Interesting approach.
BTW "Say no to drugs" is a message that doesn't work.
Jamie
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Fighting addiction with music
Kyi Sin Thant
Myanmar Times
4 November 2019
“No one is immune from addiction; it afflicts people of all ages, races, classes, and professions.” – Patrick J Kennedy. At the same time, it’s hard to understand addiction unless you have experienced it.
When something feels good in the moment, you can’t blame someone for wanting to indulge in that addictive pleasure – whether it’s the toddler’s Boba Tea craving or the old lady’s unhealthy obsession with painkiller medications, many addictions leave the addict not understanding the real causes of their pain.
And it’s also easy to pass judgment, especially when those of a more sober mind blame the addict for having no moral principles or willpower. This is especially true of drug addictions, which leave the addict with a psychological and physical dependency that can be hard to shake.
As their behavior is also illegal, in places like Myanmar drug addictions can cast people out of society and the traditional structures of support – the monastery, family or the broader community.
But getting addicted to drugs is not the end of the world, especially if there are health workers or friends who don’t simply don’t see them asa useless ‘junkie’.
Enter the finest of Myanmar’s rock musicians, who have come together to sing their support for the problem of drug addiction. Thirteen artists, lead by the legendary king of Myanmar rock R Zarni, have joined forces to produce a music video called “Don’t give up hope” last month.
With the support of USAID, the US Embassy hosted the launch party, where guests could meet and mingle with other prominent singers like Ni Ni Khin Zaw and Wine Su Khine Thein, who – along with their song – were able to spread the message of hope to those affected by drugs.
Music producer, Chan Aye Win said “I created this music video involving 13 famous singers together with composer Shwe Gyaw Gyaw to show the theme and messages to the audience about drug addiction and how easy it is to get addicted. I’d like to say “No to drugs”.
The video tells the stories of people struggling with drug dependency, as well as the often-harsh attitudes in the broader communities where those people live.
In Myanmar drug addiction is a widespread problem, and the celebrity community is not immune from its effects. One notable example would be the baby-faced heart throb Dway, who died young of a drug overdose. Some actors like Ye Tite, Moe Aung Yin have let the scourge of addiction ruin their careers.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) the prevalence of drug use disorders is less than one percent of the population. Data from a 2004 study showed that rates were higher among men (1.02 percent) than for women (0.22pc) over a one-year period. From the 2006-2010 period the total number of intravenous drug users was around 75,000 – just over 2 percent of the 15-49 year-old population.
The numbers are significantly higher in parts of Kachin and Shan states, where ongoing conflict fuelled by opium production makes young people particularly vulnerable to the problem. In some parts of the country methadone programs help addicts ease themselves off their drug dependencies, but these programmes often struggle to maintain funds and are often far away from communities.
There is also the perennial problem of social stigma. And that’s where music comes in.
“The four of us worked together on this song. X-Boxin and Mi Sandi took care of the rap part. Me and Ko Chan Aye Win, the melody part” Shwe Gyaw Gyaw told Metro.
With the arrangement of the US Embassy, 528 Love and Charlie (Full Stop), four composers wrote this song to tell a more realistic and engaging story about drug addiction in Myanmar.
“Sometimes a person tends to take the wrong path in life, unaware of the dangers that he may face. When that happens, it’s better for people around him to offer love and support, rather than punishing or abandoning him for his mistakes.” he added
“After all he’s still a human. Surely, he must have dreams, hopes and goals for his life. It’s natural for people to make mistakes but it’s the responsibility of society to help them out of their misery by treating them warmly, and not with indifference. This song is not only for addicts, but also for the community.” Shwe Gyaw Gyaw explained.
“Moreover, this also acts as a caution. ‘You reap what you sow’ they say. Technically it’s not true. Not only that person has to suffer for his actions, but the people who love him and care about him have to suffer the same. In that case, this isn’t worth it. For that we have to work together as one to help reach the same goals. That’s our motivation behind the song,” he explained.
The song is promoted by the 528 Love social media campaign. The phrase “528 Love” is a common term of endearment in Myanmar to signify the love between family members, between siblings and close friends. In other word, this can simply be noted as philial or “platonic” love.
The 528 Love campaign provides friends and families of drug users with information about drug dependency to help them find ways to support their communities.
“Our 528 Love Facebook page was first established last year. We aim to guidefamily members and friends to the right health-related information about ways to help a drug addict recover.” Dr. Yin Min Thaung told Metro.
“The name of our project is UHF, short for USAID HIV/AIDS Flagship project. We work on prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS in Yangon, Mandalay and Kachin, targeting the drug addicts,” she continued.
“In Kachin state, there are many addicts who inject drugs through syringes. For that reason, we have to encourage them not to exchange syringes, as this is a main cause of HIV infection. Most of the time, friends and relations of a drug dependent person are not aware of their importance in helping that person quit. So, to raise the awareness, we created our Facebook page,” she said.
The song was premiered in September and the Launch Party was held at the Urban Asia Center with free entry to the public. The song is now available on JOOX.
Just like the song We are the world by USA for Africa shook the world with the message of the Ethiopian famine in the 1980s, we do hope this song would be a reminder for Myanmar citizens about the problems of drugs in our communities.
As Mi Sandi’s line from the song said; “Please believe in yourself”, the victims also need to put faith in themselves that they are drug warriors. This seems to be a small step but no one can tell what changes it can bring forth. After all, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
https://www.mmtimes.com/news/fighting-addiction-music.html
