DRUG ABUSE ON THE RISE IN CITY

VARANASI: Pradeep (name changed), a teenager who is all set to join
college this year, finds himself on one of the de-addiction beds
under psychiatry department of Banaras Hindu University (BHU). The
young student is still recovering from forced drug abuse by his
friends that pushed him into drug addiction. Ramzan, a ragpicker,
who initially switched to cigarette smoking when instigated by his
friends, has now become a drug addict and often looks for heroin or
psychotropic drugs.

These are some of the startling stories of drug abuse in young
children and youth of the city even as the region looks all set to
observe International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking
(IDADAIT) on Saturday (June 26). The growing tendency of drug abuse
among youngsters has already raised concerns for health experts in
the region. "Young children and youths are becoming an easy prey to
the vicious network of drug peddlers in the region. This network is
now spreading even to remote rural areas," said Sanjay Gupta, head,
psychiatry department, BHU. It all starts from a cigarette puff and
later transforms into deep addiction of hard psychotropic drugs
including opium, heroin, cannabis and others.

In fact, cigarette or bidi acts as the gateway to addiction of hard
drugs for most people, he added indicating the gravity of the
situation. The reports of the department indicate that all the five
beds (called de-addiction beds for separate treatment of drug
abusers) hardly lie vacant even for a single day. At times, the beds
of other departments are also used for accommodating the patients
who turn up for de-addiction. Calling drug abuse a major psychiatry
problem, Gupta said that victims of drug abuse usually lose capacity
to look after themselves. The over occupation of a particular drug
habit also interferes the social and interpersonal functioning,
leading to psycho-biological disorder, he added.

Similarly, hinting at the dangerous trend of using drug abuse as a
tool for making young children and youths working for long hours by
the contractors, Gupta said that the trend has reached even in the
remote parts of the district. Initially, the drugs are offered at
nominal costs but once, the users become addicted, they do not mind
selling jewellery, ornaments or stealing cash to buy the drug, he added.