Widespread drug use

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Investigations and reporting around the Mustafa Amir murder case have given most Pakistanis the biggest glimpse into the workings of the local illicit drug trade and how ingrained drug culture has become. But beyond the alleged narcotics-trading millionaires involved in the gruesome crime, news reporting has exposed the abject failure of the authorities — and even their complicity — in allowing drug dealing to proliferate. And while it was a commonly held belief that the use of the most expensive drugs, such as cocaine, was limited to the elite class, it appears this is not the case, with the trade and use of high-priced drugs being reported among students from all income groups.

It is also worth noting that in recent years, Pakistan has also witnessed a disturbing rise in the use of designer drugs. These synthetic substances, often marketed as legal alternatives to illicit drugs, are engineered to mimic the effects of traditional narcotics like cocaine, heroin and cannabis. However, their chemical composition is frequently altered to evade legal restrictions, making them both dangerous and difficult to regulate.

However, the government's heavy-handed approach to addressing drug use has always been part of the problem. Reports suggest authorities plan to summon the parents of alleged drug users for questioning and collect information on dealers from the drug-using students. This essentially amounts to arm-twisting small fry to get to big fish, which might reduce supply but will do nothing to alleviate demand. As the failure of supply-focused drug policies in the US and elsewhere have illustrated, cutting supply only causes prices to spike, with a negligible impact on demand. Without education and awareness through open and honest discussions, the only success that our current drug policies can bring is to arrest a few active dealers, who will quickly be replaced by new dealers seeking to enter the highly lucrative market.