Drug abuse has been a bane of mankind for centuries, defying attempts to understand why, notably because of limited resources available to scientists.

Dr David F Musto, an American expert on drug-control policy, in an article published by the National Library of Medicine, tells us: “The intricacies of cellular response to a drug could not be understood until tools were developed to measure the response and to integrate this knowledge with complex cellular biochemistry.”

According to Dr Musto, myriad treatments and partially effective remedies were used until the discovery of penicillin, when the old treatments became a part of medical history.

Now, he wrote, it is possible to be “optimistic that the tools needed to resolve the addiction problem are at hand”.

These days thousands of drug abuse rehabilitation programmes are offered across the world. They range from experimental or holistic services to traditional, evidenced-based care.

Our attention to this issue is drawn by a story in today’s Sunday Observer reporting on a fairly new trend among mostly young people who, seeking a high, are consuming a mixture of diphenhydramine (DPH), white rum, icy mint candy, and clear soda.

Three men, who have been using the concoction as what they call a “vibes builder”, shared their experiences with the Sunday Observer. One of them told us that the practice gained momentum over the past two years at the height of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The men all speak to the “nice” feeling they get on drinking the brew, but one of them wisely advised against driving after consuming it.

Naturally, health professionals are concerned by this trend and have warned against mixing alcohol with medication.

Mr Mischa Christie, a registered pharmacist, told the Sunday Observer that the practice is dangerous because DPH is a sedative and mixing it with alcohol can make that worse.

It was just a few weeks ago that the Sunday Observer highlighted the growing use of mood-altering party drug Molly on the island, which has also raised alarm among health professionals.

Last Sunday, we pointed to data from the National Council on Drug Abuse showing that in 2019 there were 52 calls to its helpline, established primarily for individuals who are either struggling with substance abuse or who wish to seek help for addicts. By 2020, calls spiralled to 361.

The increase is staggering, even as it suggests to us that more individuals are recognising that they have a problem and are seeking help. However, we would not be surprised if there are many more Jamaicans so afflicted but who have not sought assistance.

To prevent more people from falling prey to illicit drugs we have previously suggested increased effort to further educate the populace, especially young Jamaicans, about the great harm to personal health and well-being from such substances.

A lot of what is being done in that regard today is commendable, but it must be sustained as the lure of inhaling or ingesting illicit drugs is great, especially at parties and social events when people tend to throw caution to the wind.

Support networks, too, are vital in offering assistance to addicts. We acknowledge that sometimes, providing that support may be difficult; however, we can’t neglect people in need of help. Anyone who doesn’t share that view need only consider if they were the ones in need of assistance.