Drug Use and Abuse Charles Dunn, A .8. Mr. Dunn is Director of the North Carolina State Bureau of In vestigation, Raleigh. S ince becoming Director of the State Bureau of Investigation, I have been amazed at the number and size of problems confronting law enforcement in North Carolina. None, however, has been more shocking than the size and the scope of the drug problem. I was aware that the misuse of drugs and the illegal use and sale of drugs constituted a police problem. I was completely unaware of the apparent growth of the problem in recent months and of its distribution across the State. I am convinced that the illegal possession and misuse of drugs is a major problem, not only of law enforcement but also of those concerned with the health and well-being of the people One of the first real izations upon joining the SBI was the acute shortage of manpower and equipment for carrying out the Bureau's statutory responsibilities. By law, the SBI is primarily an assistance agency for local law enforcement, responding to the needs of your sheriff or police department. It was readily evident that the Bureau's resources had not kept pace with the growth and sophistication of crime. Only the dedication and determination of our field agents and Crime Laboratory personnel - coupled with that of local officers - had enabled law enforcement to do the job that it had been doing in solving routine crimes such as murder, robbery, breaking and entering, etc. In recent years, and even more so in recent months, there was evidence of the growing use of illegal drugs. The SBI has the right of initial jurisdiction in drug cases. Yet, our people are so overworked with immediate crimes that they have little time to work on and develop drug cases. Only a handful of local, State or Federal people are working any apPresented at the quarterly meeting of the North Carolina AIN, Rockingham, s.c., November 6, 1970. 16 preciable amount of time on drug cases. The chemical section of the SBI Crime Laboratory, already pressed to handle evidence, has been flooded in recent months with drug examinations. The increase in examinations has been in marijuana and, especially in more recent months, in heroin and in the hallucinogenics such as LSD. I have been amazed at the variety of illegal drugs and paraphernalia that come to the lab. We have had pipes and water pipes for marijuana. Hashish is fairly common, and there has even been a batch of homemade chocolate drop cookies with marijuana mixed in. Heroin has become almost common place, but a recent container of liquid opium was considered a rarity. LSD and SPT have been brought in on sugar cubes and in pills. We have even had some LBJ, which I thought was only political but I found it to be another hallucinogenic drug. In short, the State Bureau of Investigation is flooded with drug cases and, from all indications, we are barely scratching the surface. The possession and use of illegal drugs is evident particularly around military installations and college and university campuses. It is already recognized as a problem in some high schools, and it is a problem in others even though officials have not yet recognized it. Drug cases have been primarily in urban areas, but there is evidence that dangerous drugs are being sold and used in smaller communities and counties throughout the State. No school or community is immune. There are various means of getting at this problem. Having sound laws and enforcing them is essential, but is by no means the total answer to the problem. By and large, the State of North Carolina has excellent laws on the book - in the Narcotic Drug Act, G.S. 90-86 through 90113.7. A special word here about marijuana: There has been some argument over the dangers of using marijuana. North Carolina law specifically recognizes marijuana as a narcotic (1967). It further provides that any person, without license, who grows marijuana or knowingly allows it to grow on his land is guilty of a felony and subject to fines. I might also add here that the law provides that vehicles, vessels or aircraft unlawfully used to conceal, conveyor transport narcotics can be seized and, at the discretion of the presiding judge, forfeited to the State Bureau of Investigation. It is, of course, the responsibility of the State Bureau of Investigation and other law enforcement agencies to enforce the laws. The SBI intends to do just that, with emphasis on those who sell and profit from the illegal usc and distribution of dangerous drugs. We have recognized, however, that with its limitations the Bureau was unable to do the necessary job. Because of the size of the problem and the specialized nature of drug work, we requested the General Assembly to provide funds to enable us to create a IO-man dangerous drug unit. The Bureau is going after those who arc making the big money from the sale of illegal drugs. And, I emphasize here, that the illegal drug business in North Carolina is not a "good time" venture. It is a money-making operation. However, without greater publ ic concern and action, there is Iitt Ie hope of substantially curbing the illegal drug flow in the near future. This is why I am here today: to impress upon you the size of the illegal drug problem and to call to your attention the importance of your concern and action now. It may be difficult to put your finger on a drug problem in its initial stages. It isn't quite so evident as an automobile accident, but the damage to the individual and to the community can be as great. In these next few minutes, I would like to talk about the need for your becoming concerned and the importance of your doing something about the problem. I have attempted to find out why people - and particularly young people - get involved with dangerous drugs. Some, I think, arc sold on the idea by older people out to make a dollar or by other youngsters who need the money to buy more narcotics for their own usc. Some get involved because they feel it is the "in" thing to do. They arc not mature enough or strong enough to stand on their own and can be convinced relatively easily to tryout this reefer Occupational Health Nursing, February 1971 or that pill. Once started, there is a pretty good possibility that the ride will be downhill. Maybe all will not become addicts, but too many will. In some who use drugs, I think, there is a search for something better. They have a dissatisfaction with their state in life and they are seeking an out. William James, in his thoughts on alcohol, spoke to what some seck in drugs when he said: "(it) expands, unites, and says yes. It is in fact the great exciter of the Yes function in man. It brings its votary from the chill periphery of things into the radiant core. It makes him for the moment one with truth. Not through mere perversity do men run after it ... it stands in the place of symphony concerts and literature; and it is part of the deeper mystery and tragedy of life." Narcotic-induced trips arc not of long duration and their destinations arc uncertain. What may start as a trip to paradise may well end up in a trip to the cemetery or to a mental institution. The release of an -hour may result in a lifetime of heartache of mental and physical pain or, worse, deformed offspring. Even with knowledge of all of these possibilities, young people continue to try dangerous drugs. Perhaps a part of the increase in illegal drug usc is, as Aldous Huxley implies, because of the recent emphasis placed on pills by society. It now appears that there is a pill for everything. He points out that "millions of patients ... have been given the (tranquilizer) pills ... and have learned to resort to them in every predicament, however triflingly uncomfortable. This is very bad medicine and, from the pill taker's point of view, dubious morality and poor sense." Regardless of whether or not you agree with Huxley's conclusions, I think you will agree that pills have become recognized generally as an answer to problems for many. For some unsteady, it takes little rationalization to move to dangerous drugs, Drugs offer to some young people an avenue of escape from the realities of life. This is particularly true with young people who do not easily adjust to their changing Iives or who have maladjusted personalities. An individual with extreme insecurity, or with a noted lack of confidence in himself and in the world may seck an escape through the use of narcotics. This type of individual is not necessarily a product of poverty but may very well be a product of affluence. This has been evident from the drug investigations conducted in recent months. 17 DRUG USE AND ABUSE continued A discussion of drug addiction in the book Modern Clinical Psychiatry' has some interesting points on the individual who turns to drugs: Where the drug traffic offers opportunity for large profits and its usage is pushed, as in those areas of the United States offering sites of entry and distribution, prevalence of narcotic addiction is higher. Here, again, the initiation to its use takes a daring and defiant attitude that appeals to the adolescent and the immature ... Those who become addicted are for the most part antisocial personalities, but the neurotic and psychotic also are predisposed in view of their affective problems. The majority of the narcotic addicts are those with arrests in the ego and superego development and, for the most part, fixed to an ambivalent maternal figure. As in other families where psychopaths are reared, there has been an absence of a strong and consistent father figure. The addict fails to develop internal controls, hopes for immediate gratifications of his needs, and yet is continually frustrated due to his exaggerated demands, his psycho-sexual immaturity, and his lack of ego capacity that might bring satisfaction by delay and insistent efforts toward his goals. This type of individual turns to drugs, according to Modern Clinical Psychiatry, because: The drug gives pleasure, satisfaction, and a sense of power as well as immediate relief to the tensions of disturbing affects .... As the drug effect wears away, anxiety depression or the customary feelings of loneliness or hopelessness recur, compounded with neurotic or psychotic sense of guilt. The drive to be relieved again becomes insurmountable, and additional doses are taken. The euphorizing effects of the narcotics tend to subside with their increasing use .... The dosage is gradually increased by the addicted But, so much about the problem; what about the solution? I have spoken of the need for sound laws and an adequate enforcement program. I emphasize those needs again. Certainly there must be quick and firm enforcement of the laws regarding the possession and use of dangerous drugs. The SBI, in cooperation with local law enforcement, intends to curb the use of dangerous drugs. Special attention will be given the pushers, those who are making the big money by preying on the weaknesses and frustrations of others. We are going to make a good sized dent in the illegal drug business in North Carolina. 18 The solution, however, is going to take far more than law enforcement. It is going to take concern and action at home, in the church, in the school and in the community. To be really effective, a program against illegal drug use must begin at home. It has been said with justification that "the most powerful weapon in combating drug addiction is a good home." Parents must make every effort to insure that homes are stable, that they offer security, that they help instill confidence. Parents must be willing to give of themselves, to live as a family, to encourage and guide. The church and the school must be willing and able to step in where the family unit fails or is non-existent. The church, particularly with an outreach program, can help give strength and direction to searching young people. The school can help give purpose to its students. Recognition of young people's needs and their involvement in meaningful and productive projects may be as important to them as learning math or Spanish. The purpose of the public school, in my opinion, is to meet the needs of the individual child in extra-curricular activities as well as in educational pursuits. Every school should have an adequate educational program on drugs. I do not think enough attention is given to dangerous drugs in most schools. In some cases, inadequate or incorrect information can stimulate a young person's desire to try a drug. I would think that teachers need some special training in this area, that it should not be another something added to an already heavy workload. An adequate drug program in the school may be one of the best educational investments of your community. Finally, the individual citizen has an important role to play in combating the drug problem. There is a need for you to support the work of law enforcement agencies in the detection and apprehension of drug-law violators. Any indication of illegal drug use or possession should be reported. The child you save may be your own. It also is incumbent on the individual citizen to see that opportunity for recreation and decent involvement is available for all young people within a community. If we have a responsibility for our fellow man - and I believe we do - then the illegal use of drugs is an area where that responsibility can be put to good use immediately. Reference I. Noye, AP. and Kolb, L.c.: Modern Clinical Psychiatry. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders Company, 1963, p.474.