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The Correlation Between Drugs and Human Trafficking: Importance of Drug Rehabilitation for Victims

This article explores the relationship between drugs and human trafficking, highlighting the importance of drug rehabilitation for victims. It discusses the impact of drugs on the brain's reward system and the connection between sexual abuse and addiction. Additionally, it examines the role of drugs in prostitution and sex trafficking and the implications for unaccompanied minors. The article also addresses the rising mortality rates associated with heroin and prescription opioid use.

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The Correlation Between Drugs and Human Trafficking: Importance of Drug Rehabilitation for Victims

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  1. Uppsala, March 9, 2016 The correlation between drugs and human trafficking and the importance of drug rehabilitation for victims of human trafficking Dr. Fred Nyberg, Professor Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences Uppsala University, Sweden Founded 1477

  2. The brain is plastic both at the structural and cellular level The brain is not a static organ…. NIDA

  3. The brain is plastic both at the structural and cellular level The brain is not a static organ…. NIDA

  4. The brain plasticity is affected by trauma stress but also by drugs The brain reward system Is crucial for addiction…. NIDA

  5. Hippocampus (Nobel laurates May-Britt Moser och Edvard Moser) Hippocampus constitues a brain area navigating us geographically but also to the brain reward system and to craving…..

  6. Natural reward To reach top levels by the brain reward system - Physical activity - Food intake - Sexual activity - Success - Exciting experience • Drugs • Destructive behaviour

  7. The brain reward system is deeply essential for a positive development of all our future ambitions…. Also the evil acts may be rewarding …

  8. Addiction is a brain disease… • Addiction is a brain disease characterized by: • Compulsive behavior • Continuous use despite damageing effects • Persistent alterations in brain structure and function NIDA

  9. Dopamine D2 receptors are decreases in drug addicts Cocaine DA D2 Receptor Availability Alcohol Control Addicts Heroin Non-addicts DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA Addicts DA DA DA DA DA DA Nora Volkow, NIDA

  10. The brain is not a static organ. It displays plasticity. It changes over the life span but also in its response to various factors. Development of the frontal brain from teen to 20-25 years of age makes the difference in maturation between being a child and a grown up! (NIDA)

  11. Psychiatric disorder => Drug abuseYoung, addicted and psychiatric comorbidity (Maria Ungdom, Stockholm)81 boys and 99 girls Hodgins et al 2010 Hodgins et al 2007 90% of the girls & 81% of the boys had at least one psychiatric diagnosis in addition to their drug abuse At least a mean of three additional diagnoses Most diagnoses before abusing drugs

  12. Physical violence and sexual abuse among adolescents Hodgins et al 2010 Hodgins et al 2007 23% girls & 9% boys had been exposed to extreme physical abuse 28% girls & 28% boys had been exposed to severe physical abuse More than a third had been exposed to sexual abuse About 40% had been exposed violence from young people at same age during the past year

  13. More than half of all sexual abuse goes unreported, and many of these victims turn to drugs and alcohol as a mean of coping with the traumatic effects of sexual abuse Sexual abuse => Addiction =>

  14. Sexual abuse…. Drug addiction Women exposed to sexual abuse are susceptible to mental un-health: - Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - Anti-social behavior - Depression - Anxiety - Fear for upcoming assaults - Low self esteem - Relation problems

  15. Sexual abuse & drugs…. Why? • Women exposed to sexual abuse are also susceptible to drug addiction: • to handle their trauma they are fleeing into addictive drugs • to counteract their feelings and memories of the assault • to reduce their sense of lonesomeness and isolation • to increase their self-esteem • to punish themself by selfdestructivebehaviour

  16. Sexual abuse….and addiction! “She was tricked into prostitution and initially forced to take heroin until she became addicted and dependent on her gang bosses”.

  17. Prostitution and Substance Abuse Women selling sex to support their drug habits are often the victim of sexual exploitation, violent crimes, rapes, assaults and other serious crimes but these are very often unreported crimes. Drug use is intrinsically linked to prostitution, especially street prostitution. Estimates suggest that between 40 and 85 per cent of all prostitutes are drug users. Many prostitutes, men and women, are

  18. Sex trafficking and Substance Abuse Sex traffickers will use a variety of ways to make a person conform to their demands. Rape, physical abuse, starvation, violence, drugs, gang-rape and guilt are used to break a person and shame a victim into the life of a sexual slave or prostitute. Drugs such as heroin and methamphetamine are commonly used to make a person become an addict and force them to do the work the traffickers want them to do.

  19. Unaccompanied minors – The most…. Children in areas related to war and terrorism do not only exhibit health problems. They are also exposed to violence and are tricked to drug trade, drug abuse and prostitution.

  20. But…. Heroin causes a high rate of deaths, about 20 – 50 increased risk for mortality but….

  21. The numberofdeaths from prescriptionopioids has seen a 3-fold increase over the past 15 years

  22. Antal dödsfall orsakat av heroin har 5-dubblats både bland män och kvinnor

  23. Deaths due to heroin overdoses have seen a 5-foldincreased among both male and females

  24. Drug-related deaths in Sweden – Estimations of trends, effects of Changes in recording practices and studies of drug patterns - 2008-2014 an increase of over 30% an increase, mainly due to opioids - Synthetic opioids (methadone, buprenorphine, and fentanyl) - An increase seen in both males and females - The increase is seen in opioid deaths combined with benzodiazepines Källor: Rikspolisstyrelsen och Tullverket

  25. Narkotika-relaterade dödsfall i Sverige Olika kombinationer av alkohol och /eller benzodiazepiner i opioid dödsfall (H Leifman, CAN) Källor: Rikspolisstyrelsen och Tullverket

  26. To conclude Many of the victims of exploitation will suffer from anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health problems as a result of the crimes they have been involved in. Resolving these issues at the same time as overcoming a substance abuse problem may be difficult but with appropriate care and training, recovery is possible.

  27. How to deal with this issue….? • Treatment of somatic and mental complications • Viral diseases (e.g. DAA for HVC etc) • Psychotherapies • Medicines (e.g. sedatives, antidepressants etc.)

  28. How to deal with this issue….? • Treatment of the addictive • complication: • Psychosocial treatment (e.g. motivational approaches) • Psychological treatment (e.g. cognitive therapies) • Medicines (e.g. methadone)

  29. How to deal with this issue….? • To prevent for this problem we need to apply a whole society approach and this should include aspects related to: • School and educational systems • Health care organizations • Judicial system • Police system • Religion • Politicians • Researchers

  30. Can HGH Reverse Brain Damage in Drug Addicts? Study says that human growth hormone may restore memory and attention deficits caused by heroin abuse Svensson A-L, Bucht N, Hallberg M, Nyberg F (2008) Reversal of opiate-induced apoptosis by human recombinant growth hormone in murine foetus primary hippocampal neuronal cell cultures. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, May 20;105(20):7304-8.

  31. Quality of life and symptoms tested with the EORTC-QLQ form N-acetylaspartate = NAA, Myoinostol ; Cholin = Cho; Creatine = Cr

  32. Theme 4: Well-Being and Health The aim of theme four is to inaugurate innovative research on the relationship between health, well-being, stress and religion in Swedish and other multicultural healthcare contexts, also observing the legal aspects of this field. Theme Leader: Valerie Demarinis Deputy Theme Leader: Fred Nyberg

  33. IMPACT OF RELIGION Theme 4: Well-Being and Health Work Packages 4.1 Religion, Stress and Well-being 4.2 Immigration, Healtcare and Existential Questions 4.3 Right to Health 4.4 Public Mental Health Promotion (new title) 4.5 Cemetery Architecture: Meaning. making, Intentions and Experiences 4.6 Traumatic Experiences and Meaning Making 4.7 Moral and Identity Development among Adolescents

  34. IMPACT OF RELIGION Theme 4: Well-Being and Health Upcoming projects: Existential aspects on public health • WHO Qol • Culture informational interviews Additional migration studies (Turkey, Syria) Unaccompanied children – health, violence and drugs

  35. Care for your brain…..

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