HOW TO PREVENT AND DEAL WITH DRUG-USE AMONG YOUTH FROM AN ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE
by Yuusuf Ademola Adesina
Addiction
is an essential concept that serves an important role in explaining why people
act in ways which may ultimately cause harm to themselves or others. It is a
concept that causes serious damage to the self, families, relationships,
schools, workplaces and neighbourhoods. Research studies have shown that the
risk of substance-use peaks in adolescence. A study reports that 13% of 12-17
years old studied reported to have used marijuana, 9.3% used an illegal
substance other than marijuana, and about 32% used one of the most widely
abused substances, alcohol. The numbers increased dramatically when 18-25 years
old were asked, about 24% having used marijuana, 13% having used an illicit
drug other than marijuana, and 75% having used alcohol.
Further,
for generations, public health policies and programs in the United States have
attempted to prevent young people from using tobacco products. Laws prohibiting
the sale of tobacco products to minors appeared in New Jersey and Washington as
early as 1883, in Nebraska in 1885, and in Maryland in 1886. When the health
consequences of cigarette smoking became well established in the middle of the
twentieth century, the need to prevent youth and young adults from becoming
addicted to tobacco products gained a new importance. Hence the reason for discussion
on how to prevent and deal with drug-use. This article aims at discussing prevention
of and solution to drug-use among youth from an Islamic point of view.
To
start with, a report shows that nearly 44million adults smoke cigarettes, more
than 80% started smoking before the age of 18 and 90million non-smokers are
exposed to second-hand smoke. It has been reported that youth who start using
drugs are more likely to have longer term drug problems. Therefore, the first
measure in dealing with drug is prevention from use. The National Institute on
Drug Abuse (NIDA) states that prevention programs are highly effective. One of
the ways to prevent drug use is to increase awareness. Orientation programs to
educate the youth about the fact and reality of drug use should be organized by
schools, community and government organizations with the involvement of the
youth’s parents. It has been asserted that effective use of public relations
and engaging parents can reduce addiction among youth. As reported in the US,
one of the biggest challenges American youth face with teen substance use is
not their vulnerability, but lack of awareness in the communities. Hence,
parents and representatives from communities need to take active role in
increasing awareness on drug use.
Increasing
understanding of Islam is another way to prevent drug use. Islam encourages
self-care and it urges purification of soul and striving to reach the peak at
which one experiences tranquillity and peace through a disciplined life in
obedience to Allah. Islam stops every wrongdoing that debases the soul from its
root and commands the Muslims to maintain a middle path, and thereby giving no
room to substance-use. Therefore, parents and elders in the community should
target providing adequate and accurate formal Islamic education for the youth
to let them fully understand that engaging in substance-use is exclusively
prohibited in Islam.
In
addition, youth should be informed that drug use causes addiction which results
from excessive use and that Islam prohibits all forms of excessiveness. With
this, youth will comprehend that engaging in drug use constitute major sin, and
thereby refrain. The Quran says:
“O
you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone
alters [to other than Allah, and diving arrows are but defilement from the work
of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful.” (Q5:90)
Furthermore,
it is essential to also discuss how deal with youth who have started using
drugs. The foremost step is to address the problem of stigma, fear and denial.
It is reported that drug use, addiction and mental health are stigmatized in
most communities, which consequently make it difficult for the addicts to seek
and receive treatment out of the fear of shame. It has a profound effect on
drug users’ lives and represents a significant barrier to recovery. Therefore, members of the community should
eradicate stigmatization of the drug users. Efforts need to be made to diminish
inflated fears about users and help people to understand that drug users are
not simply and solely ‘to blame’ for their condition.
In addition,
rehabilitation and treatment facilities should be made available by the
communities. Qualified and professional treatment providers should be employed.
Drug users should be informed about the ill-effect of their behaviours and
Islamic attitudes towards it. Islam strongly warns against contributing to
one’s destruction (Q2:195) and prohibits killing oneself (Q4:29). An Islamic
treatment program that can be adopted for drug use is the well-known Millati
Islami. It is a 12-step sponsorship program for Muslim with addiction problems.
It incorporates Islamic principles and has proven effective for Muslims seeking
recovery.
Finally,
adoption of Islamic Law is another way to deal with drug use. Users should be
educated that substance-use constitutes a major sin in Islam. Abdullah ibn Umar
reported in a Hadith that the Prophet (PBUH) equates it to idolatry: “If a
habitual drunkard dies, he will meet Allah like the one who worships idols.”
(Ahmad). Similarly, Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah commented that: “Whoever regards it
(substance-use) lawful has become kafir (disbeliever).” Therefore, persistent
involvement of any member of the Muslim community after awareness could be
subjected to Islamic punishment of substance-use. It is unanimously established
that Shari’ah punishment for consuming intoxicants is 80lashes. This will help the
Muslim youth refrain from drug/alcohol use.
Conclusively,
drug use is one of the most costly and deadly health threats in the world, and
youth of nowadays are facing an ever-increasing number of dilemmas among which
is drug use. Hence, it is important that every member in community take
responsibility towards prevention of drug use, for it is described as being
appalling, despicable and hateful. In fact, it is considered as “the mother of
all evils and atrocities”.
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