Drugs – Increased usage in Pakistan’s youth
The youth of Pakistan has been subjected to exposure to drugs at a very young age. Abusing drugs has become a norm in the elite society. On the other hand, the poor are using drugs to escape having to face their problems. In today’s era, everyone is just dying to fit in. So, even a little push can drive a person to experiment with drugs. Too many youngsters are caught in the beautiful trap created by drugs. Blinded by the highs, the youngsters’ mental health is exponentially deteriorating. The government’s initiatives to mitigate the issue have proven to be a failure. If drug usage by the youth is not controlled appropriately, the consequences our country will face will be catastrophic.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has reported that around six point seven million Pakistanis are doing drugs. The drug being abused the most is cannabis. According to recent studies, smoking a cigarette is the gateway to the usage of drugs. Pakistan shares a border with Afghanistan, which is the hub of drug smuggling. Afghanistan is known to produce the highest amount of hashish all around the world which makes Pakistan prone to being affected by the production. Illegal trafficking has made hardcore drugs readily available to the youth of Pakistan. Hashish and other such drugs are sold at such low prices, which leads to the poor and the rich alike, abusing drugs. There are countless young heroin users in Pakistan. Injecting oneself with drugs increases the risk of HIV.
The issue stems from depression and thrill-seeking. Pakistan’s youth is severely depressed due to countless reasons ranging from pressure from parents to insignificant things such as heartbreak. Most students in university or college, watch TV shows which displays drug abuse. It is believed that these shows play a major role in students abusing drugs. Pressure from peers has also forced many kids to try drugs. Reports suggest that in every 10 students, 1 student is addicted to drugs. The severe competition in colleges and universities drives many students to resort to drugs. Prescription drugs, such as Adderall are frequently taken by youngsters to stay ahead in their studies. Atheism is also spreading in the youngsters. Without the fear of God, students just have the phrase ‘YOLO’ in mind as they numb their minds with drugs.
Outside every single university, there is a spot where the students go to smoke a cigarette or joint. The easy availability of drugs has played a major role in the increase in drug usage. Dealers are just a phone call away. Evidence suggests that drug dealers’ contact numbers are exchanged amongst the students in their hostels. It starts with soft drugs, such as pan or Niswar, and move on to hard-core drugs such as heroin and cocaine. Shockingly, most heroin addicts are under the age of 24. Many youngsters in Pakistan have lost all hope and they just rely on the temporary happiness provided by drugs. With this increase in drug usage, there is a severe threat to the health and lives of the students.
One of the main reasons this issue still stands is that the powerful people of Pakistan back the drug cartels. The government could not be less interested in stopping the trafficking of drugs. All the police seem to care about is money. Even when they catch a person with illegal drugs, all they require is a small bribe to keep their mouths shut. Furthermore, it appears that the drug lords and the police have established an understanding. Due to the loopholes present in criminal justice, drug dealers and traffickers alike have evaded justice. The government has turned a blind eye towards smuggling and dealing drugs which has led to a boost in drug abuse.
The irony of drugs is that people do it to get away from depression and end up being even more depressed. Hence, leading to a steep rise in the suicide rate. Many youngsters have died due to overdose. Our youth is our future. It is the government’s responsibility to save our youth from falling into the trap. If this keeps up, our county will soon be in shambles. It is high time the government took action and dealt with this dire issue.