香港的毒品問題

毒害

幾十年以來，海洛英仍然高居香港毒品榜榜首。九十年代興起了一些搖頭丸、K-仔之類的「派對藥物」。現時搖頭丸和K-仔分別佔據毒品榜的二、三號位置。二00一年上半年度香港最常被濫用藥物的次序為:

1.海洛英 Heroin

2.搖頭丸 MDMA

3.K-仔 Ketamine

4.大麻 Marijuana

5. 冰 Methylamphetamine

6.藍精靈 Triazolam

7.可卡因 Cocaine

儘管鄰近地區如澳門的海洛英服用問題似乎已開始有改善的趨勢，香港仍然要積極對付海洛英所孕育出來的許多社會問題，中國大陸在近幾年間更搜捕出愈來愈多的海洛英，大陸服用海洛英的情況有惡化傾向。

1. 海洛英Heroin

俗稱白粉、灰、四仔是一種由嗎啡提煉出來能引致極深毒癮的毒品。嗎啡則經由鴉片提煉出來，它的醫藥用途在於鎮痛，有助於減低因末期癌症等所引發的深層痛楚。而海洛英則沒有任何醫藥用途。東南亞的非法種植海洛英地區為著名的「金三角」地帶，其範圍包括緬甸、寮國、越南和泰國的一些高原。源於「緬甸」山「Shan」省的海洛英經由雲南、廣西、廣東三省流入本港（參圖一 ）。

海洛英造成許多社會問題。以下是一個服用海洛英人仕的典型寫照：「他是一個瘦骨嶙峋，似乎真實年齡比看上去的年紀要少許多的中年漢。他的牙齒因腐蝕已經發黃得很厲害。他極之情緒不穩定，與從前判若兩人，行為也改變不少。這些、還有對痛楚能耐的提高都是毒品帶來的禍害。一次又一次毒癮發作時帶給他的痛苦，使他無法自拔地深陷毒品的網羅。他極有可能因服食過量藥物身亡。就是他活著生活也絕不容易。他經常出入監獄，因為毒癮逼使他過犯法生活，與此同時，他還有酒癮。如果他是女的，為了要得著海洛英，她很容易淪為娼妓。這人結果可能死於肝病、癌症、心臟病、愛滋病或被殺……染上海洛英毒癖的生命就是一個厄運的開始。」

「派對藥物」是一系列常常在夜總會、狂歡舞會出現的非法藥物。這些藥物包括搖頭丸、K-仔、十字架、冰、迷幻藥之類的東西。人們誤以為這些藥物不如傳統的海洛英、大麻、可加因那麼厲害，以致這些藥物在某種圈子大受歡迎。濫用這些藥物有另一個危險：當貨源不足時，供應商每每會以一些樣子類似的藥物來代替，又或摻雜一些別的藥物，以降低成本。大部份的派對藥物都是無色無氣味，它們有些是粉末狀的，遇水或液體便馬上溶解，所以被暗地裡放入飲品中也不會引起注意。這也是這類藥物常被用作迷姦藥的原因。

以下列舉一些常見派對藥物的特性和對人體的影響：

2. 搖頭丸、狂喜、忘我（亞甲二氧基甲基安非他明）MDMA

派對藥物中以搖頭丸最受歡迎。它通常是以丸狀被服食，其作用持續四至六小時左右。搖頭丸除了會令人產生幻覺、還會令人消除禁忌、憂慮等感覺；再者它使人對別人生發共鳴、同情之感。它並沒有任何的醫藥用途。在狂歡派對的徹夜亂舞中，搖頭丸經常引致人體內嚴重缺水和中暑，繼而令人死亡。

單單一次使用搖頭丸已經會導致細胞死亡。搖頭丸所帶來的惡果會在停止服用後幾個月才出現。長期使用搖頭丸會令人產生混亂、情緒低落、睡眠問題、憂慮、狂躁和記憶力下降的情況；身體機能方面又會有肌肉抽緊、不自覺的切齒、嘔吐、眼睛模糊、眼睛急速移動、頭暈、顫寒或冒汗等徵狀。

3. K-仔（氯胺酮）Ketamine

氯胺酮通常是被獸醫用來進行麻醉注射使用的。但被濫用作毒品時，它經由抽煙或飲料的途經進入人體。液態氯胺酮蒸發後會留下白色類似可加因的粉末。K-仔會帶來好像迷幻藥所產生的視覺幻象。有些使用過K-仔的人比較喜歡K-仔過於迷幻藥，因為前者所產生的效果只有一個小時或更短的時間。服用低劑量的K-仔會使人有飄飄然、色彩繽粉、世界多美好的感覺，高劑量的K-仔則能夠帶來魂體分割、瀕臨死亡邊緣的感覺。K-仔會帶來錯亂、失憶、情緒低落，長期服用會產生記憶及認知困難。由於它有令人失憶和感覺分離的作用，有報告指出它被用作迷姦藥。

4. 大麻（草）、大麻樹脂 Marijuana

大麻是現時本港第四號毒品，較之新興的派對藥物大麻有較長的歷史。大麻是由一種名叫hemp的植物所抽取的。大麻樹脂則是由這種植物的雌性頂端取得。

大麻可經抽煙或與食物混合的管道進入人體。吸入大麻其作用於幾秒至數分鐘便會被察覺。經食物途徑進入人體的，則需30至60分鐘才會感覺其作用。由於吃入的大麻需要更長時間才能產生效應，使用者反而會吃下更多以求達到長久、積累性的作用，因此其後果反為更嚴重。

大麻主要影響人體的中樞神經，引致行為性的改變。低至中度劑量的大麻會產生極樂、輕鬆等感覺，而視覺、聽覺和味覺都會相應增強。其他不良的反應有人格分裂、對本身形象的觀感改變、失去方向感、眼睛對跟蹤在行動的物體有困難、時間感應拖長、更會有急性恐慌或狂躁的現象出現。曾有醫學報告指出有精神錯亂和幻覺的事例，然而這些情形極可能與大麻中有PCP (angel dust) angel dust混進有關。

大麻其中一個特別影響在於降低協調功能，服用者在一些需要較高協調能力，如駕駛的活動中不能有正常的表現。長期性服用大麻會令人失去進取的動力，這個情況包含以下徵狀：體力不繼、精神不集中、記憶力（特別是短暫性的記憶力）受損、效率降低、學習和工作能力減低和對長遠目標缺乏鬥志和動力。

大麻引起的其他壞影響有：眼部充血；心跳加速及血壓上升；支氣管擴張、有些服用者又會因支氣管受刺激而產生支氣管收縮和／或支氣管痙攣。長期大量服用者會有咽喉炎、支氣管炎、哮喘等病症出現。大麻亦會減低精子的數量而影響生育，不過這是可以扭轉的。它可能對人體的免疫系統有不良影響。

對於長期使用者來說，一旦停止服用會有暴躁、失眠、易發脾氣和憂慮等情況出現。

5. 冰（甲基安非他明）Methylamphetamine

冰是甲基安非他明白色、無氣味、苦澀、能溶解的晶體粉末狀態。香港的冰的主要來源地為廣東及福建，東南亞部份的冰亦由此二省生產。)

冰在狂歡派對中成為除搖頭丸、K-仔外的另一種選擇。服用冰的途經包括抽煙、吸入或口服。靜脈注射冰可引致傳染病，特別是肝炎、愛滋病等的嚴重惡果。

甲基安非他明有醫藥用途，分別為抑壓食慾、刺激中樞神經系統和治療昏睡症。濫用此藥可導致失憶、攻擊性行為、暴力、嚴重精神病和狂躁行為。它亦會破壞心臟和神經系統。

6. 藍精靈 Triazolam

又名白瓜子、三口坐 侖。它的醫學用途為治療失眠，卻有令人感到昏睡、身體軟弱、頭痛、頭輕、步履不穩等等的副作用。服用過量的藍精靈可以使人精神混亂、反射遲緩、動作呆濟、昏睡和失去知覺。

近幾年有些私家醫生便因非法販賣超量的藍精靈給有毒癮的人而被起訴。

7. 可卡因 Cocaine

可卡因是一種苦澀經由可可葉取得的晶體物質。它能被用作局部麻醉劑。服用過多的可卡因會帶來以下癥狀:胃口失調、體重減輕、異常多言、情緒波動、說話沒有連貫性、瞳孔放大，如果是吸入可卡因會引致流鼻水、流鼻血、分隔鼻孔軟骨洞穿等等。

可卡因更會導致痙攣、昏迷和因心臟停頓或呼吸系統終止引致的死亡，長期服用會令人產生自殺行為。

其它

十字架（氟硝西泮、氟硝安定） Flunitrazepam (Rohypnol) 氟硝西泮是一種著名的迷姦藥，因為它有令人失憶的果效。服用者會在藥物影響之下忘記所發生的事情。這藥更在人體內很快分解，使它在性侵犯的案件中很難被追查出來，不過法醫化驗所可以用色譜分離法和質譜分離法來追查氟硝西泮在人體內分解的中途物質來鑑定有否服用此藥。

除了做成失憶，氟硝西泮亦會引致低血壓、渴睡、視覺困擾、暈眩、混亂、消化及尿液積壓的問題。氟硝西泮在醫療方面有短期治療失眠和麻醉作用。

LSD（麥角副酸二乙基先胺） Lysergic Acid Diethylamide

LSD是一種非常強力的迷幻物質。它沒有任何醫藥用途，卻會引致恐懼、混亂、懷疑和憂慮等徵狀。

LSD雖然不會好像海洛英所做成那麼強烈的癮，但是長期服用會引致頑固的嚴重精神病和幻覺問題，這些病狀在停用LSD後仍會持續。

純LSD通常是透明或白色無氣味的可溶化晶體。最常用販賣LSD的方法是通過一些吸水紙，這些吸水紙上面佈滿LSD和一些雜質，為了要遮掩這些雜質，吸水紙每每佈滿了各式各樣的設計。LSD也偶有是以液體形態被販賣的。

以上只是一些比較常見的派對藥物例子，毒販不停地將新藥推進市場，以弁取暴利。醫學研究根本趕不上這些新藥的腳蹤。但是從不同的藥物研究報告中，我們可以下一定論，凡是被濫用的藥物對人體必定有害，問題只在乎破壞的程度有多少而已。美國聯幫政府將一些有可能被濫用的醫療藥物按照其危險程度分成四類﹕由第二類到第五類。第二類較第三至第五類危險，其中包括20種藥物，嗎啡，美砂酮被歸類在當中。第三至第五類包括44種藥物，亞士匹靈、可待因 （止咳藥成份）、三口坐 侖及好幾種鎮靜劑都被列於表上。（參 www.drugs.com/pharmacy/controlledsubs.asp）。許多藥物都是天然特別能在醫療範圍內使用，可發揮正常功能，一旦走出其正常軌道卻可以引致性命之虞。科學研究亦指出可加因、酒精、煙草全部都會對人類和其後代有不良的影響。我們掌握了這些資料對使用藥物便要非常小心。有時我們嗅到天拿水、塗改液、指甲油清洗液等等覺得很好嗅，不過如果故意長期性嗅這些東西都會對身體器官，特別是腦部做成破壞。毒品可以令人行為改變，破壞記憶，而記憶是學習所必需的功能，此外它們又會帶來行動機能的損毀；使用毒品會造成一個惡性循環，令用者在毒品的作用下更加失去生存力量而更想逃避現實，於是又再回到毒品的爪牙之下。一個使用毒品的人就好像開了一扇門把自己帶返魔鬼為他佈下的陷阱裡。

近期的統計資料顯示青少年服用毒品的最主要原因是尋找安慰、舒適感，當他們不服用毒品時便覺得不舒服；青少年服用毒品的第二號原因是同輩的壓力。

問題之根

當我們探討這些問題的根源的時候，我們發現父母管教不善以及沒有家庭計劃，是青少年吸毒問題的罪魁禍首。

我以前曾經在香港幫助過一些有毒癖人仕及他們的家屬，亦曾經在蘇格蘭的愛丁堡幫助過因濫用藥物和有其他不良嗜好而染上愛滋病的人，我也服侍過不同背景的小孩子，從個人經驗來說，我感到家庭教育對孩子的影響極其深遠。當然孩子的個人選擇亦反映出其本性﹕．孩子的動作是清潔，是正直，都顯明他的本性。”（箴言20﹕11）西方國家有放任孩子的傾向，而在中國人的社會中，卻又有放任和過度嚴厲的兩極化傾向，而兩種情況可以同在一個家庭出現，取決於不同的事件和時間。有時父母將個人的憤怒或對環境的控訴以喝罵的形式遷怒於孩子身上，這種不是出於愛的所謂「管教」只能令孩子更想脫離他無法控制的環境，在我看到有問題的青少年中，許多都有家庭問題。其實凡事都不應過度（傳道書7﹕16-18），適度的管教和給予孩子一定的自由，可以令孩子活得更自在，亦可以使他發展天賦的潛質，而不會自暴自棄，以致生命不單無法前進，反有倒退的現象出現。

撤督．孫大索在他的著作《來到施恩寶座前》提到父母在教養孩童方面有莫大責任。他相信美國社會現時所經歷的混亂是因為父母放任孩童之故，他們管教孩子的方法不正確。

「不忍用杖打兒子的，是恨惡他；疼愛兒子的，隨時管教。」（箴言13:24）

「不可不管教孩童；你用杖打他，他必不至於死。你用杖打他，就可以救他的靈魂免下陰間。」（箴言23:13-14）

根據聖經箴言22:6「教養孩童，使他走當行的道，就是到老他也不偏離。」孩子的未來是在父母手中。他們上天堂或下地獄父母有責。所以父母必須教導孩子敬畏上帝。他們以神的話語來教導孩子們，上帝的話就是種子（原文），故此就是孩子們走偏了，上帝亦會把他們帶回正路，因為他們心中有上帝的話語種在裡面。

很可惜，在香港這個地方，父母和孩子角色轉換的情況實在不少：倒是許多孩子們要為未信靠上帝的父母禱告。

耶穌基督是一切問題的終極答案。對每一個屬祂的兒女都有一個獨特的計劃。我們必須尋求祂在我們身上的呼召。許多不快、不滿的感受都是因為我們不知道上帝在我們身上的計劃而產生的（加拉太書1:15）。當我們和上帝的關係通過基督的寶血得以重建時，上帝便會指示我們當走的路。

上帝不會永遠離棄我們，聖經說：「東離西有多遠，他叫我們的過犯離我們也有多遠。」（詩篇103:12）

上帝尊重我們的每一個決定，不管這些決定是對抑或錯，然而我們卻必須為我們的決定負責。上帝在宇宙中設有一些定律，如果我們干犯了自然界的定律，得罪了上帝，我們便自食其果。我們千萬不要成為魔鬼的獵物，因為聖經說：「盜賊來，無非要偷竊、殺害、毀壞；」（約翰福音10:10上）。

耶穌基督才是生命每一個問題的答案：「我來了，要叫人得生命，並且得的更豐盛。」（約翰福音10:10下）

參考

1. Drug Intelligence Brief, Club Drugs: An update September 2001, DEA Intelligence

Division, Office of Domestic Intelligence, Domestic Strategic Unit, U.S.A.

2. Drug Intelligence Brief, Hong Kong's Changing Role in Drug Trafficking-October

1999, DEA Intelligence Division, Office of Domestic Intelligence, Domestic Strategic Unit, U.S.A.

3. Tips for Teens: The Truth About Club Drugs, Substance Abuse and Metal Health Services Administration, 2000

4. Opium Poppy Cultivation and Heroin Processing in Southeast Asia March 2001 U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration

5. Grave Consequences of Heroin addiction May, 2001 David Dorfman, American Council on Science and Health

6. 澳門禁毒報告書1991 – 2000

參考網站

1. www.drkoop.com

2. www.info.gov.hk/nd

3. www.drugstore.com

4. www.usdoj.gov/dea/

撒但的工具

有一個故事是這樣說的：「3200年前，在中東一個距離瑣拉和以實陶約160公里名叫拉億的地方，住了一群人，他們的生活習慣近似在他們北面腓尼基的西頓人，西頓人在地中海一帶以經商為業。這些拉億人就像西頓人一樣過著無憂無慮、安靜的生活；因為生活安穩，他們對人沒有甚麼防範；他們當中也沒有掌權者滋擾他們；他們離開西頓有好一段路，除了本身的拉億人之外，他們跟任何人都沒有來往。當他們正在享受著安居無慮的日子時，突然間有一天一群由以色列但支派組成的軍隊走進他們當中，用刀殺了那些人，又放火把拉億城燒了，當他們被殲滅時，並沒有人來救他們，因為他們素來不與別人交往。與他們有關係的西頓人又離他們很遠。」這個故事就記載在舊約聖經士師記18：7-28。

第二次世界大戰時，瑞士是著名的中立國，結果她的國民自殺率高踞全球之冠。

1990年筆者在蘇格蘭一個名叫Dunblane的地方住了一個短時期，當時筆者正試圖以做工的形式傳福音給一個由香港移民到英國的家庭；這個家庭在香港時是黑社會份子，到了外國便試圖改邪歸正，他們開了一間快餐店，筆者當時便在快餐店幫忙。Dunblane是一個中產階級居住的地方，然而沒想到在這個憩靜優美地方的背後，住了一群吸毒、為非作歹、滋擾民生的青少年，這些人都是來自社會中的中上階層；有許多個晚上，他們就在快餐店大肆滋擾、抽煙、亂嚷、狂叫等等，後來店主把他們趕到外面，將玻璃門鎖上，他們仍然在門外拍門、踢門，不停地狂罵，還召集了更多的黨羽，直到警察來了，還是起不了甚麼阻嚇作用，如是者擾嚷了好一段日子，每晚這些青少年就來生事。這些人的父母都不是鬧窮無以為生的邊緣人，為甚麼他們無法管理自己的兒女們呢？除非有一天人類能夠完全脫離群體生活，否則「事不關己、己不勞心」、「各家自掃門前雪，不理他人瓦上霜」這些論調是不能立足的。任何一種不良的行徑若在社會上生根、拓展蔓延都是很可怕的，如果不及時制止，遲早也會殃及池魚。

60年代搖滾樂在英國興起，及後「披頭四」(Beatles)演唱會打入美國，然而「披頭四」在美國演唱會的幕後攪手都是一些黑道中人，他們主要目的是在演唱會中把大量毒品販賣給青少年以便從中取利。

90年代Raves在英國興起，這種風氣又在美國流行起來，在這些派對中青年人肆無忌憚地濫用毒品。根據英國Drugscope2001年7月12日的報告指出，流入倫敦的毒品的途徑包括通過英國的希斯魯(Heathrow)，格域(Gatwick)，倫敦市(London City)和英國皇家空軍基地機場等；此外亦有經由泰晤士河和馬場流入英國。騎師如果只是停留半天作賽，用直昇機抵達，往往不需要過海關，就可以短暫停留。 在舊約聖經中我們發現當假先知、假祭司供奉他們的假神時，他們都會有狂喜現象，這些狂喜現象與服用毒品後的反應雷同，要解釋這個原因，一方面可能是假先知、假祭司邪靈附身，另方面可能他們服用了毒品。

絕大部份的搖滾樂手都有服用藥物的習慣，許多搖滾樂都是在毒品藥力發作時寫成的。約翰連儂(John Lennon)一首名曲「想像沒有天堂」(Imagine There's no Heaven)的歌詞完全與基督教抗衡；「鷹」(Eagles)的「加州酒店」(Hotel California)是為紀念60年代第一間在美國加州成立的撒但教會，歌詞令人聽後毛骨悚然。有些流行曲製作時用了「掩蓋」(Masking)，「倒轉」(Inversion)等等的方法來輸入人類的潛意識。將一些來自幽暗角落的意識種植到青少年人的魂。有些流行曲用一些怪聲掩蓋了背後一段說話，其中內容常常是叫人敬拜撒但的。1990年筆者在蘇格蘭一位華人弟兄家中，親耳聽到他利用電腦把一首流行曲倒轉播放，歌詞竟然是「吸食大麻是好的」(It is good to take Marijuana)。一些流行曲更公然叫人去自殺。

聖經以賽亞書14:13-14記載了魔鬼的五個「我要」：「……我要升到天上；我要高舉我的寶座在上帝眾星以上；我要坐在聚會的山上，在北方的極處。我要升到高雲之上；我要與至上者同等。」可見魔鬼想與上帝同等，受著人類的敬拜。今天在泰國一些廟宇和世界許多角落，祭祠邪神的其中一個環節就是行淫，這種方式的拜神在聖經中早有記載。

青少年人在狂歡舞會中除了在詭秘的音樂中亂舞外，更容易在毒品藥力發作下與人發生性行為。這就是魔鬼如何使用毒品作為它傷害人類的工具。

許多曾被提到天上的上帝的僕人包括孫大索，都沒有在天堂聽到搖滾樂(Rock & Roll)或者是Rap這種音樂，這些都是屬魂的音樂，絕不適宜在教會中播放。

柯柏西牧師在《遊歷天堂五天半》一書中提到南美阿馬遜河流域的內陸地帶，住了一些使用藥物的印第安族類。他曾經研究過其中一個部落，得到一些珍貴資料。這部落的人原本屬於有崇高道德標準的一個族，他們過著健康美滿的家庭生活。但是當他們用過藥以後，便因著藥物所帶來的惡果而離開了本族，並且招聚了30多個其他部落願意跟隨的人進到那個地區種植大麻，在藥物的影響下，他們無法控制自己的行為，更成為性虐待狂者。他們的男女會以殘忍的方式示愛，大家互相折磨。許多人會在過量使用藥物和飽受折磨下死亡。除了使用大麻，他們又會服用更強烈的毒品，其中一種是由蒼蠅提煉出來的一種綠色液體，加入水中飲用。這種毒品很容易奪去服用者的性命。此外他們又服用LSD和從茉葵寧(Jaquaine)提煉出來的毒品，以進入自我陶醉的狀態。這些毒品對人的腦部做成極大破壞，服用三數年便會致命；就算是使用三數天的時間，副作用亦會延續數星期。

為甚麼使用毒品往往會涉及性行為呢？聖經哥林多前書6:18-19上說：「你們要逃避淫行。人所犯的，無論甚麼罪，都在身子以外，惟有行淫的，是得罪自己的身子。豈不知你們的身子就是聖靈的殿嗎？」魔鬼很喜歡人類用淫行來得罪自己的身體，它很想利用毒品將人類毀滅。（約翰福音10:10上）

中東有一個叫阿富汗的國家，在2000年它非法地供應全球70%的鴉片。這個國家是世界上種植、提煉、偷運鴉片、大麻等毒品的主要來源國。多年以來毒品已成為阿富汗的主要經濟來源。今天我們看見阿富汗正在經歷罪的惡果：旱災、飢荒、戰亂，主耶穌說：「……凡動刀的，必死在刀下。」（馬太福音26:52），而無辜的平民百姓正受罪惡、毒販連累而致貧窮、飢餓、死亡。吸毒無疑對人體造成莫大傷害，戒毒亦不是件好過的事情。戒毒時人體由因著排毒的關係要承受很大的壓力。排毒時常見的徵狀包括腹瀉、嘔吐。這些都會使體內的液體、熱量和電解質產生不平衡的現象。戒毒有時候也會有高血壓、缺水、便秘的情況出現。以其他物品，例如尼古丁、咖啡因、糖等來作代用品，並不是理想的戒毒方法，因為這樣毒癮問題仍然持續，毒癮只是由一種東西轉移到另一種之上，令康復者的戒毒進展減慢。康復者亦要留心毒癮有沒有轉移到食物方面：例如吃過量的食物。

我們既然知道毒品是人類的禍害，也了解到戒毒並不容易，就要小心不要亂試毒品，更要把有關毒品的正確觀念灌輸他人。 ◆

Drug Problems in Hong Kong

Adverse Effects of Drugs

After many decades, heroin still ranks first among all the drugs that are being abused in Hong Kong.   In the 90’s MDMA, Ketamine and other club drugs started to come into the drug scene.   The current drug second in rank is MDMA followed by Ketamine.   The top seven most commonly abused drugs in Hong Kong as recorded in the first half of 2001 are as follow:  1.  heroin  2.  MDMA  3.  ketamine  4.  marijuana  5.  methylamphetamine  6.  triazolam   7.  cocaine.   While Macau is seeing a decline in the use of heroin, Hong Kong is still fighting this major culprit to many tragedies.

1.  Heroin is also known as diacetylmorphine. It is a highly addictive synthetic narcotic derived from morphine.  Morphine is manufactured from opium. While morphine is used for pain relief in situations like terminal cancer because of its high potency, heroin does not have any medical application.  The renowned illegal opium production areas lie in the so-called “Golden Triangle” areas: the highlands of Mainland Southeast Asia (Burma, Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand) .  The drug is smuggled into Hong Kong via the provinces of Yunnan, Guangxi and Guangdong.

Map 1 Heroin that has its origin from the Shan State of Burma is transported through   Southern China to Guangdong Province and Hong Kong.  Shaded area is the Golden Triangle.

Heroin has been the source of many social problems in Hong Kong. The following may be a typical portrayal of a person suffering from such kind of addiction: “ An emaciated person who looks far older far his age. He has very high pain threshold and exhibits much mood swings as narcotic drugs have potent pain relief effects associated with significant mood and behavioral changes. He has great difficulties coming off the drug because of hangovers.  It is very likely that he will experience premature death due to drug overdose.  Life will not be easy for him even if he does not die before his time.  He might be a frequenter of jails since the craving of the drug will push him towards a criminal lifestyle.  He might be a heavy drinker at the same time.  For female addicts, prostitution is a very common way in exchange for the drug. The addict will die a horrible death as a result of liver disease, heart disease, cancer, AIDS, or homicide…the picture of the life of a heroin addict is nothing far from a gloom." 

“Club Drugs” is a collective term for a range of illicit drugs, mainly synthetic, that are most commonly encountered at nightclubs and raves.  The drugs include MDMA, ketamine, Rohypnol, methamphetamine, LSD etc.  The false perception that these drugs are not as harmful, nor as addictive, as traditional drugs such as cocaine and heroin has paved the way for them to gain popularity.  Another danger associated with this drug abuse is drug substitutions when the drugs are either replaced by similar looking substances or come in impure form.  Most club drugs are tasteless or odorless.  Some are made into a powder form making it unnoticeable when the drugs are slipped into drinks and dissolved.  That is why some of them are called “date-rape” drugs.   The following is a summary of the characteristics and effects of some of these drugs:

2.  MDMA (3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) (“Ecstasy”, “XTC”, “E”, “X”, and “Adam”, “ Lover’s Speed”, “ Clarity”)

This drug is the most popular of the club drugs; usually taken orally in tablet form, with its effects lasting approximately 4 to 6 hours. Coupled with its hallucinogenic effects, the drug reduces inhibitions, eliminates anxiety, and produces feelings of empathy for others. It does not have any medical application.   When taken at raves, where all-night dancing usually occurs, the drug often leads to severe dehydration and heat stroke which can be lethal to the user.

Cell death occurs from the first exposure to MDMA although its functional effects may not be seen for months.  Long-term effects of the drug include confusion, depression, sleep disorders, anxiety, paranoia and memory loss.  Physical symptoms include muscle tension, involuntary teeth clenching, nausea, blurred vision, rapid eye movement, faintness and chills or sweating.

3.  Ketamine (“K”, “Special K”, and “Cat Valium”)

Ketamine is normally an injectable anesthetic used by veterinarians, however, in the abused form, it is applied to smokable material, or consumed in drinks. The powdered form is extracted by allowing the solvent to evaporate, leaving a white powder that, once pulverized, resembles cocaine in appearance.  Ketamine has similar visual effects of LSD. Users report that it is better than LSD because the trip lasts an hour or less. Low doses of the drug produce a euphoric experience called “K-Land,” a mellow, colorful “wonder world”,  “K-Hole,” an “out of body” or “near-death” experience are produced at higher dosage of the drug.   The effects of the drug include delirium, amnesia, depression, and long-term memory and cognitive difficulties. Because of its dissociative effect, it is reportedly used as a date-rape drug.

4.  Marijuana ("grass"; "pot"; "Mary Jane"; "dweebidge"; "reefer"; "joint"; "hashish"; "cannabis")

Marijuana is now the 4^th ranking drug being abused in Hong Kong.  It has a longer history of abuse than other club drugs. Marijuana is extracted from the hemp plant (cannabis sativa), which contains THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). Other cannaboids are found in the leaves and flowering shoots of the plant. Resinous marijuana — hashish is taken from the tops of female plants, which contains the highest concentration of THC.

Marijuana is inhaled from the smoke through a joint or a pipe; its effect may be noted within seconds to several minutes after.  When it is ingested with food containing the drug, the effects will take 30 to 60 minutes after ingestion before they can be noticed. Since the smoker feels the effects almost instantly, further inhalation can be terminated at any time and the effect therefore regulated. In contrast, those ingesting marijuana experience effects that are slower to develop, longer lasting, additive and more variable, making unpleasant reactions more likely with this method of administration.

Marijuana primarily causes behavioral changes in a person as it affects the central nervous system (CNS). The effects of low to moderate doses of the drug are euphoria, sense of relaxation, increased visual, auditory, and taste perceptions. Adverse effects that may occur include depersonalization, changed body image, disorientation, impaired visual tracking, prolonged sense of timing and acute panic reactions or severe paranoia. Some cases of severe  delirium and  hallucinations have also been reported. Such cases should raise suspicion that the marijuana may have been mixed with another agent such as PCP.

Marijuana has specific effects that may decrease one's ability in performing activities demanding a great deal of coordination (such as driving a car).  R regular users may develop an "amotivational syndrome" which is characterized by a loss of energy, a lack of concentration,  impaired memory (especially short term), decreased effectiveness and performance at school and work, and a general lack of ambition and drive to work towards long-term goals.

 Other effects of the drug may include blood-shot eyes; increased  heart rate and  blood pressure; bronchodilatation, or in some users, bronchial irritation leading to bronchoconstriction and/or bronchospasm;  pharyngitis,  sinuisitis,  bronchistis, and  asthma in heavy users; reversible  infertility and possible detrimental effects upon the immune system.

Regular users may experience withdrawal effects of agitation, insomnia, irritability, and anxiety.

5.  Methamphetamine  (“Speed”, “Ice”, “Chalk”, “Meth”, “Crystal”, “Crank”, “Fire, and “Glass”)

This drug appears in the form of a white, odorless, bitter-tasting, soluble crystalline powder known as ice, synthesized primarily in Guangdong and Fujian provinces, thereafter smuggled into Hong Kong.  It has emerged as an alternative to MDMA at clubs and raves.  It can be smoked, snorted, injected, or taken orally. The injection of methamphetamine can contribute to higher rates of infectious disease, especially hepatitis, HIV, and AIDS. The medical application of methamphetamine includes appetite suppression, acting as central nervous stimulant and treatment of narcolepsy. Methamphetamine abuse can lead to memory loss, aggressive behavior, violence, psychotic and paranoid behavior, and potential cardiac and neurological damage.

6.      Triazolam

Triazolam is a benzodiazepine commonly used to treat sleep disorders. The adverse effects of triazolam include excessive daytime drowsiness, unusual weakness, dizziness, lightheadedness, headache, clumsiness, or unsteadiness.

Triazolam is the drug that some doctors in private practice sold to addicts in great quantity in recent years and were thus prosecuted.

7.      Cocaine

Cocaine is extracted from cocoa leaves.  It is a bitter, crystalline substance.  When snorted, cocaine is generally called "coke." If smoked, it is given the names "crack" or "rock."    The symptoms induced by cocaine include:  decreased appetite and weight loss; abnormal talkativeness;  mood swings, paranoia and incoherent speech; pupil dilatation and apparent intoxication;  if it is snorted symptoms of sniffling, runny nose, and nosebleeds, rupture in the cartilage separating the nostrils.  Lethal effects are seizures and coma; cardiac arrest or respiratory failure; suicidal behavior after prolonged use

Others:

Flunitrazepam ( Rohypnol )(“ Roofies”, “Mexican Valium”, “Rib”, “ Roach-2”)

Rohypnol, a date-rape drug, produces an anterograde amnesia, in which events that occurred while under the influence of the drug are forgotten. The drug breaks down very quickly, making it harder to detect in sexual assault cases when forensic laboratories need to screen for the flunitrazepam metabolite, 7-amino-flunitrazepam, using gas chromatography and/or mass spectrometry.

Apart from anterograde amnesia, Rohypnol often causes decreased blood pressure, drowsiness, visual disturbances, dizziness, confusion, gastrointestinal disturbances, and urinary retention. Rohypnol has been used as a short-term prescription for insomnia and as a preanesthetic medication.

LSD (d-lysergic acid diethylamide) (“ Acid, Boomers, Yellow Sunshines, Cid, Doses, and Trips

This is a powerful hallucinogenic compound, which can cause panic, confusion, suspicion, and anxiety. It does not have any medical application.

Although LSD does not produce the same compulsive, drug-induced behavior of heroin, flashbacks that are long-term effects of persistent psychosis and hallucinogenic disorders, can occur even after the user has stopped taking the drug.                   Pure LSD is a clear or white, odorless crystalline material that is water-soluble. The most common method of distributing LSD is blotter paper, which often comes with colorful designs to mask the impurities.  Occasionally it may be in liquid form.

The above information is by no means comprehensive or exhaustive since it provides a glimpse to the deleterious effects of a few selected drugs only. Drug traffickers are pumping more and more new varieties into the market in order to satisfy their own greed in gaining more money making current research lagging behind the drug scene; e.g.,  Nimetazepam, an unregistered tranquilizer, is starting to gain popularity, although its trend of being abused is not yet clear.   Scientific research findings have all concluded that other substances like alcohol and tobacco have adverse effects not only on the human body but to his offspring as well. The Federal  Government of the U.S. has listed at least 64 kinds of drugs as controlled substances (also called scheduled drugs).  They are medicines that are particularly prone to abuse and can cause physical or psychological dependence. Controlled substances with legal medical uses are divided under four categories: Schedules II-V.  Schedule II drugs are more dangerous than the others.  There are 20 drugs within this category.  Morphine and methadone are two of them.  There are 44 drugs listed in Schedule III to V.  Some readily available drugs, e.g., aspirin, codeine, and a few sedatives, e.g., triazolam are on the list.

With all the information at hand we should be very careful about attempting the use of drugs.  The use of many kinds of drugs produces a whole host of diverse destructive effects in a person, e.g., they may cause behavioral changes damage to memory, which is basic to learning, the motor system and other parts of the brain.  All these would create a vicious cycle causing the person rely even more on the drug in order to escape from reality in which he finds himself harder to cope due to functional disorders.  A person who opens himself up to the use of drugs is also opening himself up to the downward spiral that the devil has for him. It is vital that we should guard against even the very first attempt of drugs.

Causes of the problems in brief

Recent statistics have shown that the pursuit of comfort (the absence of the drug would cause them discomfort), tops the list of reasons for youngsters taking drugs, with peer group pressure coming next in ranking.

        Many youth problems have their root in improper parenting, one of the reasons of which being the lack of family planning.  I was involved with helping drug addicts coming off drugs and also taking care of their families in Hong Kong before. I also helped Aids patients in Edinburgh, the then Aids capital of Europe, in 1990.   One of the ministries, which took up a lot of my time, was children ministry.  I had found that family education had profound influence on the development and course of direction of a child.  Certainly the actions and choices made by a child reflect his own personality:  “ Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.”  (Prov. 20:11).   In general I found many Chinese families having the tendency of polarization:  sometimes the parents might seem very liberal, sometimes very harsh depending on situations.  When parents project their anger and grievances against the environment on their children in terms of scolding and /or corporeal punishment under the pretext of teaching and disciplining, all these verbal and physical abuses will only create even more problems.  It is good to give a child sufficient freedom and proper disciplining out of love.  This would allow the child to develop his natural gifting and that he can progress to the next stages in his life rather than regress to a stage of shunning all potential hurts and realities. Therefore, any forms of polarization are best to be avoided (Eccles. 7:16-18). 

       In his book《 Before the Throne of Grace》, Sadhu Sundar Selveraj wrote that parents have great responsibilities in raising their children. The reason, he believed, that the U.S.A. is experiencing social chaos now is because parents are indulgent with their children.  The method that they use in teaching their children is wrong.

“He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” (Prov.13: 24)

“Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell. ” (Prov. 23:13-14)

        Further, he added that the future of the children is in the hands of the parents, whether the children will go to heaven or hell is also the responsibilities of the parents.  Parents should teach the children to fear God.  Even when they go astray, the Lord will bring them back, as the Word of God (original:seed) will remain in their hearts.  Therefore parents should admonish and raise their children with the Word of God.

“ Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Prov. 22:6)

        Unfortunately, parental inversion is not an uncommon phenomenon in Hong Kong.

Jesus is the answer to all.  He has a plan for all of us.  We have to seek God for what He calls us to do.  A lot of discomfort and dissatisfaction arise from our failure to understand God’s plan for us. (Gal 1:15)  God speaks to us when our relationship with Him is restored.

Jesus does not always reject us if we are wrong.

“ As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” (Ps103:12)

God does respect all our decisions, yet we have to pay for the consequences of our actions.  If we break the laws God set in nature, we sin against God and will reap what we harvest.  We should not fall prey to satan’s plot in destroying us as “ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;” ( Jn.10:10a)

The Lord Jesus is the only answer to all the problems in our lives: “ I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (Jn 10:10b)

References:

1.                    Drug Intelligence Brief,  Club Drugs: An update September 2001, DEA Intelligence Division, Office of Domestic Intelligence, Domestic Strategic Unit, U.S.A.

2.                    Drug Intelligence Brief, Hong Kong’s Changing Role in Drug Trafficking-October 1999, DEA Intelligence Division, Office of Domestic Intelligence, Domestic Strategic Unit, U.S.A.

3.                    Tips for Teens: The Truth About Club Drugs, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2000

4.                   Opium Poppy Cultivation and Heroin Processing in Southeast Asia  March 2001  U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration

5.                    David Dorfman, Grave Consequences of Heroin Addiction  May,2001     American Council on Science and Health

6.                    Macau  Anti-narcotic Report (1991-2000) Chinese Version

7.                   www.drkoop.com

8.                   www.info.gov.hk/nd

9.                   www.drugstore.com

10.                www.usdoj.gov/dea/

Acknowledgement:  the author would like to thank the staff of the Narcotics Division , the Government of  Hong Kong, SAR, for their cordial assistance.

Drugs: a satanic weapon

There is a story which goes like this: “ About 3,200 years ago, in a place 160 meters away from Zoah and Eshtaol lived a group of quiet and secure people.  Their way of life was similar to that of the Sidonians, which was a branch of the Phoenicians.  The Sidonians were merchants in the Mediterranean world.  The place that the story took place was Laish. The inhabitants of Laish did not experience any harassment from rulers since there was none among them. Because they were living a stable and prosperous life, they did not guard themselves against anybody.  They were quite a distance from the Sidonians and did not have any relationship with other people groups.  One day, all of a sudden, their security was broken into by a troop of army formed by the tribe of Dan of Israel. The Danites killed the Laish people with their knives and set the whole city of Laish on fire.  As the Laish people did not have contacts with any other people and the Sidonians, who had some relationship with them, were far away, nobody came to their assistance when they were annihilated.”  This story was recorded in the Book of Judges 18:7-28.

        During the 2^nd World War, Switzerland was the famous neutral country, yet it had the highest rate of suicide in the world.

        In 1990, I had a short stay in Dunblane, Glasgow, trying to help an ex-Triad family to come to the Lord.  I worked in the fast-food shop owned by the family and lived with them. Dunblane was a middle-class area. Behind this beautiful, tranquil scene typical of Scotland was a group of wild young delinquents who engaged themselves in taking drugs and causing great disturbance to the local people. There were many nights when these young people came to smoke, spit, yell, and scream in the fast-food shop.  When the shop owner closed the door, they would still kick the door and bang on it.  Calling the police did not have much effect on the situation.  Even at a young age, e.g. twelve, these kids already knew how to twist facts and fabricate evidence to frame the innocent.

        In the 60’s “pop music” started to gain grounds among young people in the U.K. The “Beatles” later came to the scene and became very popular.  The “Beatles” even held some concerts in the U.S.A. The organizers of these concerts had either Mafia or other types of underworld background.  They tried to attract young people to the concerts and sold drugs to them in order to satisfy their greed for money.

        In the 90’s  “raves” took their roots in the U.K. and spread to the U.S.  In these kinds of parties, young people indulge themselves in experimenting different kinds of drugs.  Drugs have almost become a readily available item in the U.K. According to Drugscope News 12/07/2001(www.drugscope.org.uk)the points of entry of drugs into the U.K., in and around London, include the airports (Heathrow, Gatwick, London City, Royal Air Force bases), the Thames and the race courses: jockeys could fly into the U.K. by helicopter for an afternoon race and bring in drugs without going through any customs checks.

In the Old Testament, we read that when the false prophets and false priests worshipped their gods, they experienced ecstasies, which were created by the entering in of demons or could also have been a result of the use of drugs.

Many of the “Rock & Rollers” are habitual drug takers and a lot of their work was written under the effects of drugs.  John Lennon’s  “Imagine there is no heaven” made a clear stand against one of the major Christian doctrines. “Eagles’ ”  “Hotel California” was written in commemoration of the founding of the first satanic (the use of the small letter “s” for such a name is deliberate) church in California, U.S.A.  “Masking”, “Inversion” and “subliminal effects” are methods often used to infiltrate the human subconscious with “hidden messages”.  I once heard a pop-song with the “reversed lyric” “ it is good to take marijuana”.  Sometimes pop music record producers used strange noise to cover up messages that they wanted to implant into the listeners’ minds.  Occasionally there are pop-songs with overt lyric in praise of suicide.

        The Bible recorded five “I will’s” of satan :  “ For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.” ( Isa 14:13-14)  satan wants to be coequal with God and to be worshipped by human beings.  In many temples, one of the rituals in the worship of false gods is human sexual intercourse. The Bible has a written account of these rituals.  In raves and some revelry, under the influence of drugs, fornication becomes much easier when human inhibition is lowered.  The Bible says: “ Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” ( I Corinth 6:18-19).  Drugs are one of the weapons satan uses to destroy human bodies.

        There is no witness whatsoever of the presence of “ Rock & Roll” music or rap in heaven among those whose spirits were taken up to heaven.  “ Rock & Roll” music or rap are products of the human souls and should be banned in churches.

        In his book « I walked in Heaven with Jesus », Rev Percy Collett made mention of a Red Indian tribe that inhabited the inner reaches of the Amazon Basin.  They shifted from the traditional honorable lifestyle into a demoralizing one when they sunk deeper and deeper into the mire of drug abuse.  They left their original tribe and enticed some people from over thirty other tribes to follow them into their newfound homes where they could grow hashish.  They could no longer exert voluntary control over their own behaviors and got engaged with sexual abuses as a result of the use of drugs.  Among these tribesmen, love was expressed through cruelties and violence.  Many of them would die of drug overdose and tremendous physical trauma.  Apart from using cannabis, they also took drugs of greater potency, one of which they extracted from flies.  The drug was a greenish liquid, which they mixed with water and drank in large quantity.  These kinds of drugs could easily take their lives.  By using other drugs like LSD and extracts of a plant called “Jaquaine”, they were able to experience euphoria.  All these drugs cause great damage to the human brain.  Sustained use of the drugs for three years was enough to take a tribesman’s life.  Hangovers would last for weeks after taking the drugs for three days.

        It is very clear that drugs can cause massive harm to the human body.  Coming off drugs is not an easy task.  The body experiences a great deal of physical stress when it undergoes detoxification — a period of time in which the body rids itself of the abuse substance. Symptoms that occur during detoxification include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.  This creates an imbalance of fluids, calories, and electrolytes. Hypertension, which may be a side effect of substance abuse, dehydration and constipation, may be present during recovery.  Substance substitution in which the drug of choice is replaced by nicotine, caffeine, or sugar is not desirable as this type of substitution can continue the addictive behavior and compromise the person's progress. There is also an increased tendency to transfer the drug addiction to a food addiction during treatment.  Relapse may occur when proper disciplining is lacking and when there are the occurrences of snacking between meals; irregular schedule of meals; and fluctuations of blood sugar level due to the irregular intake of food and the timing of the meals.  There are reports that an intake of foods high in simple sugar may help the recovering persons staying off the addictive drugs. It is advisable to stay away from drugs, which are but satan’s weapons against mankind.

The Islamic State of Afghanistan is a country that majors in the activities of cultivating, processing and trafficking of opiate and cannabis products.  In 2000 alone, it produced over 70 percent of the world's supply of illicit opium.  Worldwide trafficking of Afghanistan’s morphine base, heroin and hashish has already become the country’s primary source of income.  

Afghanistan was invaded by the Soviet Union in 1979.  The subsequent withdrawal of the Soviets ten years later was only followed by a civil strife.  With all these political upheavals in the past and the present turmoil that the country is undergoing, one could almost hear the ringing sound of a verse of the Scripture “ … all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.”  ( Matt 26:52) …

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