Drug addiction and illegal production and possession of narcotics

Drug addiction According to the WHO definition, is a state of periodic or chronic intoxication , harmful to individuals or society, which is caused by the repeated abuse of drugs of natural or synthetic origin. Characteristic signs are a significant desire to use the drug and to obtain it at any cost, a tendency to increase doses, psychological and often also physical dependence on the effects of the drug. Distinguishing between psychological and physical dependence is problematic, as the transition between the two is fluid.

Characteristics[edit | edit source]

Compared to the development of addiction to e.g. alcohol , the development of the organism's addiction to other drugs is very fast (e.g. in the case of modified cocaine , the so-called "crack" after only a few doses). In our country, drug addiction affects 75% of especially young people. Among the factors that influence the emergence of drug abuse are drug availability , age and social environment , where the failure of the family environment is in the first place. The most risky period is the age between 15-25 years.

Drug addiction has an effect on the growth of crime . By consuming the drug, moral inhibitions are removed and, under its influence, rioting, vandalism, sexual offenses and bodily harm occur. The insurmountable desire to obtain the drug at any cost leads to criminal acts aimed at obtaining the drug or the means to purchase it, i.e. theft, robbery, forging prescriptions, breaking into pharmacies, etc. A drug addict becomes an easy tool for committing crimes in the hands of another person.

According to the effect and origin of drugs, drugs can be divided into:

narcotics – opium and its alkaloids, semi-synthetic and synthetic substances with effects similar to morphine, hypnotics, anxiolytics, analgesics and antipyretics in combination with codeine and barbiturates
cannabinols – hashish and marijuana
psychostimulancia – kokain , amphetaminy, fenmetrazin, antiparkinsonika (trihexyfenidil), inhibitory monoaminooxidásy (nialamid)
hallucinogens – mescaline, LSD, synthetic amphetamine derivatives
inhalation substances - sniffing ("sniffing") is most often encountered in children and adolescents, as these are commonly available and cheap substances (solvents, toluene, trichlorethylene, acetone, etc.)

Alcohol and nicotine are also drugs, but they have their own specifics. Furthermore, they are often medicines , whereby it is either the simple use of available medicines or the home production of active substances from these medicines. Medicines include Dolsin , Dipidolor, Diolan, Alnagon, Diazepam, Nitrazepam, Bromadryl, Phenmetrazine, Psychoton, etc. Medicines are often used in combination with alcohol, especially in novice drug addicts. Among commonly available drugs, e.g. codeine (from Alnagon, Kodynal) or pervitin (from Ephedrine and Solutan) can be obtained at home.

Withdrawal symptoms[edit | edit source]

Withdrawal symptoms can be different, even depending on the type of drug used. These include yawning, coughing , sneezing, lacrimation, sweating, vomiting , diarrhea, tremors, involuntary muscle twitching, muscle aches, hot flushes with feelings of cold, weakness, apathy, depression, a drop in blood pressure, and excruciating inner restlessness. Withdrawal symptoms can be quite distressing and the fear of them is even worse. The clinical picture can imitate organic involvement with unclear CNS symptomatology, such as brain contusion, hypoglycemia, viral encephalitis. "Flashback", i.e. repeated manifestations of acute intoxication without taking the drug, is observed, for example, with LSD and hashish.

Drug addicts[edit | edit source]

For drug addicts, the gradual renunciation of other interests slowly leads to an exclusive fixation on obtaining drugs. There is a gradual psychopathization and degradation of the personality with all the social consequences (loss of interests, personal emotional ties, work ability), to psychosomatic problems and psychoses with dangerous aggressions, self-harm and suicide. may occur In pregnant women , damage to the fetus . Furthermore, there is toxic damage to important organs , especially the brain, heart, liver, devastation of the limbs with countless abscesses, impaired immunity, infectious complications, sepsis, thrombosis, septic arthritis, and the transmission of infections. is common Death from overdose . Chronic lung diseases are common in sniffers and marijuana users. In sniffers, there is also a high risk of death either by reflex respiratory arrest or as a result of intoxication with unconsciousness and suffocation, e.g. when inhaled under a blanket, in a plastic bag, etc.

Treatment of Drug Addicts[edit | edit source]

The treatment of drug addicts is still not very effective. It should be carried out in a medical facility, as severe withdrawal symptoms , delirious states and acute psychoses or life-threatening conditions must be expected . During an external examination, toxicomania can be pointed out by, for example, poor nutrition, old and fresh traces of injections and scars on the limbs from skin abscesses. Pulmonary edema, congestion, acute and chronic bronchitis , brain swelling, aspiration of stomach contents, steatosis and fibrosis of the liver, small foci of bleeding due to congestion, splenomegaly are common findings at autopsy . Deaths are also observed when methadone is used for oral substitution treatment of heroin addicts.

Right[edit | edit source]

§ 187 tr. of the law

1. Whoever illegally manufactures, imports, exports, transports, offers, mediates, sells or otherwise procures or stores for another a narcotic or psychotropic substance, precursor or poison shall be punished by imprisonment for 1-5 years .

2. The offender will be punished by imprisonment for 2-10 years :

if he commits the act referred to in paragraph 1 as a member of an organized group or on a larger scale
if he commits such an act against a person under the age of eighteen

3. The offender will be punished by imprisonment for 8-12 years :

if he obtains a significant benefit from the act referred to in paragraph 1
if he commits such an act against a person under the age of fifteen
if such an act causes serious injury to health

4. The offender will be punished by imprisonment for 10-15 years :

if the act referred to in paragraph 1 causes serious harm to the health of several persons or death
if he gains a benefit of great magnitude by such an act
if he commits such an act in connection with an organized group operating in several states

§ 187a tr. of the law

1. Whoever keeps a narcotic or psychotropic substance or poison in a quantity greater than a small amount without a permit shall be punished by imprisonment for up to two years or a fine. 2. The offender will be punished by imprisonment for one to five years if he commits the act referred to in paragraph 1 on a larger scale.

§ 188 tr. of the law

1. Whoever manufactures, procures for himself or another, or stores an object intended for the illegal manufacture of a narcotic or psychotropic substance or poison, will be punished by imprisonment for one to five years or a ban on activity or a monetary penalty or confiscation of property. 2. The offender shall be punished by imprisonment for two to ten years,

if he commits the act referred to in paragraph 1 to a greater extent
if he commits the act referred to in paragraph 1 against a person under the age of eighteen
if he gains a substantial benefit by doing so

Offense in the healthcare sector according to § 29 paragraph 1 letter g/ of the CNR Act on Offenses No. 124 /1993 Coll. is committed by anyone who violates an obligation when handling poisons, narcotic substances, psychotropic substances or other substances harmful to health or violates an obligation to protect health from ionizing radiation. A fine of up to CZK 5,000 or a ban on activity for up to one year can be imposed for this offence.

§ 188a tr. of the law

1. Whoever entices another to abuse an addictive substance other than alcohol or supports him in doing so, or who otherwise incites or spreads the abuse of such a substance, will be punished by imprisonment for up to three years or a ban on activity or a fine.

2. The offender will be punished by imprisonment for one to five years if he commits the act referred to in paragraph 1 against a person under the age of 18. The use of addictive substances itself is impunity. In Act No. 167/1998 Coll. on addictive substances, the handling of addictive substances, preparations, precursors and excipients is regulated.

For the purposes of this Act, the following shall be understood:

addictive substances, narcotic substances and psychotropic substances listed in Annexes No. 1 to 7 of this Act
preparation means a solution or mixture in any physical state containing one or more addictive substances
precursor means the substance listed in Annex No. 9 of this Act, as well as a solution or mixture in any physical state containing one or more substances listed in Annex No. 9 of this Act, except for the substances listed in Section 1, Paragraph 2 of this Act
the auxiliary substance is the substance listed in Annex No. 10 of this Act

In Czechoslovak Government Regulation No. 192/1988 Coll. on poisons and certain other substances harmful to health as amended by the Government of the Czech Republic Regulation No. 182/1990 Coll., No. 33/1992 Coll. and No. 278/1993 Coll. the handling of poisons is regulated and related protective measures are established.

According to this regulation, they are:

poisons such substances that cause poisoning even in small doses are divided into particularly dangerous poisons and other poisons and are listed in the lists of these substances (Annex No. 1 and No. 2 of this regulation)
corrosive substances such substances that severely damage tissues with which they come into direct contact

Links[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

ŠTEFAN, Jiří and Jiří HLADÍK, et al. Forensic medicine and its modern trends. 1st edition. Prague: Grada, 2012. ISBN 978-80-247-3594-8 .