TAMAYO, Nicole H.

Current issue in the City of Biñan "DRUGS

DRAG US DOWN"

Everyone wants to have a great life but there are such things that ruin our plan to have it, one of those is
called drug addiction. It is a chronic disease characterized by drug seeking and use that is compulsive, or
difficult to control, despite harmful consequences. The initial decision to take drugs is voluntary for most
people, but repeated drug use can lead to brain changes – they change it’s structure and how it works that
challenge an addicted person’s self-control and interfere with their ability to resist intense urges to take
drugs. Without treatment, these brain changes can be long lasting and this is the start of how it will ruin the
life of every people experiencing it.

People often use drugs as an outlet for their problems, although drug use creates it’s own problems
overtime. Individuals struggling with drug addiction often feel as though they cannot function normally
without their drug of choice. They can’t resist the urge to use them, no matter how much harm the drug may
cause. This can lead to a wide range of issues that impact professional goals, personal relationships, and
overall health. It also impacts society and the environment, because those drug-addicted individuals are
more likely to engage in risk-taking behaviors, have a higher co-occurence of mental disorders, and are more
likely to be incarcerated for crimes committed than non-drug using individuals. In this case, people in the
society can’t escape to the nervousness that they might put into danger. In the City of Biñan, Laguna drug
addiction is a growing concern especially in Barangay Canlalay. Many people knew that there are a lot of
notorious pushers in the said barangay and it is also considered as the place of the drug addicts, that’s why it
is also known as Barangay Shabu. It is already normal to hear or see that the barangay is on the news because
there is always an entrapment or buy-bust operation held in some streets of it. Because of this, many
residents are scared to pass through in the railway that is located in the barangay because according to the
news it is where shabu transactions are done and many of the informal settlers in the side of it are either
drug addicts or drug pushers. Most of the Biñanense are aware to this issue and many of them feel that they
are not safe. This is a proof that drug addiction affects not only the individuals but also the society because it
is the reason why peace and order can’’t be seen clearly in the place.

Drug addiction really have the power to ruin not just the life of the individuals but also the spirit of the
society. It is really a problem that should be given a solution or else it will create another problem. So we
should all have the care to solve this because we are all affected by it. Society may try to prevent it through
education. However, if you are already struggling with substance abuse then you may need treatment to
prevent continued use and consequences. Research shows that combining addiction treatment medicines
with behavioral therapy ensures the best chances of success for most patients. More good news is that drug
addiction is preventable. Although personal events and cultural factors affect drug use trends, when young
people view drug use as harmful, they tend to decrease their drug taking. Therefore, education and outreach
are key in helping people understand the possible risks of drug use. Teachers, parents, and health providers
have crucial roles in educating young people and preventing drug use and addiction. In short, all of us here
have different roles in solving this problem in order for us to make our society a better place that will lead us
to have a better future.