HEALTH TIP

Narcotics users can develop tolerance, as well as psychological and physical dependence to opioids when they take them over an extended period of time.

• Tolerance refers to a decreased response to a drug, with increasing doses required to achieve comparable effects.
• Psychological dependence refers to compulsive drug use in which a person uses the drug for personal satisfaction, often in spite of knowing the health risks.
• Physical dependence occurs when a person stops using the narcotic but experiences a withdrawal syndrome (or set of symptoms).
• Signs and symptoms of narcotic abuse
  • analgesia (feeling no pain),
  • sedation,
  • euphoria,
  • respiratory depression (shallow breathing),
  • small pupils, bloodshot eyes,
  • nausea, vomiting,
  • itching skin, flushed skin,
  • constipation,
  • slurred speech,
  • confusion, poor judgment, and
  • needle marks on the skin.

Signs and symptoms of narcotic withdrawal:

• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Craving for the drug
• Increased respiratory rate (rapid breathing)
• Yawning
• Runny nose
• Salivation
• Gooseflesh
• Nasal stuffiness
• Muscle aches and pains
• Nausea or vomiting
• Abdominal cramping
• Diarrhea
• Sweating
• Confusion
• Enlarged pupils
• Tremors
• Lack of appetite

Complications of narcotic abuse: Many complications can result from narcotic abuse, the most common being infectious conditions.

• Infections of the skin and deeper layers
• Abscesses in skin, lungs, and brain
• Infection of the heart valves
• Pneumonia
• Fluid in the lungs
• Liver dysfunction
• Intestinal slowdown
• Seizures
• Coma and other neurological complications
• Infectious arthritis
• Loss of menstrual cycle
• Overdose and death
• Premature and growth-retarded infants
• Neonatal withdrawal: Up to 70% of babies delivered from pregnant women who use narcotics experience neonatal withdrawal, a potentially fatal condition.
• Memory problems 
•  
•  People who use narcotics or other drugs of abuse and are interested in quitting should contact their doctor or local hospital for information on how to get involved with a detoxification and addiction recovery program.
• Any person suspected of narcotic overdose requires immediate medical attention and must be taken to a hospital's emergency department.
• The main physical signs of narcotic overdose are small pupils and respiratory depression (shallow breathing) that can lead to decreased oxygen in the blood, coma, and death.
• Street methods of overdose resuscitation, such as packing the person in ice or injecting milk or saliva, do not work.

A 67 Year Old Person Was Killed Due To A Fire In A House At Dehiwala

A 67 year old person was burnt to death following a sudden fire erupted at his house in Nadimale ,Dehiwala(In Colombo) this morning according to the Police.

The furniture in the house also reported as destroyed due to the fire.The cause of the fire not yet been revealed the Police have stated.

A Haul Of Cocaine Weighing 200 Kilo Grammes Taken Into Custody At Orugodawatte Container Yard

Customs Officer have today(24) taken into custody several packages of  Cocaine which weighing around 200 Kilo grammes and stored in a Container arrived from Brazil at the Orugodawatte(In Colombo) Container Yard.

The value of the haul of Cocaine  taken into custody is estimated as over Rs.2 billion according to the Police.As per a court order 13 Containers at the Orugodawatte Container Yard were checked and the Container with the Narcotic found during the checking it has been revealed.

The container which the  Cocaine  stored in registered as a shipment of Sugar .The haul of Narcotic is due to hand over to the Police Narcotics Bureau for further investigations.

"THE RAILWAY CROSSING"(1919) A FAMOUS ABSTRACT ARTWORK OF YESTERYEAR FRENCH ARTIST FERNAND LEGER(1881-1955)

National STD/AIDS Control Programme Issued More Than 4 Million Condoms To Risk Groups Prone To HIV/AIDS And Other Venereal Diseases -Dr.G.Werrasinghe

National STD/AIDS Control Programme has issued

more than 4 million condoms for local high risk groups prone to HIV/AIDS and other venereal diseases up to now according to the consultant venereologist attached to the programme Dr.G.Weerasinghe.

Most of these condoms had been issued to female sex workers,Male to Male sexual contacts (MSM's ),injected drug  users and beach boys Dr.Weerasinghe has stressed.

Addressing a media seminar held at Healh Education Bureau in Colombo last Tuesday (22) regarding "World AIDS Day" Dr.Weerasinghe has stated that
Alhough highly risky behaviours are there among certain groups in the country Sri Lanka still considered as the  lowest HIV Prevalence country in Soutg Asia  with 2 HIV Positives per 10,000 population.

According to a survey conducted in 2013 regarding risk groups vulnarable to HIV/AIDS in the country, it is estimated that there are 9347-14,132 female sex workers,6547-8554 MSM's,12,618-17,459 injected drug users and 873-1486 beech boys in Sri Lanka he has stated.

POPULAR SINHALA SONG SUNG BY CHANDRALEKHA PERERA

Ministry Of Health Has Announced A National Food Safety Week

Ministry Of Health,Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine has announced a National Food Safety Week from 28th of November to 03rd of December.

During this week island wide raids are due to be carried out by Public Health Inspectors and Food and Drug Inspectors in hotels,canteens,bakeries, and school canteens to inspect the hygiene of the food and drinks sell there and to check whether the soft drink manufacturers are adapting traffic light color code system to indicate suger levels contains in their soft drink products.

Legal action will be taken against the owners of hotels and eating places who do not provide food and drink hygienically to the consumers the Director General Of Health Services Dr.Palitha Mahipala has stated during a press briefing held at Health Education Bureau in Colombo yesterday (23).