Drug abuse among Pakistani youth rises to alarming level.
Problem statement:
Youngsters in Pakistan are the most affected by drugs and alcohol and the number of these addicts is increasing at the rate of 40,000 per year making Pakistan one of the most drug affected countries in the world while the most disturbing fact is that majority of heroin addicts are under the age of 24.
Reasons
The growing trend of drug abuse in educational institutions has posed a serious threat to the lives and health of students as the college and university students use drugs freely and openly.
Survey
According to one survey, one out of every 10 college/university students is a drug addict and almost 50 per cent students of different educational institutions particularly elite schools/colleges in Islamabad/Lahore are addicted to drugs, and majority of these students belong to elite class, having no issue of affordability.
Support
Listen First” is an initiative to increase support for prevention of drug use that is based on science and is thus an effective investment in the well-being of children and youth, their families and their communities.
start with soft drugs
drug addicts usually start with soft drugs like chhaliya, gutka and pan, and then move to hard drugs like heroin, opium and cocaine, etc. The purchase of drugs or alcohol by young people is usually through dealers or ‘agents’, who are just a phone call away and their numbers are easily exchanged from one person to another.
Contact
There are evidences that the contact numbers of drugs dealers and agents are also widely distributed throughout hostels, hotels and other places that are generally hidden from the eyes of law enforcing agencies.
Research/Control Smoking
Researches have proved that people who start smoking cigarettes and or drink alcohol at a young age are much more likely to experiment with illegal drugs than people who do not smoke or drink. Efforts should be made to control tobacco smoking in the country because it is gateway to drug abuse. Academic pressures in schools and parents expectations and consequently depression also force students to start drugs, he said.
Recognize
He added that parents can recognize their addict children by noting symptoms including deep body emaciation, strong loss of appetite, difficulty in breathing and fatigue, strong nervous disturbance, long home absences, much money demand, telling lie to get money, isolation, remaining away from others, long sleeping time, laziness, pale face, tremors in fingers, constipation, irregularities in work and studies, no interest in everyday life, red eyes, slurred speech, circles under the eyes, neglect of personal hygiene and marks and traces of abusing on the body. The time parents see the above symptoms in their child, they should immediately seek treatment for the child,
How to stop drugs
Those who choose to walk away from drugs and alcohol, need to follow the different stages of recovery.
Some of these steps include:
1. Admit you can’t control your addiction.
2. Find an addiction treatment program in Pakistan.
3. Follow the medical advice of your doctor and recovery medical professionals.
4. Commit to an effective evidence-based addiction therapy program.
5. Lean on family and friends for strength.
If your child, sibling, or friend has a substance abuse disorder, you might want to stage an intervention to encourage them to get help. Consult with a substance abuse professional on how to stop drug abuse from tearing your family apart.
