug de-addiction policy reads.
The policy has suggested the promotion of a healthy environment at schools and work-places besides promoting physical and mental health in the community.
At primary level, the policy suggests to focus on enhancing the specific protective factors and reduce the impact of existing risk factors.
“The goal should be to target at-risk populations and focus on decreasing their vulnerabilities and to strengthen existing laws and to introduce new laws for increasing restrictions on the production and sale of illicit substances,” it reads.
The policy has called for identification of cases and their successful management at the secondary level and increasing awareness about symptoms of drug withdrawal and intoxication as well as educating families and school teachers about the pattern of behavior associated with substance use disorders.
“Training of all health-care providers at primary, secondary and tertiary care levels to deliver basic de-addiction and counseling services,” the document reads.
The policy has framed the strategy of treating complications, preventing relapse and ensuring successful rehabilitation of treated cases into the community, at tertiary level of prevention from drug abuse.
“Routine screening for common complications like hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV, STDs and skin infections should be done besides making at-hand medical help available for management of acute emergencies,” it reads—(KNO)
