Substance Awareness: Doda and Afeem
What are Doda and Afeem? Are they legal and safe to use? What are their side affects? Keep reading to find out more…
Welcome to this new series of articles, called “Substance Awareness”. The trucking community has always been affected by the misuse of substances by today’s society. We are writing these articles to educate and warn others of what these are, which will allow all to make an informed decision when they or their associates are tempted to use or abuse them. Some may be legal to use, while others are not. In any case, they are unsafe to use while operating a motor vehicle. Take, for example, the following information on Doda and Afeem.
Doda and Afeem are both opiate derivatives (contain opium, ਅਫੀਮ, of the poppy bud) and are controlled substances in both Canada and the USA. These substances are traditionally found in Asian markets and are used commonly in Chinese and Indian medicine. Someone who has moved or emigrated from these areas or those who search out holistic or natural forms of medicine may not realize the consequences of using such substances for medical reasons, typically as a pain remedy, or for stimulation, typically to increase their energy levels. For the latter reason, it has been found that these substance are commonly used by those who operate in the transportation or construction industry in Canada. Some Canadian newspapers have written on this topic and have cited that the use of Doda and Afeem are a major concern to the health and safety of all people particularly because of the addictive nature of these substances. The following are some of the facts, health effects and symptoms or signs of use of these substances.
Facts about Doda
- off-white colored powder
- prepared by drying and grinding the stalks and buds of poppy plants
- contains varying low-medium levels of codeine and morphine
- consumed orally by mixing with water or tea
Facts about Afeem
- dark brown-black colored tar-like substance
- prepared by harvesting the milky sap from the bulb of the poppy plant, then drying and possibly mixing with other herbal remedies
- contains high levels of codeine and morphine
- consumed orally
Health Effects
- codeine and morphine, as found in heroin, are both highly addictive
- withdrawal symptoms appear from 6 hours to 3 days after use, as listed below
- death may result from overdose leading to loss of breath or choking on vomit
Signs of Use
- dilated pupils, watery eyes
- muscle cramps
- irritability, jitters
- insomnia
- chills, runny nose
- loss of appetite
- stomach cramps, diarrhea
- nausea, vomiting
- profuse sweating, shaking
- panic attacks
Being that these substances are illegal to possess or use with in Canada and the USA, and being that we provide highway transportation services, we believe that it is our responsibility to speak out against these substances to both our employees and the public.
It is our policy that no hired or contracted vehicle operator of T&P Trucking may possess or use any drug or medication at any time, whether controlled or not, whether on active duty or off duty, without the express approval from our Safety Department. Any driver found in violation of this policy will be immediately suspended without pay, and depending on the outcome of our investigation, could result in the immediate dismissal of the employee or contractor from our company and the further reporting of an incident to the local police.
T&P Trucking takes the safety of the public, our employees and the law very seriously. We plead with all employees in the transportation and construction industries to please turn away from and say a resolute “NO” to Doda, Afeem or any other substance that could put you, your family, your fellow employees or the public at risk.
Sam Pattison
More information:
City of Surrey
The Windsor Star
Update on January 19, 2018: Removed the hyperlink to The Now Newspaper (no longer exists) and replaced it with a hyperlink to CTV’s article from 2010. Updated the hyperlink address for the PDF document from the City of Surrey as well as the hyperlink to The Windsor Star article of 2013.