Hawzah News Agency - Question: Narcotics—the beast that kills people and destroys families and society. Drugs have spread everywhere, and their main target is our youth. Foreign exploitation and secret gangs operating in our countries are behind this.
We want you to discuss this dangerous subject. I am twenty years old. My sister died from a drug injection, my father is in prison for drug trafficking, and my older brother is an addict. My mother suffers through all of this distress, and I am just angry about everything. As for the future, I don’t even know what to say.
Answer:
O dear brother, may Allah comfort your heart and grant your mother patience! I pray to Allah to make your future brighter than your past, to guide your brother, forgive your sister, and reform your father.
It is obvious to everyone that drug addiction is one of the most dangerous problems in society. It has massive, devastating effects on individuals and communities—especially psychologically, physically, and economically. Most importantly, it brings the severe punishment of Allah, which begins from the moment of death and the first night in the grave. We don’t believe that the drug epidemic can be solved just by passing laws or imposing harsh punishments; instead, we have to put in the effort to understand the psychological and social motives that drive youth to use drugs. Only then can we find a comprehensive cure.
Proper education, keeping youth away from a bad crowd, exposing the real dangers and destructive effects of drugs, spreading religious teachings, and genuinely caring for physical and mental health will have massive results in saving our youth from this plague. Prevention is always better than the cure.
Parents need to understand why young people fall into the trap of addiction. Here are the main reasons:
- Chasing a High: The drive to seek out pleasure and thrills, especially when there is a lack of solid Islamic upbringing.
- Rebellion: The desire to copy others and break family and societal traditions. This is especially true when youth are mistreated at home; they are bound to seek out bad friends to escape.
- Misinformation: False propaganda and the deceptive ideas pushed by drug dealers.
- Peer Pressure: Imitating a bad crowd and caving to the pressure of friends.
We believe the best solution lies in prevention. The most effective ways to protect our youth include:
- Awareness: Using the media and educational programs to help people truly understand the dangers of drugs so they can avoid them.
- Real-Life Examples: Showing documentaries about the real lives of drug addicts to expose the misery and wretchedness of addiction.
- Stopping the Gateway: Shielding children and teens from the bad habits of adults, like smoking—because that is often the beginning of the path.
- Community Outlets: Sponsoring recreational programs for youth and encouraging them to establish local clubs and community organizations.
- Elevating Youth: Improving the cultural, social, economic, and physical well-being of young people.
- Cracking Down: Fighting the drug trade through all possible means.
- Research: Supporting scientific research that helps solve this epidemic.
As for the cure—once someone is already trapped in this problem, there are three main approaches to recovery:
- Medical Treatment: This depends on the specific drug, the individual, and their age. A person can be saved by undergoing a controlled detox program to gradually flush the drugs out of their system and manage withdrawal effects.
- Psychological Treatment: The goal here is to strengthen a person’s spirit and morale so they can stand up to the problems they face. It helps them actively solve their issues rather than turning to the wrong path. This therapy focuses on building strong morals and motivating the person to actively participate in their own recovery.
- Social Treatment: This involves creating social organizations or community projects designed to help addicts get clean. It focuses heavily on the addict’s environment, which plays a massive role in either pushing them toward or pulling them away from drugs. Encouraging them to integrate socially helps them believe in the values of their community and keeps them from falling off track.
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Source: "For a better future" by Hussain Ansariyan , Q19
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