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Welcome to The Addiction Action Campaign

The Addiction Action Campaign is a registered non-profit organization that exists for the benefit of all South Africans regardless of race, religion, culture or creed. The epidemic of addiction in our country is massive. Far greater than most people are aware of. One normally thinks of addiction in terms of illegal drugs and alcohol, but millions of South Africans are addicted to a vast range of addictions such as illegal substances, legal substances as well as behaviours.

The A.A.C. exists to reduce the harm caused by the existence and sale of addictive products or services whether they are legal or illegal. One must therefore focus on the demand and on Harm Reduction.

The demand for addictive substances etc. will never end unless people are properly educated from at least the age of 7 years old. However, suppliers must be held financially accountable for the rehabilitation costs of people wishing to receive treatment as industries are responsible to a certain degree.

We have a clear vision and mission for South Africa and we believe that it is possible to greatly reduce the effects of substance abuse and addiction on society.

Our Perspective

(see also The Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Act)

1. South Africa has become dependent to income generated from the sale of addictive products or services. Government must ensure that S.A. becomes independent of its dependency to sin taxes and other taxes earned from addiction.
2. South Africa’s dependency to income derived from addictive products and or services, actually ENABLES ADDICTION. All this income should be used exclusively for the purposes of addiction & substance abuse treatment and prevention.
3. Industries that sell addictive products or services are responsible for the treatment costs of people who are addicted to their products etc. Namely cigarette, alcohol, casinos, pornographers and pharmaceutical companies etc.. If an industry profits from a dependency, i.e. if people cannot control their intake of a product or service because they are addicted to it, then the level spending on harm reduction must match the level of profit made from that dependency.
4. The country’s consciousness concerning the severity of addiction in S.A. needs to change. Government must become actively involved in educating South Africans about the dangers of using ANY substance, product or service which is addictive.
5. More people in S.A. are addicted to a substance, product, service or behaviour than there are people living with HIV/AIDS. Government must publicly admit this fact and present a plan of action to the South African people on how they will strive towards a society free of addiction.
6. The most dangerous addictive services and products are all legal. If alcohol or cigarettes were invented today, they would be illegal because they are so dangerous. Government must do everything in its power to reduce the harm that these products cause to South Africans.
7. South Africa’s law makers and industry professionals must accept Harm Reduction philosophies and implement strategies which ensure that if harm is being caused, then there must be accountability and programs in place to reduce such harm.
8. Every South African has a basic human right to proper health care. We believe that every South African has a right to high quality addiction treatment which is affordable. Unfortunately, this is not the case. 95% of people needing addiction treatment do not have access to treatment because it is unaffordable and only available in English and Afrikaans.
9. Addiction is a neglected issue. Addiction & substance abuse kills more people in S.A. annually than HIV/AIDS does. Yet, no provisions are made for the issue through current CSR funding programs or from international philanthropic foundations.
10. The last study on the effects of addiction on society was completed in 1996. This study was incomplete as it only measured certain substances and neglected addictive behaviours. The effect and extent of addiction & substance abuse in South Africa needs to be officially measured if we are to effectively deal with the issue as whole.

Pigs Peak Casino Pigs keep on stealing

Pigs Peak casino was granted leave to appeal today. This means that the Swaziland based company will be opening their portals shortly to begin trading again in South Africa while they prepare to challenge the recent High Court decision against them.

Warren Whitfield who is the Addiction Action Campaign (AAC) founder and C.E.O. said, “We’ve called them Pigs because we are aware that since Pigs Peak casino has begun trading in South Africa, they have not paid taxes for any of the billions of Rand’s that they have taken from South Africans, nor have they given one cent to gambling addiction treatment or prevention organisations such as AAC. They are operating under grey areas of the law, have milked South Africa of wealth and caused much harm to problem gamblers without giving anything back.”

Whitfield said, “This decision will ultimately lead to these grey areas being tightened and hopefully will expose online casinos for the opportunistic ruthless capitalists that they are”.  Ends

For more information contact:  AAC CEO Warren Whitfield – 076-387-7444 or warren@aac.org.za?

A call for the review of the regulation of the supply of alcohol to people while gambling.

Effect of Alcohol on motor skills and judgment/perception

Visual functions

• Even small doses of alcohol may cause longer eye fixation time, tunnel vision and defective attention switching.
• The response time of both eye movement and accommodation may be lengthened and there is a significant reduction in tolerance to glare from light.

i.e. Because of these effects, the high speed decision making requirement in the environment of a casino (for instance), would put someone under the influence of alcohol at a disadvantage.

Information processing

• Even with low blood alcohol concentrations, when more than one form of information input is presenting itself at one time the rate of processing is depressed significantly.
• Alcohol impairs impulse conduction and transmission in the central and peripheral nervous systems; rapid information analyses and processing is delayed and this in turn delays prompt and appropriate decision making.

i.e. A gambler who is  under the influence of alcohol would be at a disadvantage.

Judgment

• Behaviour, judgment, self-control and depth of thought are affected with associated impairment of reaction times, accuracy of response speed judgment, and performance awareness.

i.e. A gambler who is  under the influence of alcohol would be at a disadvantage.

Restraint and impulse

• Alcohol disturbs the balance between restraint and impulse, frequently resulting in impulsive behaviour.

i.e. A gambler who is  under the influence of alcohol would be at a disadvantage.

Muscular response

• Alcohol produces a tendency to exceed boundaries and to take much longer to correct such mistakes; furthermore, even with low blood alcohol concentration levels, gamblers tend to make too little or too many movements in placing bets. High alcohol concentrations in the blood also increase the time required to place bets and reduces the degree of restraint in the size of the bets placed

i.e. A gambler who is  under the influence of alcohol would be at a disadvantage.

1. Correlation between blood alcohol concentration & clinical features

The legal Blood Alcohol Content for South Africa is 0,05%

i. 0,00 – 0,05%

Most persons show no signs of abnormality at this level while some may already show signs of euphoria with a loss of the normal balance between inhibitions and impulses. Reaction time at the level of 0,05g% is already twice as slow as normal. Impairment of coordination is already evident at a level of 0,04g%.

ii. 0,05 – 0,10g%

There is further loss of inhibitions, impairment of the ability to be self critical, over-confidence, a decrease in ability to concentrate and clouding of judgment. Most people have impaired muscular coordination at levels of 0,08g%. At 0,10g%, the reaction time is four times slower than normal.

iii. 0,10 – 0,15g%

There is further impairment of the ability to be self-critical, as well as emotional instability, memory lapses, and signs of ataxia, apraxia and agraphia. Reaction times are further delayed. Orientation with regard to time and place may be impaired.

iv. 0,15 – 0,25g%

Clinical features include ataxia, apraxia and agraphia, markedly decreased muscular coordination, a loss of orientation, emotional instability, impairment of balance and equilibrium, apathy and dullness with emotional outbursts, impairment of the normal response to painful stimuli, impairment of memory and possible memory loss.

v. 0,25 – 0,35g%

The above-mentioned abnormalities are more pronounced.

Complete muscular incoordination is evident, together with apathy, loss of memory and complete loss of sense of orientation to time and place. Stupor is possible.

i. 0,35g% and higher concentrations

Stupor is followed by coma, generalised anaesthesia and paralysis, depression of the vital centres controlling respiration and the cardiovascular system and body temperature, deep coma and death.

2. Diagnosis/levels of intoxication

i. Sober

The individual is not, or is only minimally under the influence of alcohol and shows no signs of intoxication on examination.

ii. Slightly intoxicated

The individual has a flushed face, dilated pupils and is euphoric with a loss of inhibitions.

iii. Moderately intoxicated

The individual will, in addition to the above, display delayed pupillary reaction, in coordination of fine movements, Rhombergism, thick speech and a tendency to stumble when turning.

iv. Strongly under the influence

The individual will now also have dilated pupils with very slow reaction, nystagmus, incoordination of movements, and a stumbling gait with exaggerated reactions when required to perform unexpected movements.

v. Very strongly under the influence

In addition to all the above-mentioned features, the face may be either flushed or pale, the pupils may be pinpoint or dilated, the person may be apathetic and show intellectual clouding and disorientation. Pronounced incoordination and pronounced Rhombergism are evident and vomiting may occur.

3. The Absorption of Alcohol in the Body

The absorption of alcohol in the mouth and oesophagus is minimal because of the rapid passage of the alcohol through these structures; approximately 20% of ingested alcohol is absorbed in the stomach and the rest is absorbed in the small intestine. Depending on the volume of alcohol ingested, a small quantity may reach the colon and be absorbed there.

There are a variety of factors which affect the rate at which alcohol is absorbed, and consequently, the rapidity with which the blood alcohol concentration rises:

• If the mucous membrane of the stomach or small intestine is covered by mucus or food, absorption is delayed as the surface area of contact between the alcohol and the mucous membrane has been decreased.
• If the blood supply to the mucous membrane is increased as a result of congestion, inflammation or the ingestion of warm liquids, absorption will be increased.
• The rate of absorption of alcohol depends on the concentration gradient between the alcohol in the stomach and small intestine and the alcohol in the blood of the capillaries in the stomach and intestinal wall; the smaller the gradient, the slower the absorption.
• Absorption of alcohol in the small intestine may be decreased if gastric motility is reduced by medicines such as sympathomimetics, very high alcohol concentrations or in cases of nausea and shock.
• Gastric motility and associated alcohol absorption is increased by the intake of large volumes of food and liquids.
• Gastric motility is increased in persons with gastritis and peptic ulceration.
• The presence of irritating substances in the stomach may cause pyloric sphincter contraction and a delay in gastric emptying, thereby delaying alcohol absorption.
• Psychological factors may unpredictably affect pyloric sphincter function and consequent alcohol absorption in the small intestine.
• Certain surgical procedures such as gastrectomy or gastro-jejunostomy will accelerate the passage of gastric contents into the small intestine with more rapid absorption of alcohol.
• The higher the alcohol content of a beverage, the slower the absorption rate because of secretion of excessive mucus, pyloric sphincter spasm and suppression of gastric motility.
• Large volumes of beverage make contact with a large surface area of mucous membrane and also increase gastric motility with resultant faster absorption of alcohol.
• The presence of carbohydrates in beer delays alcohol absorption.
• Alcohol absorption is accelerated where beverages contain gas such as carbon dioxide.
• Warm beverages are absorbed faster than cold ones with faster alcohol absorption.
• Foodstuffs which are fatty in nature or which have a high protein or carbohydrate content delay alcohol absorption by reducing contact between the alcohol and the mucous membranes.
• Fatty foods also delay gastric emptying with associated retardation of alcohol absorption in the small intestine.
• Parasympathetic agents such as carbachol, pilocarpine, atropine and belladona increase gastric motility and relaxation of the pyloric sphincter, thereby increasing alcohol absorption in the small intestine.
• Ingestion of levulose, nicotine and caffeine delay alcohol absorption.

4. Using alcohol when driving, operating machinery & gambling

According to SAB Miller Operating Machinery Factsheet from www.talkingalcohol.com , alcohol affects your vision, judgement, concentration, coordination and reaction time. That’s why you shouldn’t operate dangerous machinery or tools if you’ve been drinking. Things can and do go wrong. You need to be alert and in control to make sure that you’re not putting yourself or others at risk.

1. Hazardous machinery and tools include:

• Wood processing machinery
• Cutting tools
• Electrical equipment
• Heating or burning tools (such as blow torches)
• Ladders (anything that means you’re working at heights)
• Motorized machinery
• Machinery with guards
• Machinery with exposed moving parts

2. Drinking and driving

Drinking and driving is not only irresponsible and dangerous: it’s also illegal. Criminal penalties for driving under the influence range from fines and licensing sanctions to jail sentences. Why? Because alcohol affects your vision, judgment, concentration, coordination and reaction time.

3. Drinking and gambling

• Consuming alcohol and gambling is also not only irresponsible but it is also dangerous for the same reasons as it is dangerous to operate machinery or drive.
• Whilst government cannot control whether someone drinks and drives or drinks and operates machinery, it can regulate drinking and gambling in/at licensed gambling operator establishments..

4. Conclusion

It is a reasonable conclusion that practice of combining drinking and gambling is questionable and following aspects should be given due consideration.

1. Should alcohol be served in gambling establishments?
2. Should people under the influence of alcohol be allowed to gamble at licensed gambling operator establishments?
3. Should alcohol be allowed into gambling establishments such as, but not limited to casinos, totes etc.?

Bibliography

• International Center for Alcohol Policies (ICAP)
• Arrive Alive
• SAB Miller www.talkingalcohol.com
• The Medical Research Council – Professor Charles Parry.

Any desire that we have no control over.

Besides substances, addictive behaviour can be found in many other instances that affect quality of life, identity and relationships.

In terms of substances such as drugs, nicotine, caffeine, alcohol and sugar, addiction can be defined as being abnormally tolerant to and dependent on that substance that is psychologically or physically habit-forming. The result would be an abnormally strong craving. Addiction progresses to a compulsive physiological and psychological need for a habit-forming substance or behaviour and the condition of being habitually or compulsively occupied with or involved in using that substance or behaviour.

Alcoholics Anonymous or AA defines in its first step of the 12 Step recovery program, “We admitted that we were powerless over alcohol / drugs and that our lives had become unmanageable.” Addiction can therefore be described as powerlessness over anything with a person’s life being described as unmanageable because of it.

According to the South African Department of Social Services, addiction is defined as:

• A strong desire or sense of compulsion to engage in a particular behaviour (especially when the opportunity to engage in such behaviour is not available).
• Impaired capacity to control the behaviour (notably in terms of controlling its onset, staying off, or controlling the level at which the behaviour occurs).
• Discomfort or distress when the behaviour stops.
• Persisting with the behaviour despite clear evidence that it is leading to problems.
• Their reference – Ref: Pols, Dr R, Farrin, Ms J A Sirenko, (1994) Handbook for Medical Practitioners & other Health Care Workers Australian Government Printing.

In terms of life, identity and relationships, human beings become addicted to emotions, love, masturbation, sex and pornography etc. which results in a cycle of destructive relationships. It finishes with the loss of free will, identity and an inability to manage one’s life and relationships successfully on life’s terms and finally, death.

Ultimately, all addictions begin with an IDENTITY CRISIS. This identity crisis is explained in more detail in the section, A biblical perspective on our main info site www.theaac.co.za – AA says that it is a disease and one that cannot be cured. The AAC tends to disagree based on lack of scientific evidence for this claim as well as the origin of the word and its original meaning within the context of AA.

In wanting to explain where alcoholism or addiction begins, it was explained in the early days as a dis-ease. In other words, it begins with uneasiness in an individual and the need to consume alcohol, drugs or engage in a behaviour is born. Either peer pressure or environmental conditioning creates this uneasiness or dis-ease. The identity of a person is affected by the creation of a belief in that person’s heart or subconscious that they are not complete without it. From this internal belief flows a desire that needs fulfilment as the individual believes that they are in lack. The core of this belief is that their life will be better with it and they will suffer or be incomplete without it. For example, friends could be lost if they do not partake. No one wants to be lonely or not popular as they believe that being popular is desirable. However, once the substance or behaviour has been used, the body forms a tolerance after which a physical dependency and mental obsession is formed.

Many people including doctors, scientists and AA themselves have believed and stated categorically that alcoholism or addiction is a genetic flaw or memory which is passed down from generation to generation. Whilst this may be partly true, it is also partly incorrect. Dr. James B. Richards of the Impact of Huntsville Auricular Detoxification Clinic in Alabama believes that this is not true. “Although the alcoholic or addictive behavioural gene is inherited, it is only carried by its host until the age of about 5 years old. After this point it becomes a LEARNED BEHAVIOUR.” In other words, humans are only predisposed to addiction until the age of 5. After this age it is modelled by that person’s social or parental environment. Their identity is affected by beliefs, morals, and the values that are learned within their social environment. It is therefore INCORRECT to say that if your father or mother is an alcoholic, you will also be one. But the chances are you will be.

Its a learned behaviour that results in a physical compulsion and mental obsession. This learned behaviour is best summarized through Erricson’s model of human developmental psychology. If each stage is not managed correctly through proper parenting, the learned behaviour of addiction is certainly cemented.

- Warren Whitfield.

Learning Basic Trust Versus Basic Mistrust (Hope)

Chronologically, this is the period of infancy through the first one or two years of life. The child, well – handled, nurtured, and loved, develops trust and security and a basic optimism. Badly handled, he becomes insecure and mistrustful.

Learning Autonomy Versus Shame (Will)

The second psychosocial crisis, Erikson believes, occurs during early childhood, probably between about 18 months or 2 years and 3½ to 4 years of age. The “well – parented” child emerges from this stage sure of himself, elated with his new found control, and proud rather than ashamed. Autonomy is not, however, entirely synonymous with assured self – possession, initiative, and independence but, at least for children in the early part of this psychosocial crisis, includes stormy self – will, tantrums, stubbornness, and negativism. For example, one sees may 2 year olds resolutely folding their arms to prevent their mothers from holding their hands as they cross the street. Also, the sound of “NO” rings through the house or the grocery store.

Learning Initiative Versus Guilt (Purpose)

Erikson believes that this third psychosocial crisis occurs during what he calls the “play age,” or the later preschool years (from about 3½ to, in the United States culture, entry into formal school). During it, the healthily developing child learns: (1) to imagine, to broaden his skills through active play of all sorts, including fantasy (2) to cooperate with others (3) to lead as well as to follow. Immobilized by guilt, he is: (1) fearful (2) hangs on the fringes of groups (3) continues to depend unduly on adults and (4) is restricted both in the development of play skills and in imagination.

Industry Versus Inferiority (Competence)

Erikson believes that the fourth psychosocial crisis is handled, for better or worse, during what he calls the “school age,” presumably up to and possibly including some of junior high school. Here the child learns to master the more formal skills of life: (1) relating with peers according to rules (2) progressing from free play to play that may be elaborately structured by rules and may demand formal teamwork, such as baseball and (3) mastering social studies, reading, arithmetic. Homework is a necessity, and the need for self-discipline increases yearly. The child who, because of his successive and successful resolutions of earlier psychosocial crisis, is trusting, autonomous, and full of initiative will learn easily enough to be industrious. However, the mistrusting child will doubt the future. The shame – and guilt-filled child will experience defeat and inferiority.

Learning Identity Versus Identity Diffusion (Fidelity)

During the fifth psychosocial crisis (adolescence, from about 13 or 14 to about 20) the child, now an adolescent, learns how to answer satisfactorily and happily the question of “Who am I?” But even the best – adjusted of adolescents experiences some role identity diffusion: most boys and probably most girls experiment with minor delinquency; rebellion flourishes; self – doubts flood the youngster, and so on.

Erikson believes that during successful early adolescence, mature time perspective is developed; the young person acquires self-certainty as opposed to self-consciousness and self-doubt. He comes to experiment with different – usually constructive – roles rather than adopting a “negative identity” (such as delinquency). He actually anticipates achievement, and achieves, rather than being “paralyzed” by feelings of inferiority or by an inadequate time perspective. In later adolescence, clear sexual identity – manhood or womanhood – is established. The adolescent seeks leadership (someone to inspire him), and gradually develops a set of ideals (socially congruent and desirable, in the case of the successful adolescent). Erikson believes that, in our culture, adolescence affords a “psychosocial moratorium,” particularly for middle – and upper-class American children. They do not yet have to “play for keeps,” but can experiment, trying various roles, and thus hopefully find the one most suitable for them.

Learning Intimacy Versus Isolation (Love)

The successful young adult, for the first time, can experience true intimacy – the sort of intimacy that makes possible good marriage or a genuine and enduring friendship.

Learning Generativity Versus Self-Absorption (Care)

In adulthood, the psychosocial crisis demands generativity, both in the sense of marriage and parenthood, and in the sense of working productively and creatively.

Integrity Versus Despair (Wisdom)

If the other seven psychosocial crisis have been successfully resolved, the mature adult develops the peak of adjustment; integrity. He trusts, he is independent and dares the new. He works hard, has found a well – defined role in life, and has developed a self-concept with which he is happy. He can be intimate without strain, guilt, regret, or lack of realism; and he is proud of what he creates – his children, his work, or his hobbies. If one or more of the earlier psychosocial crises have not been resolved, he may view himself and his life with disgust and despair.

These eight stages of man, or the psychosocial crises, are plausible and insightful descriptions of how personality develops but at present they are descriptions only. We possess at best rudimentary and tentative knowledge of just what sort of environment will result, for example, in traits of trust versus distrust, or clear personal identity versus diffusion. Helping the child through the various stages and the positive learning that should accompany them is a complex and difficult task, as any worried parent or teacher knows. Search for the best ways of accomplishing this task accounts for much of the research in the field of child development.

Socialization, then is a learning – teaching process that, when successful, results in the human organism’s moving from its infant state of helpless but total egocentricity to its ideal adult state of sensible conformity coupled with independent creativity.

The 2nd phase of development (will), i.e. which gives us the ability to decide which boundaries in life never to cross, is one of the most crucial stages relating to addiction. This phase is also know as the “terrible two’s”. If a child’s boundaries are not managed properly, the adult human will alsways struggle to live their life within boundaries and will become professional boundary movers. This means that when a boundary such as “drugs are bad” comes along, it s more likely to be overstepped or tested resulting in devastating consequences.

Are you Addiction Harm Reduction Compliant?

The Addiction Harm Reduction Compliancy (AHRC) initiative was started by The Addiction Action Campaign.

Companies or industries who display this logo have met and continue to meet The AAC Addiction Harm Reduction Compliancy requirements and are evaluated on a bi-annual basis.

AHRC approved individuals are committed to reducing the harm that their products or services cause to South Africa. They regularly measure and identify if any harm is caused by the sale and consumption of their products and services and spend the equivalent on reducing harm through responsible addiction prevention and treatment spending.

Harm Reduction is a set of practical strategies that reduce negative consequences of substance misuse and addictive behaviours and incorporates a spectrum of strategies from safer use, to managed use to abstinence. Harm Reduction strategies meet people “where they’re at,” addressing conditions of use along with the use itself. Because Harm Reduction demands that interventions and policies designed to serve this sector of individuals reflect specific individual and community needs, there is no universal definition of or formula for implementing Harm Reduction.

However, The AAC considers the following principles central to addiction and substance abuse Harm Reduction ethics.

• Accepts, for better and for worse, that licit and illicit drug use is part of our world and chooses to work to minimize its harmful effects rather than simply ignore or condemn them.
• Understands addiction and substance abuse as a complex, multi-faceted phenomenon that encompasses a continuum of behaviours from severe abuse to total abstinence, and acknowledges that some ways of using are clearly safer than others.
• Establishes quality of individual and community life and well-being, not necessarily cessation of all use, as the criteria for successful interventions and policies.
• Calls for the non-judgmental, non-coercive provision of services and resources to people who are addicted to substances or behaviours and the communities in which they live in order to assist them in reducing attendant harm.
• Ensures that people living with addiction and those with a history of misuse routinely have a real voice in the creation of programs and policies designed to serve them.
• Affirms people living with addiction are themselves primary agents of reducing the harms of their use, and seeks to empower them to share information and support each other in strategies which meet their actual conditions of use.
• Recognizes that the realities of poverty, class, racism, social isolation, past trauma, sex-based discrimination and other social inequalities affect both people’s vulnerability to and capacity for effectively dealing with addiction elated harm.
• Does not attempt to minimize or ignore the real and tragic harm and danger associated with addiction for users and people whose lives are affected by those who are addicted.
• Understands that while addictive products and services have the right to be a part of the free market system, it can never be alright to profit from addiction.
• Expects from those causing harm and or who profit from addiction to measure the harm they are causing, either directly or indirectly, and become financially responsible and accountable for their actions.