HEALTH, SOCIAL AND

ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY

THERE IS A LOT YOU SHOULD

KNOW ABOUT DRUGS & ALCOHOL

THERE IS A LOT YOU SHOULD

KNOW ABOUT DRUGS & ALCOHOL

DRUGS ARE DANGEROUS TO THE PEOPLE WHO USE THEM, BUT PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS DON'T ONLY HURT THEMSELVES. THE PEOPLE AROUND

THOSE WHO DO DRUGS CAN BE HURT IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TOO.

SAYING "NO" TO DRUGS IS SMART AND HELPS TO KEEP YOURSELF AND

OTHERS SAFE.

THERE ARE ALL TYPES OF DRUGS AND ALCOHOL, BUT THE MAIN THING THEY HAVE IN

COMMON IS THAT THOSE WHO USE THEM OFTEN GET HOOKED ON THEM AND THEN IT IS VERY HARD TO STOP, EVEN WHEN YOU REALLY WANT TO. THAT IS WHAT WE CALL ADDICTION,

YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF SOMEONE BEING ADDICTED TO SOMETHING. YOU MAY HAVE

ALSO HEARD OF OTHER FAMILIAR TERMS SUCH AS SUBSTANCE ABUSE, DRUG OR ALCOHOL

ABUSE AND DRUG ADDICTION.

PEOPLE OFTEN BEGIN TO USE DRUGS OR DRINK A LOT OF ALCOHOL TO AVOID THE

THINGS THAT BOTHER THEM MOST. SOME EXAMPLES OF THE THINGS PEOPLE MAY WANT

TO AVOID ARE: PRESSURE FROM FRIENDS, STRESS IN THE FAMILY, HASSLES, THE FEELING

THAT ADULTS ARE ON THEIR CASE, OR THE LOUSY FEELING OF BEING DIFFERENT FROM

EVERYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD. PEOPLE START TO USE DRUGS AND ALCOHOL TO MAKE

THEMSELVES FEEL BETTER.

THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS, DRINKING OR USING DRUGS ONLY ENDS UP MAKING THINGS WORSE.

ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS MAY MAKE A PERSON FEEL GOOD FOR A SHORT TIME WHEN HIGH, BUT WHEN THE HIGH WEARS OFF, THE PERSON FEELS LOUSY AND MAY EVEN FEEL DEPRESSED. ONCE A PERSON IS ADDICTED, ALL THEY BEGIN TO CARE ABOUT IS GETTING HIGH, AND ONCE THE HIGH

WEARS OFF, THEY NEED TO TAKE MORE JUST TO FEEL NORMAL AGAIN. THAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH

ADDICTION, IT MEANS IT BECOMES VERY HARD TO STOP DRINKING OR DOING DRUGS. AN ADDICTED

PERSON FEELS LIKE THEY NEED DRUGS OR ALCOHOL AND MAY FEEL SICK IF THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY.

DRUGS OR ALCOHOL BECOME ALL THAT THE ADDICTED PERSON CAN THINK ABOUT AND THEY

MAY LIE, STEAL OR COMMIT OTHER CRIMES TO GET MORE. SOME KIDS WHO DO DRUGS END UP

DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL AND MANY OLDER KIDS AND ADULTS MAY STOP GOING TO WORK. THEY MAY

STOP CARING ABOUT EVERYTHING EXCEPT DRUGS AFTER A WHILE. EVEN THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS

THAT THEY USED TO CARE ABOUT WON'T BE IMPORTANT. THEY MAY BECOME VERY HARD TO LIVE

WITH AND TO BE FRIENDS WITH AND MAY NOT WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN ANY OF THE THINGS THAT

THEY USED TO THINK WERE FUN.

AS YOU CAN SEE, WHEN DRUGS AND ALCOHOL ARE TAKEN OFTEN, THEY CAN CHANGE THE PEOPLE WHO USE THEM IN ALL KINDS OF

WAYS. EVENTUALLY, EVEN THE PERSON'S BODY DOESN'T WORK THE SAME (ESPECIALLY THE

BRAIN, LUNGS & LIVER) AND THEY COULD END UP WITH PHYSICAL PROBLEMS. DRUGS

CHANGE HOW PEOPLE ACT AND THEY CHANGE THE WAY PEOPLE FEEL. SOMEONE ON DRUGS

CAN HAVE ALL SORTS OF MOOD SWINGS FROM HAPPY TO ANGRY, UPSET, SAD, SCARED,

EXCITED, TIRED OR PARANOID.

DRUGS AND ALCOHOL CAN LIMIT A PERSON'S ABILITY TO MAKE GOOD

CHOICES. PEOPLE ADDICTED TO DRUGS OR ALCOHOL MAY SAY THINGS THAT THEY

DON'T REALLY MEAN AND DO THINGS THAT THEY NORMALLY WOULDN'T DO.

THEY MAY ALSO LOSE TOUCH WITH REALITY AND THINK THAT THINGS ARE BETTER OR WORSE THAN THEY REALLY

ARE.

THAT IS WHY THERE ARE LAWS THAT EITHER LIMIT OR BAN THE USE OF CERTAIN DRUGS. LAWS ABOUT

DRUGS ARE TO TRY TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE. CIGARETTES, CIGARS, PIPES, TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL CAN CAUSE ADDICTION, BUT THEY ARE NOT AGAINST THE LAW FOR ADULTS OVER A CERTAIN AGE TO USE.

NOT ALL ADULTS USE ALCOHOL OR TOBACCO PRODUCTS IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY, BUT MOST DO, SO THEY ARE NOT AGAINST THE LAW. MOST PEOPLE FEEL THAT ADULTS UNDERSTAND WHAT ADDICTION IS AND THAT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF AVOIDING IT, BUT THIS IS

NOT TRUE WITH ALL ADULTS, EVERYONE IS HUMAN AND CAN MAKE MISTAKES BY BECOMING ADDICTED

TO THINGS.

DRUGS THAT ARE GIVEN TO PEOPLE WITH A PRESCRIPTION BY A PHARMACY CAN CAUSE ADDICTION, BUT MOST PATIENTS USE THEIR

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY. IT IS THE ILLEGAL DRUGS ON THE STREET AND AT PARTIES THAT SEEM TO WORRY EVERYONE. THESE ITEMS ARE EASY TO BECOME ADDICTED TO AND USUALLY LEAD

TO CRIMES BEING COMMITTED, SO THEY ARE AGAINST THE LAW FOR BOTH CHILDREN AND ADULTS. NOT

EVERYONE LISTENS TO THE LAWS. SOME PEOPLE STILL SMOKE WHEREVER THEY WANT, DRINK OR USE

DRUGS. THE WORST PART ABOUT IT IS ALL OF THE INNOCENT PEOPLE WHO ARE INJURED OR KILLED BY

THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO DISOBEY THE LAWS.

MANY ACCIDENTS ARE CAUSED BY THOSE WHO DECIDE TO

DRINK OR DO DRUGS AND DRIVE CARS, BOATS, SHIPS, PLANES OR

TRAINS. MANY CRIMES ARE COMMITTED BY THOSE WHO ARE ON DRUGS AND ARE NOT

THINKING CLEARLY.

SOMETIMES THINGS MAY NOT EVEN SEEM THAT HARMFUL ON THE SURFACE TO THE

PERSON WHO IS OFFENDING SOMEONE ELSE BY SMOKING IN PUBLIC PLACES. TOBACCO

SMOKE CAN MAKE OTHER PEOPLE SICK, ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVE ASTHMA OR

ALLERGIES. THROATS MAY BURN, EYES CAN GET RED AND IT JUST MAKES THE AIR

UNCLEAN. SMOKE CAN ALSO CAUSE SERIOUS MEDICAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS CANCER, HEART

DISEASE, EMPHYSEMA AND BRONCHITIS.

PREGNANT WOMEN WHO USE DRUGS HARM THE UNBORN BABIES INSIDE THEM. DRUGS MAKE IT HARD FOR AN UNBORN BABY TO

GROW THE RIGHT WAY. ONCE THEY ARE BORN, THESE BABIES MAY NEED TO STAY IN THE

HOSPITAL FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE THEY ARE USUALLY BORN ADDICTED TO THE SAME

DRUGS THAT THEIR MOTHER WAS TAKING. THE BABIES MAY ALSO HAVE OTHER HEALTH

PROBLEMS THAT ARE CAUSED BY THE DRUGS THAT DID NOT ALLOW THEIR BODIES TO GROW

THE RIGHT WAY IN THE FIRST PLACE.

NOW DO YOU SEE WHY IT IS SMART TO SAY "NO" TO DRUGS AND ALCOHOL? PLEASE ENCOURAGE OTHERS YOU KNOW TO

DO THE SAME! THE SMARTEST THING YOU CAN DO IS TO NEVER START DOING DRUGS BECAUSE IT IS SO HARD ON

YOU AND THE PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT YOU WHEN YOU TRY TO QUIT. YOUR BRAIN MAY KNOW THAT DRUGS AND ALCOHOL ARE BAD FOR YOU, BUT ONCE ADDICTED YOUR BODY FEELS LIKE IT CANNOT DO WITHOUT IT! IF YOU OR

SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS ADDICTED TO DRUGS OR ALCOHOL YOU SHOULD TALK WITH SOMEONE WHO CAN ASSIST IN FINDING THE HELP YOU NEED IN YOUR LOCAL AREA. THE

BEST PEOPLE TO TALK TO MIGHT BE A COUNSELOR, TEACHER, DOCTOR, NURSE, PARENT OR A MOULANA. BUT

IN ORDER TO GET BETTER YOU OR THE PERSON YOU KNOW WHO IS ADDICTED HAS TO ADMIT THERE IS A PROBLEM

AND MAKE AN EFFORT TO FIND THE RIGHT KIND OF HELP.

SOCIAL FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE

TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE

WHAT IS SUBSTANCE

ABUSE?

SUBSTANCE ABUSESUBSTANCE ABUSE IS A GROWING

TEENAGE AND YOUNG-ADULT PROBLEM IN SOUTH AFRICA. WHAT MAY START OUT AS A BIT OF FUN AND EXPERIMENTATION

CAN RESULT IN PERSONAL LONG-TERM PROBLEMS (PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY AND MENTALLY) AND OFTEN RESULTS IN DEATH. DRUGS AND ALCOHOL DESTROY FAMILIES AND LIVES INDISCRIMINATELY.

ONE OF THE MAJOR PROBLEMS IN SOUTH AFRICA AND MANY OTHER COUNTRIES IS HOW EASY IT IS TO GET DRUGS AND ALCOHOL. AND

THE VARIETY IS ENORMOUS: NICOTINE, MARIJUANA, HEROIN, BARBITUATES, BENZODIAZEPINE,

COCAINE, OPIOIDS, OPIUM, ECSTACY AND AMPHETAMINES.

AS YOUNG ADULTS IT IS OFTEN DIFFICULT TO AVOID THE PEER

PRESSURE OR THE NEED TO EXPERIMENT, BUT BEFORE YOU

DO, MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GETTING INTO.

AND THEN WEIGH UP THE VALUE OF YOUR OWN LIFE AND YOUR

OWN FUTURE.

SMOKING IN ISLAM

MANY MUSLIMS REGARD SMOKING AS MAKROOH (DISLIKED) BY THE SHARIAH

BUT NOT HARAAM ( FORBIDDEN). WHENEVER ADVICE IS GIVEN IN THIS REGARD THEY CHOOSE TO IGNORE IT.

THOUGH PEOPLE KNOW THE EVIL EFFECTS OF SMOKING, IT SEEMS THAT SHAYTAAN

AND THEIR NAFS WANTS THEM TO CONTINUE WASTING THEIR MONEY AND

CAUSE HARM TO THEIR BODIES AND HEALTH.

CERTAINLY, CIGARETTES WERE NOT PRESENT DURING THE LIFETIME OF

THE PROPHET MUHAMMED (S.A.W.), HOWEVER RULINGS AND

GUIDELINES WITH REGARDS TO SIMILAR SUBSTANCES ARE

PRESENT IN : THE QUR’AAN AND THE AUTHENTIC SUNNAH.(HADITH)

AS A RULE, THE QUR’AAN FORBIDS EVERY THING THAT IS EVIL. AS

ALLAH SAYS: “HE (THE PROPHET MUHAMMED) ALLOWS THEM ALL THAT IS GOOD AND LAWFUL, AND PROHIBITS THEM AS UNLAWFUL

ALL THAT IS EVIL.” {SURAH AL-AR’’AF (7): 157}

THE PROPHET, PEACE BE UPON HIM, IS

REPORTED TO HAVE SAID, 'DO NOT HARM

YOURSELVES OR OTHERS.'

ALLAH (S.W.T) SAYS IN THE QUR'AN THAT THE PROPHET,

PEACE BE UPON HIM, 'ENJOINS UPON THEM THAT WHICH IS

GOOD AND PURE, AND FORBIDS THEM THAT WHICH IS

UNWHOLESOME'

ALCOHOL IN ISLAM

AL-NASAA’I (5666) NARRATED THAT ‘UTHMAAN (MAY ALLAH BE PLEASED WITH HIM) SAID: “AVOID ALCOHOL FOR IT IS THE MOTHER OF

ALL EVILS. THERE WAS A MAN AMONG THE PEOPLE WHO CAME BEFORE YOU WHO WAS A DEVOTED WORSHIPPER. A SEDUCTIVE

WOMAN FELL IN LOVE WITH HIM, AND SHE SENT HER SLAVE-WOMAN TO HIM TO CALL HIM TO BEAR WITNESS. HE WENT WITH THE SLAVE-

WOMAN, AND EVERY TIME THEY PASSED THROUGH A DOOR, SHE LOCKED IT BEHIND THEM, UNTIL HE REACHED A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN WITH WHOM WAS A CHILD AND A VESSEL OF WINE. SHE SAID, ‘I DID NOT CALL YOU TO BEAR WITNESS, RATHER I CALLED YOU EITHER TO

HAVE INTERCOURSE WITH ME, OR TO DRINK A CUP OF THIS WINE, OR TO KILL THIS CHILD.’ HE SAID, ‘POUR ME SOME OF THIS WINE.’ SO SHE

POURED HIM A CUP, THEN HE SAID, ‘GIVE ME MORE,’ AND HE DID NOT STOP UNTIL HE HAD HAS INTERCOURSE WITH HER AND KILLED THE

CHILD. SO AVOID ALCOHOL, FOR BY ALLAAH FAITH AND ADDICTION TO WINE CANNOT BE COMBINED EXCEPT SOON ONE OF THEM WILL BE

EXPELLED.”

“SATAN WANTS ONLY TO EXCITE ENMITY AND HATRED BETWEEN

YOU WITH INTOXICANTS (ALCOHOLIC DRINKS) AND

GAMBLING, AND HINDER YOU FROM THE REMEMBRANCE OF

GOD AND FROM THE PRAYER. SO, WILL YOU NOT THEN ABSTAIN?”

(QURAN 5:91)

ALCOHOL AFFECTS THE MIND AND MAKES SINFUL BEHAVIOUR AND EVIL ACTIONS FAIR SEEMING. IT CREATES ENMITY AND HATRED BETWEEN PEOPLE, PREVENTS THEM FROM

REMEMBERING GOD AND DISTRACTS THEM FROM PRAYING, AND CALLS THEM TO

PARTICIPATE IN UNLAWFUL SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS. ALCOHOL GENERATES SHAME,

REGRET, AND DISGRACE, AND RENDERS THE DRINKER WITLESS. IT LEADS TO THE

DISCLOSURE OF SECRETS AND EXPOSURE OF FAULTS.

ISLAM TAKES AN UNCOMPROMISING STAND TOWARDS ALCOHOL AND FORBIDS ITS CONSUMPTION IN

EITHER SMALL OR LARGE QUANTITIES. ALCOHOL IS UNDOUBTEDLY HARMFUL AND ADVERSELY AFFECTS THE MIND

AND THE BODY. IT CLOUDS THE MIND, CAUSES DISEASE, WASTES MONEY,

AND DESTROYS INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES.