KARACHI:
Across the country, drug traffickers prey on vulnerable teenagers and young adults because of which a large proportion of our youth suffers from drug addiction. Parents and guardians often fail to recognise symptoms of drug use amongst their children until the problem spirals out of control. College/university students are pressured by their friends to consume drugs without realising the harmful effects of it. Educational institutes can play an important role by offering counselling services.
Unfortunately, drug abuse is present in all strata of society. In cities, homeless people are targeted by traffickers and forced to inject drugs through dirty syringes. Beggar mafias recruit children and force them to consume drugs until they become addicted. Resultantly, we regularly witness addicts begging for a few rupees to buy drugs or cutting electrical wires in search of copper – some even get electrocuted.
Due to an absence of corroboration and cooperation amongst law enforcement agencies, they have failed to alleviate the problem. The government must allocate funds and resources and encourage the different agencies to collectively formulate a large-scale plan to tackle the problem. People should be able to report any suspicious activity to law enforcement agencies through helplines. Drug rehabilitation centres must be established in all major cities. They must be provided with adequate resources and should have credible practitioners to support the patients. Also, after the patients are released, they should have regular check-ups to ensure that they do not relapse. If families are suspicious of their child’s involvement in drug abuse, they should consult a medical professional at their earliest. We must all act against this menace, otherwise, it will cause irreversible damage to the country.
Saddam Solangi
Islamabad
Published in The Express Tribune, April 9th, 2022.
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