Keeping addicts out of schools

The government has planned to make drug tests mandatory for schoolteachers, members of the administrative staff and students in Islamabad, Minister of State for Narcotics Control Shehryar Afridi told a Senate panel on Oct 3. This means that those found positive for addiction will not be given admission to schools and will not be appointed as teachers and members of the administrative staff. The screening process to keep the harmful elements out is a good idea. In recent years, drug addiction among university, college and school students has been increasing at an alarming rate. This is an ominous situation, so the minister’s announcement should come as a great relief to parents, teachers and the society as a whole. Speaking at a meeting, the minister declared that no one engaged in the drug trade and promotion of drugs would be spared however high and mighty he might be. He said the government was working on legislation to punish the possession of crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as ice.

Drug addiction has been growing in Pakistan since the late 1970s, and now the harmful habit is catching on even with school students. In 2016, an NGO reported that around 53 per cent of students in leading private school chains in Islamabad is addicted to various kinds of drugs. Earlier, there were reports of growing drug addiction among university and college students in different parts of the country. According to estimates, there are 7.6 million drug addicts in Pakistan — 78 per cent males and 22 per cent females. The government of Imran Khan is taking serious steps to curb drug addiction and the drug trade. The secretary Narcotics Control told the Senate panel that a record was being maintained of criminal entities involved in the narcotics trade. The minister informed the panel that his ministry had collected data of drug dealers and money launderers from more than 250 international law-enforcement agencies. He said Interpol and UAE authorities had sought Pakistan’s help on the issue. 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 4^th, 2019.

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