14.12.2012 Views

Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse - Archives - National Institute on ...

Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse - Archives - National Institute on ...

Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse - Archives - National Institute on ...

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

ehavior. A sec<strong>on</strong>dary aim has been understanding the underlying<br />

factors resp<strong>on</strong>sible for their leaving home and the drug-using behavior.<br />

Outreach and halfway house programs have been effective in getting<br />

hundreds <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> street children <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>f the streets. Some <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> these programs <strong>on</strong>ly<br />

provide general informati<strong>on</strong> and referral to treatment programs, but others<br />

serve as safe havens where children can leave their bel<strong>on</strong>gings and take a<br />

shower or get a hot meal. Other programs have been developed so that<br />

children can live in a family-like setting with structured educati<strong>on</strong>al and<br />

vocati<strong>on</strong>al activities. Several <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the programs provide extensive drug<br />

abuse counseling for the children identified as drug abusers.<br />

It should be noted that no special treatment programs are available for<br />

children whose primary drug problem is inhalant abuse. Further, little<br />

informati<strong>on</strong> exists <strong>on</strong> the number <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> privately funded programs geared<br />

toward getting street children <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>f the streets and addressing their deviant<br />

behaviors. Moreover, informati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> drug abuse treatment programs for<br />

more affluent members <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the Bolivian society are not available.<br />

THE BOLIVIAN GOVERNMENT’S POLICY TOWARD THE<br />

PROBLEM OF INHALANT USE<br />

Currently, Bolivia has no comprehensive policy regarding inhalant abuse<br />

and other types <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> drug abuse. The current Bolivian Government policy<br />

is aimed at eradicati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> coca fields and the producti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> alternative<br />

crops in rural areas <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the country. Moreover, the Bolivian Government<br />

has placed emphasis <strong>on</strong> the criminalizati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> drug use, and efforts<br />

undertaken by the Bolivian police have been to enforce current laws<br />

toward the c<strong>on</strong>sumpti<strong>on</strong> and trafficking <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> coca paste and marijuana.<br />

The statutes passed by the Bolivian C<strong>on</strong>gress and signed by the President<br />

into law in 1992 protecting the rights <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> minors in Bolivia have had little<br />

impact in dealing with the drug problem am<strong>on</strong>g youth at risk. The focus<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> this legislati<strong>on</strong> has been <strong>on</strong> the ec<strong>on</strong>omic survival <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> these minors.<br />

The problem <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> drug use as a health care c<strong>on</strong>cern has received little<br />

attenti<strong>on</strong>. Given these circumstances, it is unlikely that legislative efforts<br />

will be undertaken in the near future to develop a coherent policy<br />

c<strong>on</strong>cerning the growing problem <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> drug c<strong>on</strong>sumpti<strong>on</strong> in Bolivia.<br />

In Bolivia there is a growing need to develop sound ethnographic<br />

research studies that could <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>fer insights as to the underlying factors<br />

60

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!