By: Deedar Ali Bangwar
Drug addiction is a controversial issue for the people of our society, especially the youth. One of the largest troubles in society today is youth drug abuse which affects us in our day-to-day lives. It devastates families and destroys relationships. Essentially, drugs are pain killers. They may seem to avert emotional and physical pain by providing the user with a temporary and illusionary escape or a way to cope with life’s realities. More problems– serious ones– are created by abusing drugs.
The person looks at drugs as a cure for unwanted feelings. The painkilling effects of drugs or drinks alcohol become a solution to their discomfort. This release is the main reason a person uses drugs or drinks a second or third time. It is just a matter of before he becomes fully addicted and loses the ability to control his drug use. Drug addiction, then, results from excessive or continued use of physiologically habit-forming drugs in an attempt to resolve the underlying symptoms of discomfort or unhappiness.
A community drug is a chemical substance that can alter the way people normally behave. When drugs are used for nonmedical purposes, they alter one’s consciousness which may be defined as drug abuse and it is also considered an illegal drug. It is deemed to be the material that can Pakistan Social Sciences Review (PSSR) March 2020 Volume 4, Issue 1 460 change the emotional or physical state of someone. It leads to abnormality if it is used repeatedly.
Abuse of drugs is one of the critical problems nowadays tackled by Pakistan. It is quite alarming that the ratio of drug abusers is rising by the day despite all the remedial efforts made by the government to get rid of this issue. This problem is bitterly affecting the lives of common people, and on the other side, it is becoming a big obstacle to the socio-economic development of the country. In Pakistan, there are nine million people who are not just taking drugs but have become addicts, of which about two million range between the age of 15 to 25 years. The heightening number of such people especially, young people who are in college and university has resulted in serious social and health implications. The drugs with the potential for dependence, change neurons of the brain which exploit happiness or reward. Along with these tobacco is frequently used by both girls and boys throughout the world. The most widespread and well-known drugs include tobacco, alcohol, opium, cannabis, hallucinogens, stimulants, sedatives, Amphetamines and Cocaine.
Tobacco is the most common drug used worldwide by both genders in Pakistan. Media has enhanced the use of cogitating among girls and its use is increasing by the day. Pakistan has been suffering from drug danger despite its orthodox and conservative people. Since its emergence, Pakistan has had very liberal laws about drugs. Its main cities were having the vogue of drinking alcohol till the mid of 1970s but the Bhutto regime prohibited its use for Muslim citizens. From then onwards Muslim drug users were unable to acquire alcohol legally. And publicity for illegal beverages has been prohibited. Muslims in Pakistan are 97% and only the remaining three per cent, mostly Christians can buy it with a legal permit. Non-Muslims have a limit to buy 100 bottles of beer or five bottles of liquor per month. But these limits were not implemented by letter and spirit. NonMuslims foreigners can place orders for alcohol in hotels that have licenses and they also can demand a legal permit. In Pakistan, 500,000 people use heroin and 125,000.
A golden period starts when a young student enters university life when has complete freedom from parents’ supervision and is a part of new groups. This period lets him enjoy formally prohibited things and start adventures. The factors that compel him to abuse drugs are curiosity, fellows and social influence. The main reasons for drug abuse are due to anxiety caused by their peers (96%), educational stress (90%) and inquisitiveness (88%). According to a study, tobacco was used in various ways in Pakistan, such as overall tobacco users (28.8%), 87.5% were smokers, chewers 37.5%. the results are reflected that borders were more users than those non- borders. Peer influence played a key role in tobacco smoking. The fellows imitated the use of alcohol and tobacco.
The Results of this research showed that dangerous drugs such as heroin and cocaine are less abused among university students. Whereas sedatives, ecstasy pills, shisha, cannabis (Charas), injected drugs and alcohol (Murree Brewery, whisky, vodka) are commonly abused drugs by university students. The results of this study show that the ratio of drug abuse is high in male and hospitalized students in comparison to female and non-border students. There is a need to pay attention to the government and administration of universities to dwindle the abuse of drugs among their students. To inform the students about the overwhelming reactions to drug abuse, in Single National Curriculum (SNC) should be added. Students should know their worth and family reputation and prevent getting involved in such hateful activities.
The most common drugs used by university students are morphine, opium, cocaine, hashish and cannabis and the most common causes of students falling into drug abuse are social or family stress, exam-related anxiety, availability of drugs and the negative influence of drug-using friends or hostel fellows, according to experts. Study research, “Causes of drug abuse among university students in Pakistan”, published in March this year by the Pakistan Social Sciences Review quarterly journal, looked into the causes behind drug abuse among university students.
It found that the major reasons for drug abuse were peer pressure (96%), educational stress (90%) and inquisitiveness (88%). It put the number of drug addicts in Pakistan at 7.6 million people, mostly young people and university students, of which 78% are male and 22% are female and said this number is heightening by 40,000 per year.
Hassan Bin Usman, lead author of a 2017 paper, “Prevalence and reasons of use of recreational drugs among university/college students of Rawalpindi and Islamabad”, told University World News this week that 90% of addicted students know the hazardous effects on health, education and their career. His study found that 92% of males and 93% of females knew recreational drug use was prevented on a religious and lawful basis.
It is not lack of awareness that has driven students to drug use but the easy availability of drugs. Strict law enforcement is the solution to curb and eliminate this curse from campuses.
The writer is a freelance columnist based in Kandhkot, Sindh. He can be reached at [email protected]
