“Drug abuse is not a disease, it is a decision.”
Faced with limited job opportunities, fewer openings in the armed forces, substandard education, meager salaried jobs and a farm economy in the doldrums, the young Punjabi youth population is succumbing to the temptation of drugs.
The state ministry survey found that heroin was the most common drug being consumed, comprising a whopping 53 per cent of substance abuse in the state. The cost is colossal. The study found that heroin addicts consume an average Rs 1,400 worth of substance every day, and thus, the struggle for funds.
The succession from the ‘first trial’ to ‘addiction’ is rapid. There is desperate need for funds; and stealing from home is next. The addict turns into a petty criminal indulging in snatching and picking pockets, and becomes a tool of exploitation by the suppliers of contraband. They become a curse to society, quickly mounting the crime ladder.
More than half of the drugs confiscated across the country are in Punjab. The war is a long-drawn one and daily battles will only dent the abuse.
It’s time the Police and Army together start a crackdown. Drug Syndicates are the key accommodators holding high offices and across the border passage providers who smuggle the drugs in to the state from Pakistan and Afghan borders. They must be stopped.
Until then, the tragedy of Punjab’s homes will continue and the tears will flow aplenty. We would be glad to help out with rehabilitation programs. If you know someone who’s working towards drug control in Punjab, let us know! We would love to collaborate with them.
