Symptoms of a Drug Prescription
Hot Topic
Awareness about Alcohol and Recreational Drug Consumption
BY NIKKI AND ANNE HEART ♥ JULY 18, 2024
*Although we wrote this post together, we have chosen to present the following through Mom’s eyes.
Alcohol and Recreational Drug Awareness
Consuming alcohol regularly has become a normal way of life for many.
And with the legalization of recreational drugs in many states and around the world, consuming marijuana and openly speaking about micro-dosing as a therapeutic approach has also become acceptable.
This is contrary to the world I grew up in, a world that preached “say no to drugs” and don’t drink and drive.
As I witness the nonchalant amount of alcohol being consumed around me as well as being surrounded by the smell of weed, still baffles me.
Especially, when I hear and read reports stating that substance abuse and addiction are continuing to be on the rise.
I am aware that we have been told that drinking a glass of wine a day is good for your heart or alcohol in general in moderation cannot hurt. Of course, the continuing discussions that recreational drugs do no harm, again as long it is in moderation.
How true is this?
So, let’s look at some current facts at the time of this post.
Highlights from the 2024 Report Published by the World Health Organization regarding alcohol and drug use:
- 2.6 million deaths per year were attributable to alcohol consumption, accounting for 4.7% of total deaths
- 0.6 million deaths due to psychoactive drug use
- 2 million of alcohol and 0.4 million of drug attributable deaths were among men
- 400 million people lived with alcohol and drug disorders globally at the time of this report
- 209 million lived with alcohol dependence at the time of this report
- In 2019 of all the deaths attributable to alcohol, an estimated 1.6 million deaths were from noncommunicable diseases, including 474,000 from cardiovascular diseases and 401,000 from cancer
- 724,000 deaths were due to injuries from traffic crashes, self-harm and interpersonal violence
- 284,000 deaths were linked to communicable diseases
- Alcohol consumption has been shown to increase the risk of HIV transmission, increase unprotected sex, increasing risk of TB infection and mortality by suppressing a wide range of immune responses
- 13% of alcohol attributable deaths in 2019 were ages 20-39 years old
- 38% of current drinkers in 2019 had engaged in heavy episode drinking
- 23.5% of all 15-19 years olds were current drinkers
Statistics regarding treatment for substance use disorders
- Effective treatment options for substance use disorders exist but treatment coverage remains low
- Most countries have a low budget to fund treatment of substance disorders
- Responding countries reported a lack of support groups or do not offer any support group services
- Stigma, discrimination and misconceptions is the main obstacle in treatment of substance disorders
WHO suggests 8 actions that need to be taken
- Increase awareness
- Strengthen prevention and treatment
- Scale up training to health care providers
- Re-commit to the 2022-2030 plan
- Accelerate international efforts
- Engage in organizations, professional associations and people with lived experiences
- Improve multi-level monitoring systems and research
- Increase resources
Visit the WHO for full report: World health statistics 2024: monitoring health for the SDGs, sustainable development goals (who.int)
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Note: All information in “Nikki’s Story” are based on detail journals covering seven years of Nikki’s life on prescription drugs.
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