0.6 million Pakistanis joining drug club every year Muhammad QasimSunday, June 26, 2011
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Islamabad
For the last few years, drug addiction has emerged as a serious threat to the world and its roots have entered deep in to the society. In Pakistan too, it is rapidly growing especially amongst youth of colleges and universities, resulting in serious social and health implications.
According to statistics, approximately 0.6 million people are joining club of drug users every year in Pakistan. By 2010, total drug users in the country reached nine million, out of which 1.5 million use opium, 750,000 are heroin addicts and 200,000 are drug-injecting users while 75,000 addicts are also suffering from HIV/AIDS.
One of every tenth college/university students is drug addict. In one prominent private university of Karachi, 20 out of 30 (66%) students were using charas. Over 40,000 street children are involved in solvent substance abuse in four major cities of the country. An estimated 40% of Pakistan prison population uses drug.
Head of Community Medicine at CMH Lahore Medical College Professor Dr Muhammad Ashraf Chaudhry expressed this while talking to ‘The News’ in connection with World Day against Drug Abuse, which is observed on June 26 every year. The United Nations International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking falls on June 26 each year to raise awareness on the major problem that illicit drugs represent to the society.
Individuals, communities and various organizations all over the world reiterate the commitment to fight against narcotics and create greater awareness among the masses about the menace support the day. Each year the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) selects theme for the day and this year it is ‘Health’. According to estimates, nearly 200 million people are using illicit drugs such as cocaine, cannabis, hallucinogens, opiates and sedative hypnotics worldwide while drugs kill 200,000 people every year.
Dr Ashraf said that drugs of choice in Pakistan are charas (cannabis) most commonly used substance, sedatives and tranquilizers, heroin, opium, injecting drug use, ecstasy tablets and solvent abuse among street children. He added that the problem is increasing in Pakistan because of proximity of production (poppy in Afghanistan) and smuggling and illegal drug trade into Pakistan. “Absence of cohesive approach has led to continued drug trafficking and proliferation in Pakistani Society compounded by limited availability of treatment centres and data on drug addiction.” To a query, he said that often drug abuse is linked to factors such as risk taking behaviours that may involve experimenting with narcotics, smoking and alcohol, social isolation, stress, anxiety, depression, peer pressure (bad company), modern life style, hippy culture, unemployment, excessive pocket money by parents and lack of supervision and attention, the desire for social acceptance, boredom, curiosity, just to feel good, weak religious belief and lot of free time at their disposal, easy access to drugs at low prices, existence and presence of drug dens, to heighten sexual pleasure, to overcome frustration/tragedies and use as pain medication.
“While some of the physical effects of drugs might sound nice, they do not last long,” he said adding many people get depressed and start feeling sick. Physical health and sexual health of addicts weaken so rapidly that a young man of thirties looks as an old man of over-sixties. He said that the drug abuse causes economic breakdown of family, loss of self-confidence and will to work, loss of job, indulgence in crimes such as theft, and suicidal thoughts.
Drug addicts are also more prone to accidents and are at higher risk of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B & C, tuberculosis, suicide, overdose deaths and cardiovascular diseases. Married drug addicts have high probability of having mentally retarded and physically handicapped children. Young people who use cannabis are doubling their risk of psychotic symptoms like schizophrenia, hallucinations, hearing voices etc.
“Parents can recognise their addict children by noting these symptoms: deep body emaciation, strong loss of appetite, difficulty in breathing and fatigue, strong nervous disturbance, long home absences, much money demand, telling lie to get money, isolation, remaining away from others, long sleeping time, laziness, pale face, tremors in fingers, constipation, irregularities in work and studies and marks and traces of abusing on the body,” said Dr Ashraf while responding to a query.
He added that the time parents see the above symptoms in their child; they should immediately look for treatment. “An addict is a sick person and needs humanistic treatment.” He said that treatment of drug addicts is done in three stages - assessment, detoxification and rehabilitation. The most difficult part of the treatment is rehabilitation in which there is need to motivate a patient to take up a healthy activity preferably away from old places and old company.
“No one should be stigmatised against because of his dependence on drugs. Law enforcement agencies must treat drug users as victims rather than criminals.” To control the menace, Dr Ashraf suggests that awareness campaigns through mass media, essay contests, lectures and declamation contest in schools, colleges and universities should be held in order to create awareness about the ill effects of drug addiction.
“Provincial education departments should develop a curriculum against drugs for inclusion in textbooks at school, college and university levels. Public awareness campaigns should be launched through print and electronic media. More recreational facilities should be created to take the youth off the drugs.”
He added that the evidence points to a pressing need of taking the drug abuse problem very seriously. Parents, teachers, government and public health agencies should be alert to the rising epidemic of drug abuse among Pakistani youth. Efforts should be made to control tobacco smoking in the country because it is the gateway to drug abuse. Parents should be vigilant and keep an eye on the company/activities of their children and should spend more time with their children. They should keep their children busy and motivate them to say their prayers regularly.
Religious scholars should be encouraged to take up this issue in their Friday Sermons. Government should dedicate help lines for youth and parents with information and diversion to rehabilitation centres or hospitals. Government should solve unemployment problem in the country because economic worries provide a fertile ground for drug addiction, he said.
Dr Ashraf said that the smuggling routes of drugs and its entry into cities have to be blocked. “The supply line has to be broken. People who are playing with lives of our youth do not deserve any concession. Death sentence like Saudi Arabia must be awarded to Drug Smugglers in order to control the supply demand of drug abuse in the country.”
He added that the government should increase the number of treatment and rehabilitation centres for drug addicts. Treatment of drug addicts is a weak area and health department should set up drug treatment wards in all major hospitals at divisional and district levels and in all teaching hospitals. Anti-narcotics committees should be constituted in every town to fight the menace. Dr Ashraf said that drugs are slow poison in all forms and death follows drug addicts. “It is need of the time to promote drug free Pakistan,” he concluded.
=======================================================
Islamabad
For the last few years, drug addiction has emerged as a serious threat to the world and its roots have entered deep in to the society. In Pakistan too, it is rapidly growing especially amongst youth of colleges and universities, resulting in serious social and health implications.
According to statistics, approximately 0.6 million people are joining club of drug users every year in Pakistan. By 2010, total drug users in the country reached nine million, out of which 1.5 million use opium, 750,000 are heroin addicts and 200,000 are drug-injecting users while 75,000 addicts are also suffering from HIV/AIDS.
One of every tenth college/university students is drug addict. In one prominent private university of Karachi, 20 out of 30 (66%) students were using charas. Over 40,000 street children are involved in solvent substance abuse in four major cities of the country. An estimated 40% of Pakistan prison population uses drug.
Head of Community Medicine at CMH Lahore Medical College Professor Dr Muhammad Ashraf Chaudhry expressed this while talking to ‘The News’ in connection with World Day against Drug Abuse, which is observed on June 26 every year. The United Nations International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking falls on June 26 each year to raise awareness on the major problem that illicit drugs represent to the society.
Individuals, communities and various organizations all over the world reiterate the commitment to fight against narcotics and create greater awareness among the masses about the menace support the day. Each year the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) selects theme for the day and this year it is ‘Health’. According to estimates, nearly 200 million people are using illicit drugs such as cocaine, cannabis, hallucinogens, opiates and sedative hypnotics worldwide while drugs kill 200,000 people every year.
Dr Ashraf said that drugs of choice in Pakistan are charas (cannabis) most commonly used substance, sedatives and tranquilizers, heroin, opium, injecting drug use, ecstasy tablets and solvent abuse among street children. He added that the problem is increasing in Pakistan because of proximity of production (poppy in Afghanistan) and smuggling and illegal drug trade into Pakistan. “Absence of cohesive approach has led to continued drug trafficking and proliferation in Pakistani Society compounded by limited availability of treatment centres and data on drug addiction.” To a query, he said that often drug abuse is linked to factors such as risk taking behaviours that may involve experimenting with narcotics, smoking and alcohol, social isolation, stress, anxiety, depression, peer pressure (bad company), modern life style, hippy culture, unemployment, excessive pocket money by parents and lack of supervision and attention, the desire for social acceptance, boredom, curiosity, just to feel good, weak religious belief and lot of free time at their disposal, easy access to drugs at low prices, existence and presence of drug dens, to heighten sexual pleasure, to overcome frustration/tragedies and use as pain medication.
“While some of the physical effects of drugs might sound nice, they do not last long,” he said adding many people get depressed and start feeling sick. Physical health and sexual health of addicts weaken so rapidly that a young man of thirties looks as an old man of over-sixties. He said that the drug abuse causes economic breakdown of family, loss of self-confidence and will to work, loss of job, indulgence in crimes such as theft, and suicidal thoughts.
Drug addicts are also more prone to accidents and are at higher risk of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B & C, tuberculosis, suicide, overdose deaths and cardiovascular diseases. Married drug addicts have high probability of having mentally retarded and physically handicapped children. Young people who use cannabis are doubling their risk of psychotic symptoms like schizophrenia, hallucinations, hearing voices etc.
“Parents can recognise their addict children by noting these symptoms: deep body emaciation, strong loss of appetite, difficulty in breathing and fatigue, strong nervous disturbance, long home absences, much money demand, telling lie to get money, isolation, remaining away from others, long sleeping time, laziness, pale face, tremors in fingers, constipation, irregularities in work and studies and marks and traces of abusing on the body,” said Dr Ashraf while responding to a query.
He added that the time parents see the above symptoms in their child; they should immediately look for treatment. “An addict is a sick person and needs humanistic treatment.” He said that treatment of drug addicts is done in three stages - assessment, detoxification and rehabilitation. The most difficult part of the treatment is rehabilitation in which there is need to motivate a patient to take up a healthy activity preferably away from old places and old company.
“No one should be stigmatised against because of his dependence on drugs. Law enforcement agencies must treat drug users as victims rather than criminals.” To control the menace, Dr Ashraf suggests that awareness campaigns through mass media, essay contests, lectures and declamation contest in schools, colleges and universities should be held in order to create awareness about the ill effects of drug addiction.
“Provincial education departments should develop a curriculum against drugs for inclusion in textbooks at school, college and university levels. Public awareness campaigns should be launched through print and electronic media. More recreational facilities should be created to take the youth off the drugs.”
He added that the evidence points to a pressing need of taking the drug abuse problem very seriously. Parents, teachers, government and public health agencies should be alert to the rising epidemic of drug abuse among Pakistani youth. Efforts should be made to control tobacco smoking in the country because it is the gateway to drug abuse. Parents should be vigilant and keep an eye on the company/activities of their children and should spend more time with their children. They should keep their children busy and motivate them to say their prayers regularly.
Religious scholars should be encouraged to take up this issue in their Friday Sermons. Government should dedicate help lines for youth and parents with information and diversion to rehabilitation centres or hospitals. Government should solve unemployment problem in the country because economic worries provide a fertile ground for drug addiction, he said.
Dr Ashraf said that the smuggling routes of drugs and its entry into cities have to be blocked. “The supply line has to be broken. People who are playing with lives of our youth do not deserve any concession. Death sentence like Saudi Arabia must be awarded to Drug Smugglers in order to control the supply demand of drug abuse in the country.”
He added that the government should increase the number of treatment and rehabilitation centres for drug addicts. Treatment of drug addicts is a weak area and health department should set up drug treatment wards in all major hospitals at divisional and district levels and in all teaching hospitals. Anti-narcotics committees should be constituted in every town to fight the menace. Dr Ashraf said that drugs are slow poison in all forms and death follows drug addicts. “It is need of the time to promote drug free Pakistan,” he concluded.
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