WHEN DEMONS STALK THE YOUTH

"Evil dwells in darkness for it hates light; God Himself is the light of the
world and anyone who has been blinded by the dark should search for his
light that they may come back to life.''

Anyone who still believes Satan is someone who has horns and tail with
horrible face must better look again at illegal drugs for here, he is sure
to find the evil one.

Let us examine the following parallelism, So called "drug lords'' need to
operate in darkness. They cannot expose themselves for the freedom to live
may had already been vanquished by demonic power and the temptations that
illegal drugs blind them with - powers and money. Illegal drugs like shabu,
marijuana, cocaine destroy the very core of every human being so that he
becomes first, an enemy to himself, then to others.

Needless to say, one of the most damaging consequences of drug abuse is the
rising cycle of violence it inspires - a son killing his own father, a
father raping his own daughter, a husband mutilating the body of his own
wife. Indeed, the most heinous crimes have been committed by those who were
under the influence of drugs. Illegal drugs may also unsuspectingly lure
people to use them to get through their fast pace lives:

Lionel, (not his real name), 23, works as editor in a progressive production
house. He loves what he was doing but he developed a dependence on shabu to
keep him awake for days no end when he worked overtime. Over the next few
months, the substance accumulated in his system like a toxic time bomb. He
was wired constantly, sleeping only a few minutes every night. At times an
uncontrollable rage would boil up that made his life a total wreck. His
family encouraged him to enter a rehabilitation program, and a new chapter
in his nightmare began. For two weeks he stayed awake. A host of other
withdrawal symptoms tortured him.

Today he had been off drugs for three years and does volunteer work for
abused children in an orphanage. Those who get far like Lionel are the lucky
ones because some may even die before they finish.

DAMAGING RESULTS

Recovery from drug addiction can be a slow, involving intensive treatment
and painful withdrawal. It takes extraordinary will power and a lot of
support from others to get over drug addiction. On average, one will try
quitting four times before finally breaking free.

The initial phase of taking drugs may resort to mood elevation: euphoria,
alertness and excitation. Routine tasks no longer seem monotonous. Appetite
is suppressed, conversation comes easily and users feel energized, faster
and stronger.

Some kinds may also create huge distractions, turning serious adults into
inquisitive doltish kids. A lot of people are seduced because it feels good
at first, then it becomes the most evil drug imaginable.

As the months pass, users begin to lose weight. As tolerance increases in
this second phase, the victim must dramatically increase his intake to
recapture the initial experience and avoid depression.

The third phase is characterized by paranoid thoughts, mistrust of people
and heightened sensitivity to sound.

At this stage, the person is short-tempered and agitated. This is also when
victims begin to hurt themselves and others.

In the final stage of drug abuse users, experience a total with reality.
Delusions and paranoia dominate their thoughts; voices and hallucinations
rule their lives.

This is also the reason why most drug addicts who had committed crimes
seemed unaware of their actions upon interrogation. Once the use is
detoxified, physical symptoms of addiction may disappear but delusional
thoughts may remain with recovering users for the rest of their lives
because brain chemistry may be permanently changed by prolonged drug abuse.

Usually, those who are easily swayed by their peers to try drugs comes from
dysfunctional families. They may have low self-esteem or have very little
self-respect and dignity that they go into drugs to boost their ego. Here
are some warning signs to watch out for if you think a friend or loved one
may need treatment for drug abuse.

- - Severe weight loss, body sores, grayness of the skin, exaggerated physical
movement, dilated pupils.

- - Prolonged altercation in sleeping, eating or sexual habits; marked mood
swings.

- - Rapid, excited speech, decreased attention span, restlessness and anxiety.

- - Increased isolation from friends, problems at work, financial difficulties
for which unusual explanations are offered.

- - Delusional behavior, repetitive projects, taking on tasks that never seem
to be completed.

- - Child or animal abuse; acts of violence, frequent expressions of anger,
paranoia or depression.

THE GOVERNMENT'S ROLE

Trying to stamp out the blaze of illegal drugs, the government has committed
a more intensified war against illegal drugs. Judging from the news we read
and hear everyday, we realized how cruelty this crisis has been destroying
people. From being a transshipment spot of illegal drugs, recent raids of
some illegal drug plants and other paraphernalia in various places in the
country show how capable we are to produce these drugs.

This poses a real challenge to the government who, aside from simply
identifying these drug lords, must work closely with institutions that may
be able to provide spiritual healing for drug dependents for ultimately, it
is man's spirit that the problem of drug addiction destroys. Examine the
journey to healing of those who had been victimized. They had to go through
some kind of spiritual transformation before they were finally released from
addiction.

Those tempted by the seduction of illegal drugs must never forget the words
of Lionel, "Drugs seem to give one motivation at first but slowly, it takes
away his capability to live or to enjoy life. I know my experience will
haunt me until the day I die.''

Writing this makes me cold in the spine especially when I think of how
millions of people who are falling into drugs everyday, every moment are
actually romancing with the forces of evil. Yes, the devil has transformed
again into illegal drugs to trap the innocent and the ignorant. BEWARE!