poledriver
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6.4 million drug addicts in Pakistan
Almost 5.8 per cent of the adult population, approximately 6.4 million persons or one in every 27 persons in Pakistan is using drugs while nearly 25 per cent of the youth population is involved in some form of drug abuse in Pakistan.
Drug abuse is most prevalent in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa where 11 per cent of the population uses drugs, followed by Sindh where 6.5 per cent of the population is drug addict. In Balochistan, almost five per cent population uses drugs while in Punjab, 4.8 per cent of the population is drug addict.
Cannabis (Charas) is the most commonly used drug in Pakistan, with 3.6% of the adult population its addict. Opiates namely opium and heroin are used by almost one per cent of overall drug users. There are 420,000 people who inject drugs in Pakistan, which represents 0.4% population. Non-medical use of tranquilisers and sedatives is higher among women.
Young people are more susceptible to drug use. They often talk about the “highs” but may not be aware of the many “lows”. The widespread availability of drugs in Pakistan is making it easy for them to be addicts. Drug addiction among the youth is killing them morally and socially as well psychologically and even physically.
Head of Community Medicine at CMH Lahore Medical College Professor Dr Muhammad Ashraf Chaudhry expressed these views while talking to ‘The News’ in connection with the United Nations International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking that falls on June 26 each year to raise awareness of the major problem that illicit drugs represent to the society.
Dr. Ashraf said that the reason why the number of drug addicted people especially youth is increasing alarmingly in Pakistan is that the drug cartels in the country are fully backed and supported by the powerful and the wealthy who have got ample influence. Moreover, apparently, police and drug mafia are colluding. Moreover, easy availability of narcotics and psychological effects of violence are also playing part. Children who have suffered violence in their life or who have undergone a traumatic experience turn to drugs to forget about the loss, he explained.
He said that majority of drug addicts usually start with soft drugs like ‘chhaliya’, ‘gutka’ and ‘pan’ and then move to the hard drugs like heroin, opium and cocaine etc. The purchase of drugs or alcohol by young people is usually through dealers or ‘agents’, who are just a phone call away.
Their numbers are distributed widely at hostels. In Pakistan, he said, users can get up to 20 Charas cigarettes only for Rs1400.
To a query, he said that the drug abuse is often 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, easy access to drugs at low prices, existence and presence of drug dens, to heighten sexual pleasure, to overcome frustration and or tragedies, use as pain medication and fashion.
Talking of health threats, Dr. Ashraf said that physical health and sexual health of addicts weaken so rapidly that a young man of thirties looks an old man of over-sixties. “Drug use in general leads to a number of health problems, such as malnutrition, apathy, menstrual irregularities and irregular heart rhythm and premature death.”
He added that some of the physical effects of drugs might sound nice but they do not last long. Many people get depressed and start feeling sick. There is economic breakdown of family, loss of self-confidence and will to work, loss of job, indulgence in crimes such as theft, and suicidal thoughts, he said.
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, said Dr. Ashraf.
Talking of treatment of an addict, he said that an addict is a sick person and needs humanistic treatment. 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, he said.
He added that the law enforcement agencies must treat drug users as victims rather than criminals. “Drug dependence is a disease, not a crime. The real criminals are the drug traffickers.”
Dr. Ashraf opines that to eliminate drug addiction from society, awareness campaigns through mass media, essay contests, lectures and declamation contest in schools, colleges and universities should be run 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.”
He said that research have proved that people who start smoking cigarettes and or drink alcohol at young age are much more likely to experiment with illegal drugs than people who do not smoke or drink. “Efforts should be made to control the tobacco smoking in the country because it is the gateway to drug abuse.”
He added that awareness and prevention must start at home, with parents. Parents should be vigilant and keep an eye on the company and 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. “A drug-free life-style and a healthy society is very much a part of the Islamic way of life,” he said.
He said that the 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,” said Dr. Ashraf while responding to a query. He added that the smuggling routes and its entry into cities have to be blocked. The police have to be taken to task on this corruption. Some new accountability laws have to be made and implemented. The supply line has to be broken. People who are playing with lives of our youth do not deserve any concession. Unless serious measures are taken now, the very future of a large chunk of today’s youth will be compromised, concluded Dr. Ashraf.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-6-185865-6.4-million-drug-addicts-in-Pakistan
Almost 5.8 per cent of the adult population, approximately 6.4 million persons or one in every 27 persons in Pakistan is using drugs while nearly 25 per cent of the youth population is involved in some form of drug abuse in Pakistan.
Drug abuse is most prevalent in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa where 11 per cent of the population uses drugs, followed by Sindh where 6.5 per cent of the population is drug addict. In Balochistan, almost five per cent population uses drugs while in Punjab, 4.8 per cent of the population is drug addict.
Cannabis (Charas) is the most commonly used drug in Pakistan, with 3.6% of the adult population its addict. Opiates namely opium and heroin are used by almost one per cent of overall drug users. There are 420,000 people who inject drugs in Pakistan, which represents 0.4% population. Non-medical use of tranquilisers and sedatives is higher among women.
Young people are more susceptible to drug use. They often talk about the “highs” but may not be aware of the many “lows”. The widespread availability of drugs in Pakistan is making it easy for them to be addicts. Drug addiction among the youth is killing them morally and socially as well psychologically and even physically.
Head of Community Medicine at CMH Lahore Medical College Professor Dr Muhammad Ashraf Chaudhry expressed these views while talking to ‘The News’ in connection with the United Nations International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking that falls on June 26 each year to raise awareness of the major problem that illicit drugs represent to the society.
Dr. Ashraf said that the reason why the number of drug addicted people especially youth is increasing alarmingly in Pakistan is that the drug cartels in the country are fully backed and supported by the powerful and the wealthy who have got ample influence. Moreover, apparently, police and drug mafia are colluding. Moreover, easy availability of narcotics and psychological effects of violence are also playing part. Children who have suffered violence in their life or who have undergone a traumatic experience turn to drugs to forget about the loss, he explained.
He said that majority of drug addicts usually start with soft drugs like ‘chhaliya’, ‘gutka’ and ‘pan’ and then move to the hard drugs like heroin, opium and cocaine etc. The purchase of drugs or alcohol by young people is usually through dealers or ‘agents’, who are just a phone call away.
Their numbers are distributed widely at hostels. In Pakistan, he said, users can get up to 20 Charas cigarettes only for Rs1400.
To a query, he said that the drug abuse is often 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, easy access to drugs at low prices, existence and presence of drug dens, to heighten sexual pleasure, to overcome frustration and or tragedies, use as pain medication and fashion.
Talking of health threats, Dr. Ashraf said that physical health and sexual health of addicts weaken so rapidly that a young man of thirties looks an old man of over-sixties. “Drug use in general leads to a number of health problems, such as malnutrition, apathy, menstrual irregularities and irregular heart rhythm and premature death.”
He added that some of the physical effects of drugs might sound nice but they do not last long. Many people get depressed and start feeling sick. There is economic breakdown of family, loss of self-confidence and will to work, loss of job, indulgence in crimes such as theft, and suicidal thoughts, he said.
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, said Dr. Ashraf.
Talking of treatment of an addict, he said that an addict is a sick person and needs humanistic treatment. 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, he said.
He added that the law enforcement agencies must treat drug users as victims rather than criminals. “Drug dependence is a disease, not a crime. The real criminals are the drug traffickers.”
Dr. Ashraf opines that to eliminate drug addiction from society, awareness campaigns through mass media, essay contests, lectures and declamation contest in schools, colleges and universities should be run 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.”
He said that research have proved that people who start smoking cigarettes and or drink alcohol at young age are much more likely to experiment with illegal drugs than people who do not smoke or drink. “Efforts should be made to control the tobacco smoking in the country because it is the gateway to drug abuse.”
He added that awareness and prevention must start at home, with parents. Parents should be vigilant and keep an eye on the company and 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. “A drug-free life-style and a healthy society is very much a part of the Islamic way of life,” he said.
He said that the 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,” said Dr. Ashraf while responding to a query. He added that the smuggling routes and its entry into cities have to be blocked. The police have to be taken to task on this corruption. Some new accountability laws have to be made and implemented. The supply line has to be broken. People who are playing with lives of our youth do not deserve any concession. Unless serious measures are taken now, the very future of a large chunk of today’s youth will be compromised, concluded Dr. Ashraf.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-6-185865-6.4-million-drug-addicts-in-Pakistan
