Drug Addiction
For a more detailed description of Drug Addiction see the Article about Drug Addiction in Wikipedia.
Illegal Drug Addiction and abuse, is unfortunately too common a problem in Shetland. Although it has not reached the levels of alcoholism, which is shielded by its legality, drugs cause a great deal of anti-social behaviour, violence, crime and even death and injury.
The Shetland charity, Dogs Against Drugs aims to train sniffer dogs to eradicate their import through airports and seaports.
There are risks associated with most illegal drugs, even the soft ones, such as cannabis, which can bring on full blown schizophrenia and paranoia, and even some of the legal ones - anti-depressants are addictive and carry their own problems for example.
The reasons people take drugs are many. For many the dark winter nights in Shetland bring on Seasonal Affective Disorder (Winter blues), and for others, boredom, or peer pressure may be a factor. Poverty and underlying mental health issues are sometimes an issue as well.
Shetland has apparently been targeted by English drug smugglers based in Liverpool and London.<ref>Shetland Targeted by Drugs Gangs</ref> On the 21st November, 2007, a drug courier from Liverpool was jailed for 5 years and 3 months at Lerwick Sheriff court for trying to smuggle Heroin worth £25,000 into Shetland on a Northlink Ferry, in September.
Groups active in Shetland
- Advocacy Shetland
- Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families (organisation)
- Community Alcohol and Drugs Services Shetland (CADSS)
- Dogs Against Drugs
- Drug and Alcohol Training Team
- Elpis Support Group
- The Samaritans (counselling)
- Shetland Community Bike Project (despite name is engaged in recovery programmes)
- Shetland Women's Aid
- Shetland Youth Information Service
- Shetland Islands Citizens Advice Bureau
References
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External links
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