DRUG ADDICTS AND SHARED SYRINGES

RAWALPINDI: Even though Pakistan is one of the countries labeled as
'low prevalence and high risk' in terms of HIV/AIDS the lingering
miasma of HIV/AIDS is rising rapidly because of shared syringes used
to inject drugs in the slums of the city.

In fact the main cause for the spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in
Pakistan is injected drug abuse. Moreover, Hepatitis C is another
disease that people injecting drugs risk acquiring.

There is strong evidence that there is a shift from non-injecting
modes of drug abuse to injecting drugs with the latter becoming
increasingly popular in areas like Pir Wadhai, a large opium/heroin
production and drug trafficking region.

Injecting drugs is also common in other areas such as Dhok Ratta,
Dhok Charg Deen, Dhok Hasso, Dhok Khaba, Bagh Sardarn, Mohan Pura,
Katarian, Kachi Abadi in Islamabad, Muslim Town and so on.

A reliable study stated that it is of significance that between 5-10
percent of people injecting drugs in the city are in the 18-24 year
age bracket, and in the city 33 percent of the people had come from
other cities. Moreover, it is estimated that more than 10,000
injected drug abusers exist in Rawalpindi with that number
increasing day by day. It is also estimated that each user injects
drugs 10-15 times daily.

Injecting drugs seems to be considered both quicker and more
effective by drug abusers and smoking, inhaling and sniffing have
become passe. Among the most used injections are Vaprijasic,
Atamjasic, Neuroban, Damijasic and on occasion Heroin.

While a cigarette filled with hashish was routinely shared amongst
three or four drug abusers but now two or more people use a single
syringe to inject drugs.

Drug abusers find shelter while injecting drugs in shrubs of
graveyards, at shrines, along the banks of Nullah Leh, under big
manholes or in buildings under construction. Many of them steal to
support their addiction.

A major proportion of the respondents to the survey conducted by
Daily Times in the red zones cited peer pressure as the major reason
which caused the shift to injecting drugs from smoking, chasing or
sniffing herion.

"This is quick and the easiest way to become unconscious," said
Qabeer, a resident of Attock who has been injecting drugs for six
years. He said he had moved to Rawalpindi in search of a job but he
could not find a source of income. He said, "I prefer to be a drug
user to relax my mind from the worries of life."

Farooq Zaman, 26, originally from Abbotabad, had settled at the Pir
Wadhai bus stand, and told Daily Times that he shared syringes with
his friend while injecting drugs. His drug dealer is a woman from
NWFP who made sales trips twice a week to supply them with drugs.

Amjad Deen, 22, had left his home four years ago and he shifted from
non-injecting modes of drug abuse to injecting drugs about two years
ago. He also shares syringes very often.

Shakeelo, 35, a resident of Bagh Sardaran, said the syringe is
bought from medical stores and he does not know the name of the drug
but it was yellow. He said he and his friends had only one syringe
that they all used.

The complete disregard for safety concerns when sharing syringes
seems to be a hallmark of drug abusers who have taken to injecting
drugs. It is this lack of concern for their own future that is now
raising the spectres of HIV/AIDS and other transmittable diseases,
which have heretofore had low prevalence rates in Pakistan.

Dr Sunny who works with drug abusers stated that there were many
solid reasons behind this social evil. He said self-medication is
the major cause and most serious drug abusers began with popping
sleeping pills. He said the ease with which injections could be
bought also contributed to the growing prevalence of injected drug
abuse. He said drug abuse is a curable disease and the government
and community should work together to discontinue the addiction. He
said the alarming danger of the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis
C among the injected drug abusers could not be neglected.

He said there were some psychological factors which stimulated the
desire for addiction in a normal mind and each drug abuser came form
a social context where he felt a plethora of negative emotions and
low self-esteem causing them to share syringes with impunity.