As I got off the ferry around half past one after midnight, I noticed that a young man was being almost dragged off the boat. As I was one of the last people to get down, I saw the ferry captain and a few of the ferry officers going up to him and his friend and helping them get off the boat. The young person that I am referring to was a “druggie”.
In our nation, today they are the ones with the freedom to practise their pastime without interference by the public or law. Our society has no legislation nor the capacity to deal with such “anti-social” elements and situations. I wonder whether I can call it anti-social. Because sometimes I wonder whether we do not approve of drug abuse as a means to release oneself from the tensions and frustrations of the conditions of the society that we live in today.
- Should I feel pity for the young man or should I be angry with him?
- Is the society responsible for his addiction or is he responsible for it?
- Is it a criminal offence or an act the individual is not responsible for?
- How does society take responsibility and how would the individual be made to take responsibility?
Why are we not doing or incapacitated to do anything as a nation? What can I do as an individual? Do I need to do anything? Should I?
How can we change into a society that builds and nurtures responsible young people?
The captian of the particular ferrey is a very young man who is a very young person who is well know to me personally, whose story I would like to share sometime.
Smile and Let Smile 
maldiveshelath
September 19, 2007 at 6:04 pm
I am in agreement with Hilmy. We CAN get rid of the drug problem. But only if we act right now. An only if we all join hands together. Joining hands together does not mean that we beat up drug addicts. It does not mean that we label the addicts as “druggies”. A lot of the wrongdoings need to be changed and we do have to look at the rpoblem from a different angle and new perspective. It is still not too late. We need to show compassion towards the addicts and no tolerance policy and most of all action (death) towards the traffickers.
mhilmyh
September 19, 2007 at 8:03 am
Hi ameerYes, they are my answers to Shihab’s questions. I know our govt. handling of drugs is woefully inadequate. But we have to do what we can do. Keep pushing our elected officials until our voice is heard and action is taken. Don’t you agree?
Ameer
September 19, 2007 at 7:41 am
Hilmy,Those are ur answers. But do u know that the govt. has a different way of answering those questions.
mhilmyh
September 19, 2007 at 7:18 am
Hi Shihab Here are my answers to your questions.1)You should show compassion to the drug addict. Getting angry would be of little help to him. Such a person needs treatment and support.2)The individual is responsible for his or her addiction. But the state has the duty to protect every individual in society. If you follow Singapore position, ‘If you addict my child, I’m going to execute you,’ that becomes a deterant. This means death penalty for those who import and traffic drugs.3)Understand there are groups in society like ‘mothers against drugs’ (hope the name is correct) who are fighting for this cause. Together as one strong lobby, write to the government, to all members of parliament and to the political parties demanding to take tough action to stop the import of drugs into Maldives. Impose the death penalty for trafficking and have ruthless inspections to wipe out drugs from our society.Demand that the state show tough love and we can have a drug-free society.