‘Poppy-laced’ tea sale stirs controversy

Intoxicating drinks ensnare consumers in addiction and pose serious health risks

CHAKWAL:

Some renowned eateries, roadside hotels, tea houses and tea stalls in the city have been found selling tea allegedly prepared with ‘poppy’, rendering a sizeable number of customers addicted to the tea at the cost of their health and lives.

The intoxicating tea is allegedly being sold at certain hotels, roadside hotels (dhabas) and tea houses in and around the city without any fear.

The district administration and the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) have become silent spectators to check the illegal activity. Tea addicts are compelled to purchase a cup of tea worth Rs60 for Rs100 as they are addicted to buying and taking tea from specific outlets.

The PFA has apparently granted these societal offenders unrestricted freedom as its actions are restricted to merely collecting licensing fees. It also seems that the authority is profiting from imposing penalties on small tea stalls that sell half a cup of tea (token) to low-income customers at a cheap price.

Public circles have demanded immediate action against the disgusting practice of selling tea at renowned and ordinary hotels and roadside stalls located on Main Talagang Road and Bhavan Road.

A renowned motor mechanic, who is now addicted to the intoxicating tea, has disclosed that he visits a well-known tea hotel on Tallagang Road every evening to take tea. If he doesn’t consume tea from this hotel in the evening, he experiences difficulty sleeping at night and frequently requires sleeping pills.

The correspondent came to know about a woman (F), who is employed at a private boutique in Chappar Bazaar and regularly consumes the addicting tea from a hotel as soon as she arrives at work. However, a few days ago, she failed to get the tea in time because of her workload. After some time, she started to experience discomfort, suffered a headache and suddenly fell to the ground. Her coworker lifted her and offered water. After regaining consciousness, the woman got an intense desire for tea and rushed to the tea shop to quench her thirst. After consuming the intoxicating tea, she experienced a notable improvement in her condition. She was quoted as having said that she couldn’t work until she consumed the tea.

Tea addicts including elderly people and youth have been flocking in groups to the designated tea outlets in the evenings for a long time. The intoxicating tea sale has been continuing despite the presence of administrative bodies and field movements of the PFA officials on Talagang and Bhavan Roads all day.

Public circles have urged the administrative bodies and the PFA authorities to take action against the production and consumption of intoxicated tea by hotel and teal stall owners.

When approached by The Express Tribune, several hotel proprietors denied selling intoxicating tea and pleaded that they always served their customers the highest quality tea prepared with pure milk, ginger, and cardamom which attracted a large number of tea lovers round-the-clock.

Published in The Express Tribune May 11^th, 2024.