I have recently been to a number of networking events. Almost everyone I have spoken to has been interested in the work that I do, and many have sat with me wanting to have more information about drugs. Often people will hear the word ‘drug’ and think of just illegal substances. They have an image in their mind of the type of person who uses and/or misuses a substance. This is human nature and if we are honest, most of us at some point of our lives will have made a judgement about someone and their actions or behaviour.
Drug misuse can happen to anybody. I include alcohol in that statement. Alcohol is a drug. People use substances for different reasons. Can you think of a time someone you know has used a drug? Did they have caffeine today? Have they taken medication before? Have they ever had an alcoholic drink? Not everyone misuses drugs, but we should all be armed with the relevant knowledge about the effects and potential risks of drugs, and have an understanding of the impact this can have on individuals, their family and friends, and society.