Drug Abuse is becoming a major problem in our society. It is a sickness in society. Drug abuse is the illegal use of drugs. Drug abuse causes addiction which destroys families and generations. Here we will discuss some common drugs, their effects, and who takes them why they take them.
Nowadays, drugs have become very common in young people. Drugs are very much common in elite youngsters. The reason for this is Western influence amongst the elites. These people have a lot of money which they use for buying these drugs. In the Western world, these drugs are common, but not in our culture, but because of this cultural imperialism, they have become common. These people use these drugs for pleasure. These elite youngsters are more inclined towards sex, drugs, rock and roll, which has now become a culture in the West. These people hold night parties, where these drugs are very common. The most common drug among them is ice, which is now being commonly sold in elite education institutes. There are more such drugs too including wine, opium, cocaine, and many others.
Furthermore, there is another thing common in these elites, that is Sheesha, which they smoke. All the aforementioned drugs are extremely addictive, and these are destroying generations. As mentioned above, elites are most influenced by sex, drugs, rock and roll, which is a murder of morality in Pakistan. However, not only this class but others too.
According to the report in 2013, by United Nations Office On Drugs And Crime (UNODC), around 6.7 Million people are taking drugs in Pakistan and this number is increasing day by day, and this needs to stop. The Government must take necessary steps to stop drug trafficking and drug abuse, or else it can be extremely disastrous.
How Do People Get Addicted?
People get addicted to drugs due to quite many reasons. In the elites, as I have already mentioned, it is a status symbol, and influence of sex, drugs, rock and roll culture from the West. However, in the other classes, much of it is due to peer pressure and the influence of the elites. In the poor, the causes of drug addiction are unemployment and poverty and also peer pressure. The most common drugs in these poor people are Heroin, Opium, Chars, cigarettes, etc. Among street children, solvent abuse is most common. Other most commonly used drugs include Cannabis (Hasheesh), Opium, Cocaine, etc.
Furthermore, the factors that are responsible for the increased use of drugs is that these illegal drugs, when smuggled, mainly from Afghanistan, are available at very cheap prices, new social norms in the youngsters, lack of awareness about drugs, and the existence of drug dealers and many other reasons.
Opium is mostly grown in Afghanistan, and smuggled across the world, including Pakistan. Heroin is the most abused drug as of Drug Abuse Assessment undertaken in 2000. Approximately 77% of the people abused Heroin. Opium and Heroin are widely made in neighbouring Afghanistan, is the main root cause of the problem, because of drug trafficking.
The average age of initiation of drug use is 18 years. The majority of drug users interviewed had used Charas (Cannabis) as the first substance in their lifetime.
Reasons for starting drugs
- Influence of friends or peer pressure
- Social and family stresses
- A sibling or other family member’s use of drugs
- To heighten sexual pleasure
- To overcome frustrations/tragedies
- As pain medication
Drug dealers in educational institutes, parties, restaurants, bazaars, etc are a BIG problem. The Government of Pakistan MUST take strict actions against these drug dealers and arrest them.
How to tackle drug abuse?
We can tackle drug abuse in many ways, but for that, we need to get united. Pakistan’s Force to tackle drug-related issues, ANF (Anti-Narcotics Force), must be given more powers to arrest and execute these drug dealers and drug abusers. The Government of Pakistan must launch a massive national campaign to discourage drugs, make TV ads, and raise awareness among the masses. The Government MUST tell the people that drugs are not a pleasure but a sickness. Drug abusers are sick people. Furthermore, the people MUST take this initiative for anti-drug campaigns. The Government MUST start anti-drug pieces of training in the schools, colleges and universities. The administrators of educational institutes MUST play their role in ending this problem. They MUST keep a check and control upon this in their institutes so that their students are safe from this sickness.
Moreover, Government MUST take action against drug smuggling. This will help stop people become prey to this problem. The government MUST also launch a campaign via social and digital media to discourage the Western culture of sex, drug, rock and roll, and promote local drug-free, clean and pure society.
Concluding, I would again say, Drug Abuse is a BIG issue that cannot be ignored, so many people are becoming prey to it daily, which is extremely harmful to society. We, as a society need to unite to become a single voice against this problem. We have to discourage drugs. It is not a pleasure, it is a sickness.
I hope you enjoyed reading this article, and understand my point.
Let’s Work for a Drug-Free Pakistan
A healthy Pakistan
Pakistan Zindabad!!!
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Information Source: Wikipedia and ANF (Pakistan) website