Education

The second stage in tackling the drug risk is through education. There is a considerable amount of inaccurate information and misconceptions circulating in relation to drugs and their use. The first priority must be to provide clear factual information about the nature of drugs, the short and long term effects of their use and their implications for the seafarer and safety on board ship.

Many people believe for instance that cannabis is not addictive and is relatively harmless. However in 1996 the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre in Australia found that 92% of long term cannabis users were dependent on the drug and 40% were severely dependent. As for cannabis being harmless research has proven that this is a fallacy and that cannabis smokers are far more likely to develop lung, neck and head cancer than cigarette smokers. The mental health organisation SANE points out that cannabis can cause hallucinations with paranoid delusions similar to those in schizophrenia in addition to inducing memory loss.

Similar misconceptions apply to the effects of the drug. In a recent government survey 10% of drivers in fatal accidents tested positive for cannabis, which disproves the widely held belief that small quantities of the drug do not impair the ability to drive. More worrying are the results of tests carried out in the USA on experienced airline pilots using flight simulators. 24 hours after smoking a single joint they all experienced difficulty in landing their aircraft yet before testing they felt normal and had no idea that their competence was impaired.

Education to dispel commonly held misconceptions and to provide information about the true effects of drugs on safety at sea is a fundamental step towards creating a drug free environment.