Fallen angels
M. Khalid Rahman discusses the problems of street children, which afflicts a sizable portion of our urban youngsters
He is a street child. As I accost him, young Karamat gives me a curious look. “Ask!” he speaks out in a tone that reflects his Lyari background. He says his father had, many years ago, murdered his mother, suspecting that she was having an extra-marital affair.
He was sent to jail and the child was given shelter by a woman, who, like many other women in the locality, earned her living by dealing in drugs. When she died, Karamat took to living on the streets with a band of homeless children like him. He is the stereotypical street child.
Street children are the casualties of economic woes, war, poverty, loss of traditional values, domestic violence and physical and psychological abuse. Karamat soon came to know that he could make a living not only by begging but also by mediating between the drug suppliers and the addicts. One day, as he was passing heroin on to an addict, a burly man grabbed him by the neck and gave him a thrashing. He was scared stiff when the man told him that he was from the Anti-Narcotics Force. The man took him to a deserted place and sodomised him.
Since he, like the other street kids, was not totally unfamiliar with sex, Karamat had no choice but to become a sex worker for him. This man also ran a drug racket as a side-business, and asked the kid to act as his agent. Street children seldom have a choice in becoming a straw in the wind—and going to school is always out of question. For kicks, these young souls turn to narcotics or to sniffing rubber solvent.
Like boys, girls too, are kept under the ‘protection’ of their ‘families’—who are usually gypsies living on the streets, or mafias protected by the police. Many street children gather money by begging or selling flowers, washing cars or via prostitution, receiving only a small cut from the money that gets collected. The city police, especially the traffic police cops, also share their earnings.
Then there are the Afghan kids, who pick plastic, glass, metal and other knick-knack from the garbage thrown out on the streets, and sell them to the shopkeepers. They roam the streets all day and then go back to their dera, where they eat and sleep.
Dr Farah Iqbal, a professor of psychology at the University of Karachi, collaborates closely with the Azad Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to working for street children. She explains, “Once a child leaves the family home—for whatever reason—to live on the street, he is labelled as a street child.”
According to the UN report there are 100-140 million street children worldwide, which is more than the entire population of France and Britain combined. Due to a growing food insecurity in the developing world, it is estimated that by the year 2020, the number of street children, worldwide, may reach 800 million.
These children normally undertake occupations like collecting and selling waste paper, plastic and scrap metal, amongst others. Other occupations sought by them include cleaning cars, working as shoe-shiners or in small hotels, selling water, newspapers or other items. Street children can also be seen begging for money and food in front of shopping malls, traffic signals, restaurants and hotels, shrines and other crowded areas.
They usually form groups to secure themselves from exploitation and abuse, which is common. The group leaders, usually the eldest or the strongest male member, dominates the group. He is considered ‘the boss’ and reserves the ‘right’ to physically, psychologically and sexually abuse group members to dominate and exert authority over them. Such leaders also arrange and manage not only their basic needs of food and shelter, but even their secondary needs, like interpersonal relationships and activityrecreation, indulgence in games, substance abuse or even involvement in sexual .
Dehumanisation is the most dangerous threat posed to street children in that it absolves people, especially the authorities, of the obligation to accord them their rights. Several institutions and organisations have conducted research on the street children of Pakistan, like the Azad Foundation, the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC), Pavhna, Konpal, the Institute of Behavioural Sciences, the UNODCCP (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Control Prevention), etc. A law has recently been passed by the parliament, and is awaiting the president’s signature to alleviate the children’s suffering.
While problems relating to street children in Pakistan have multiplied over the past two decades, it appears unlikely that measures taken by our legislators will succeed—especially in view of the unwillingness of our law enforcers and corruption in their ranks.
Reference : http://www.dawn.com/2011/07/17/fallen-angels.html
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Drug use in Colleges & Universities Rapidly Growing
Drug use in Colleges & Universities Rapidly Growing
One out of every 10 students is a drug addictIslamabad, June 26: Drug abuse is rapidly growing in Pakistan, especially amongst youth in colleges and universities, resulting in serious social and health implications. Almost five per cent (five million) of adult population in the country is using drugs and its use is growing at an annual rate of seven per cent, while according to estimates, one out of every 10 college/university students in Pakistan is a drug addict.
According to a National Assessment study on Drug Abuse in Pakistan, there are estimated 500,000 heroin users and 125,000 injecting drug users in the country and the number of latter has doubled since 2000, which is alarming. Over 40,000 street children are involved in solvent substance abuse in merely four major cities of the country namely Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, the study reveals.
"Over the last 20 years, the increasing number of drug addicts has brought a bad name to the country and today, Pakistan is highly notorious for the phenomenon," said Head of Community Medicine at Islamabad Medical & Dental College, Islamabad Prof Dr Muhammad Ashraf Chaudhry, in connection with the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse & Illicit Trafficking that is observed on June 26 each year around the globe.
The United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime (UNODC) leads the international awareness raising campaign of the major problems that illicit drugs represent to society and especially to young people. "The theme of this year, the same as of 2007 and 2008, 'Do Drugs Control Your Life? Your life. Your community. No place for drugs' communicates that the destructive effects of illicit drugs concern us all," said Dr Ashraf. According to UNODC, nearly 200 million people worldwide are using illicit drugs such as cocaine, cannabis, hallucinogens, opiates and sedative hypnotics.
The world of drug addicts is also getting bigger in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. According to an estimate, the peddling of narcotics is going on at more than 80 points in Rawalpindi city without any check. At these points, hashish, charas, opium, heroin and morphine is being sold by both male and female agents. "Most of the male agents are kiosk owners, vendors, vegetable sellers, beggars, automobile mechanics and shopkeepers, but they actually sell narcotics to their clients," said Dr Ashraf.
The main drug-peddling points are located in areas of Raja Bazaar, Banni, Pirwadhai, Sadiqabad and Chaklala Scheme III. Cannabis (hashish) is the cheapest of all narcotics and easily available in the twin cities at the rate of Rs20,000 per kilogram while heroin - a highly addictive substance - is available for Rs100 per dose.
"Drug addicts are mostly found busy in their activities in extremely unhygienic areas, especially near nullahs and shrines, bus stops and railway stations," said Dr Ashraf adding that covered in ragged clothes with untrimmed hair and bearded faces, drug users spend days under the sky without having any meal.
To a query, Dr Ashraf said often the narcotic substance is linked to factors such as risk taking behaviours that might involve experimenting with narcotics, smoking and alcohol, social isolation, the need to cope with unfamiliar and stressful situations, peer pressure (bad company), unemployment, excessive pocket money by parents and lack of supervision, the desire for social acceptance, boredom, curiosity, just to feel good, weak religious beliefs and a lot of free time at their disposal.
"While some of the physical effects of drugs may sound nice, they do not last long. Many people get depressed and start feeling sick shortly after being on drugs, while the physical and sexual health of addicts weaken so rapidly that a young man in his 30s looks like an old man of over 60 when on drugs," he added.
Drug abuse causes not only the economic breakdown of a family but also the loss of self-confidence and will on part of the addict along with the loss of job, indulgence in crimes such as theft, and suicidal thoughts. Drug addicts are also more prone to accidents and are at higher risk of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B & C and tuberculosis. Married drug addicts have a high probability of having mentally retarded and physically handicapped children, said Dr Ashraf.
Talking about the preventive measures of drug use, he said parents could recognise addiction in their children by noting some of the symptoms including deep body emaciation, loss of appetite, difficulty in breathing and fatigue, strong nervous disturbance, prolonged home absences, much money demand, lying to get money, remaining isolated, long sleep periods, laziness, pale face, tremors in fingers, constipation, irregularities in work and studies, and marks and traces of abuse on the body. "Parents after witnessing even a few of the above symptoms in their child should immediately get him/her examined," advised Dr Ashraf.
An addict is a sick person and needs humanistic treatment that comprises three stages - assessment, detoxification and rehabilitation. The most difficult part of the treatment is rehabilitation in which there is a need to motivate a patient to take up any healthy activity preferably away from old places and old company. "No one should be stigmatised because of his dependence on drugs," he said.
For the prevention and control of drug abuse, he urged running campaigns through mass media, essay contests, lectures and declamation contests in schools, colleges and universities in order to create awareness about the ill effects of drug addiction. The evidence points to a pressing need of taking drug abuse very seriously, and parents and teachers along with government and public health agencies should be alert to the rising epidemic of drug abuse among the Pakistani youth.
Dr Ashraf said efforts should be made to control tobacco smoking in the country, as it is the gateway to drug abuse. "Parents should be vigilant and keep an eye on the company/activities of their children. They should keep their children busy and motivate them to say their prayers regularly. He added that the government should solve the unemployment problem in the country, as economic worries provide a fertile ground to an individual for drug addiction.
"Free quitlines (telephone helpline offering treatment for addiction and behaviour change) for counselling services should be made available," he said and added that the government should increase the number of treatment and rehabilitation centres for drug addicts. Moreover, services provided for drug dependence in different sectors (government, NGOs, and private) need to be assessed for their quality, effectiveness and efficiency in providing a continuum of care and meeting the clients' diverse needs, he said.
The message must be promoted that drugs are slow poison in all forms and death follows drug addicts, concluded Dr Ashraf
One out of every 10 students is a drug addictIslamabad, June 26: Drug abuse is rapidly growing in Pakistan, especially amongst youth in colleges and universities, resulting in serious social and health implications. Almost five per cent (five million) of adult population in the country is using drugs and its use is growing at an annual rate of seven per cent, while according to estimates, one out of every 10 college/university students in Pakistan is a drug addict.
According to a National Assessment study on Drug Abuse in Pakistan, there are estimated 500,000 heroin users and 125,000 injecting drug users in the country and the number of latter has doubled since 2000, which is alarming. Over 40,000 street children are involved in solvent substance abuse in merely four major cities of the country namely Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, the study reveals.
"Over the last 20 years, the increasing number of drug addicts has brought a bad name to the country and today, Pakistan is highly notorious for the phenomenon," said Head of Community Medicine at Islamabad Medical & Dental College, Islamabad Prof Dr Muhammad Ashraf Chaudhry, in connection with the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse & Illicit Trafficking that is observed on June 26 each year around the globe.
The United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime (UNODC) leads the international awareness raising campaign of the major problems that illicit drugs represent to society and especially to young people. "The theme of this year, the same as of 2007 and 2008, 'Do Drugs Control Your Life? Your life. Your community. No place for drugs' communicates that the destructive effects of illicit drugs concern us all," said Dr Ashraf. According to UNODC, nearly 200 million people worldwide are using illicit drugs such as cocaine, cannabis, hallucinogens, opiates and sedative hypnotics.
The world of drug addicts is also getting bigger in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. According to an estimate, the peddling of narcotics is going on at more than 80 points in Rawalpindi city without any check. At these points, hashish, charas, opium, heroin and morphine is being sold by both male and female agents. "Most of the male agents are kiosk owners, vendors, vegetable sellers, beggars, automobile mechanics and shopkeepers, but they actually sell narcotics to their clients," said Dr Ashraf.
The main drug-peddling points are located in areas of Raja Bazaar, Banni, Pirwadhai, Sadiqabad and Chaklala Scheme III. Cannabis (hashish) is the cheapest of all narcotics and easily available in the twin cities at the rate of Rs20,000 per kilogram while heroin - a highly addictive substance - is available for Rs100 per dose.
"Drug addicts are mostly found busy in their activities in extremely unhygienic areas, especially near nullahs and shrines, bus stops and railway stations," said Dr Ashraf adding that covered in ragged clothes with untrimmed hair and bearded faces, drug users spend days under the sky without having any meal.
To a query, Dr Ashraf said often the narcotic substance is linked to factors such as risk taking behaviours that might involve experimenting with narcotics, smoking and alcohol, social isolation, the need to cope with unfamiliar and stressful situations, peer pressure (bad company), unemployment, excessive pocket money by parents and lack of supervision, the desire for social acceptance, boredom, curiosity, just to feel good, weak religious beliefs and a lot of free time at their disposal.
"While some of the physical effects of drugs may sound nice, they do not last long. Many people get depressed and start feeling sick shortly after being on drugs, while the physical and sexual health of addicts weaken so rapidly that a young man in his 30s looks like an old man of over 60 when on drugs," he added.
Drug abuse causes not only the economic breakdown of a family but also the loss of self-confidence and will on part of the addict along with the loss of job, indulgence in crimes such as theft, and suicidal thoughts. Drug addicts are also more prone to accidents and are at higher risk of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B & C and tuberculosis. Married drug addicts have a high probability of having mentally retarded and physically handicapped children, said Dr Ashraf.
Talking about the preventive measures of drug use, he said parents could recognise addiction in their children by noting some of the symptoms including deep body emaciation, loss of appetite, difficulty in breathing and fatigue, strong nervous disturbance, prolonged home absences, much money demand, lying to get money, remaining isolated, long sleep periods, laziness, pale face, tremors in fingers, constipation, irregularities in work and studies, and marks and traces of abuse on the body. "Parents after witnessing even a few of the above symptoms in their child should immediately get him/her examined," advised Dr Ashraf.
An addict is a sick person and needs humanistic treatment that comprises three stages - assessment, detoxification and rehabilitation. The most difficult part of the treatment is rehabilitation in which there is a need to motivate a patient to take up any healthy activity preferably away from old places and old company. "No one should be stigmatised because of his dependence on drugs," he said.
For the prevention and control of drug abuse, he urged running campaigns through mass media, essay contests, lectures and declamation contests in schools, colleges and universities in order to create awareness about the ill effects of drug addiction. The evidence points to a pressing need of taking drug abuse very seriously, and parents and teachers along with government and public health agencies should be alert to the rising epidemic of drug abuse among the Pakistani youth.
Dr Ashraf said efforts should be made to control tobacco smoking in the country, as it is the gateway to drug abuse. "Parents should be vigilant and keep an eye on the company/activities of their children. They should keep their children busy and motivate them to say their prayers regularly. He added that the government should solve the unemployment problem in the country, as economic worries provide a fertile ground to an individual for drug addiction.
"Free quitlines (telephone helpline offering treatment for addiction and behaviour change) for counselling services should be made available," he said and added that the government should increase the number of treatment and rehabilitation centres for drug addicts. Moreover, services provided for drug dependence in different sectors (government, NGOs, and private) need to be assessed for their quality, effectiveness and efficiency in providing a continuum of care and meeting the clients' diverse needs, he said.
The message must be promoted that drugs are slow poison in all forms and death follows drug addicts, concluded Dr Ashraf
Abusing Prescription Drugs
Abusing Prescription Drugs
Nearly 7 million Americans are abusing prescription drugs*—more than the number who are abusing cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, Ecstasy, and inhalants, combined. That 7 million was just 3.8 million in 2000, an 80 percent increase in just 6 years.
Prescription pain relievers are new drug users’ drug of choice, vs. marijuana or cocaine.
Opioid painkillers now cause more drug overdose deaths than cocaine and heroin combined.
Nearly 1 in 10 high school seniors admits to abusing powerful prescription painkillers. A shocking 40 percent of teens and an almost equal number of their parents think abusing prescription painkillers is safer than abusing "street" drugs.
Misuse of painkillers represents three-fourths of the overall problem of prescription drug abuse; hydrocodone is the most commonly diverted and abused controlled pharmaceutical in the U.S.
Twenty-five percent of drug-related emergency department visits are associated with abuse of prescription drugs.
Methods of acquiring prescription drugs for abuse include “doctor-shopping,” traditional drug-dealing, theft from pharmacies or homes, illicitly acquiring prescription drugs via the Internet, and from friends or relatives.
DEA works closely with the medical community to help them recognize drug abuse and signs of diversion and relies on their input and due diligence to combat diversion. Doctor involvement in illegal drug activity is rare—less than one tenth of one percent of more than 750,000 doctors are the subject of DEA investigations each year—but egregious drug violations by practitioners unfortunately do sometimes occur. DEA pursues criminal action against such practitioners.
DEA Internet drug trafficking initiatives over the past 3 years have identified and dismantled organizations based both in the U.S. and overseas, and arrested dozens of conspirators. As a result of major investigations such as Operations Web Tryp, PharmNet, Cyber Rx, Cyber Chase, and Click 4 Drugs, Bay Watch, and Lightning Strike, tens of millions of dosage units of prescription drugs and tens of millions of dollars in assets have been seized.
* Prescription drugs refers to abuseable pharmaceuticals controlled under federal law enforced by the DEA.
Useful Links:
DEA Testimony on Prescription Drug Abuse
ONDCP's Prescription Drug Abuse Fact Sheets
SAMHSA's Brochure on Prescription Drug Abuse
NIDA InfoFacts: Prescription Pain and Other Medications
Prescription Drug Monitoring Project
The Silent Epidemic - Kids and Pharmaceutical Abuse
MedLine Plus: Prescription Drug Abuse
National Drug Threat Assessment
Source:
http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/concern/prescription_drug_fact_sheet.html
Nearly 7 million Americans are abusing prescription drugs*—more than the number who are abusing cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, Ecstasy, and inhalants, combined. That 7 million was just 3.8 million in 2000, an 80 percent increase in just 6 years.
Prescription pain relievers are new drug users’ drug of choice, vs. marijuana or cocaine.
Opioid painkillers now cause more drug overdose deaths than cocaine and heroin combined.
Nearly 1 in 10 high school seniors admits to abusing powerful prescription painkillers. A shocking 40 percent of teens and an almost equal number of their parents think abusing prescription painkillers is safer than abusing "street" drugs.
Misuse of painkillers represents three-fourths of the overall problem of prescription drug abuse; hydrocodone is the most commonly diverted and abused controlled pharmaceutical in the U.S.
Twenty-five percent of drug-related emergency department visits are associated with abuse of prescription drugs.
Methods of acquiring prescription drugs for abuse include “doctor-shopping,” traditional drug-dealing, theft from pharmacies or homes, illicitly acquiring prescription drugs via the Internet, and from friends or relatives.
DEA works closely with the medical community to help them recognize drug abuse and signs of diversion and relies on their input and due diligence to combat diversion. Doctor involvement in illegal drug activity is rare—less than one tenth of one percent of more than 750,000 doctors are the subject of DEA investigations each year—but egregious drug violations by practitioners unfortunately do sometimes occur. DEA pursues criminal action against such practitioners.
DEA Internet drug trafficking initiatives over the past 3 years have identified and dismantled organizations based both in the U.S. and overseas, and arrested dozens of conspirators. As a result of major investigations such as Operations Web Tryp, PharmNet, Cyber Rx, Cyber Chase, and Click 4 Drugs, Bay Watch, and Lightning Strike, tens of millions of dosage units of prescription drugs and tens of millions of dollars in assets have been seized.
* Prescription drugs refers to abuseable pharmaceuticals controlled under federal law enforced by the DEA.
Useful Links:
DEA Testimony on Prescription Drug Abuse
ONDCP's Prescription Drug Abuse Fact Sheets
SAMHSA's Brochure on Prescription Drug Abuse
NIDA InfoFacts: Prescription Pain and Other Medications
Prescription Drug Monitoring Project
The Silent Epidemic - Kids and Pharmaceutical Abuse
MedLine Plus: Prescription Drug Abuse
National Drug Threat Assessment
Source:
http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/concern/prescription_drug_fact_sheet.html
Drug Trafficking Continues to Plague Pakistan
Drug Trafficking Continues to Plague Pakistan
Saturday, 27 Jun, 2009
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan remains among the countries most affected by drug trafficking and has been ranked second in terms of heroin and morphine seizures in 2008.
These sorry facts came as the World Drug Day was observed on Friday to raise awareness about the major challenges which illicit drugs represent to society as a whole and especially to the young.
The world’s morphine seizures continued to be reported by Pakistan with 11 metric tons or 40 per cent of the total seizure globally, according to the World Drug Report 2009, launched in Islamabad on Thursday.
In terms of opium seizure, Pakistan was ranked second with 71 per cent of the total seizures.
In Pakistan, opium poppy continued to be cultivated in the area along the Afghan border at about the same relatively low level of about 2,000 hectares reported over the past five years. Pakistan saw the most opium poppy eradication in 2004 when 5,200 hectares of land was cleared.
In 2007, poppy crop on 614 hectares was eradicated. The new drug report carry no figure for the year 2008, mainly due to the ongoing war against Taliban militants and anti-state elements in parts of NWFP, the main poppy cultivating areas.
The United Nations Office of Drug and Crime, which released its annual World Drug Report, suggests in its estimates for 2008 that most of the opium exports from Afghanistan cross the border in Iran while nearly 40 per cent exports of morphine and heroin exports go to Pakistan.
Pakistan has reported an additional new route to Malaysia, both direct and via Dubai. Until recently, heroin in Malaysia originated exclusively from Myanmar. This new route shows that Afghan opiates may now reach other destinations since Malaysia has been mentioned among the key embarkation points for heroin shipments into Australia.
The report says the bulk of all opiates produced in Afghanistan are destined for consumption in the neighbouring Iran, Pakistan, Central Asian countries and, to a lesser extent, India. These markets – about five million users – are, in fact, larger than the opiate market in western and central Europe – about 1.4 million.
The opiate markets in Western Europe are, however, financially more lucrative. Therefore, opiates also leave Afghanistan via Iran and Pakistan along the Balkan route towards Western Europe.
Opiate use remains the most prominent illicit drug problem in this region. Population surveys suggested that 1.4 per cent used opiates in the past year in Afghanistan, and 2.8 per cent in Iran which has an estimated 0.7 to 1.6 million so-called ‘drug addicts’. Injecting drug use in Pakistan is reportedly increasing, with one study estimating 630,000 opiate users in Pakistan, equivalent to 0.7 per cent of those aged 15 to 64, around 77 per cent of whom were heroin users. At least half of the world’s amphetamines-group users – between 5.8-37.0 million – live in Asia.
Most of these are methamphetamine users in East and South-East Asia, which account for between 52 and 79 per cent of estimated users in the region.
Source: http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/12drug+trafficking+continues+to+plague+pakistan--bi-03
Saturday, 27 Jun, 2009
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan remains among the countries most affected by drug trafficking and has been ranked second in terms of heroin and morphine seizures in 2008.
These sorry facts came as the World Drug Day was observed on Friday to raise awareness about the major challenges which illicit drugs represent to society as a whole and especially to the young.
The world’s morphine seizures continued to be reported by Pakistan with 11 metric tons or 40 per cent of the total seizure globally, according to the World Drug Report 2009, launched in Islamabad on Thursday.
In terms of opium seizure, Pakistan was ranked second with 71 per cent of the total seizures.
In Pakistan, opium poppy continued to be cultivated in the area along the Afghan border at about the same relatively low level of about 2,000 hectares reported over the past five years. Pakistan saw the most opium poppy eradication in 2004 when 5,200 hectares of land was cleared.
In 2007, poppy crop on 614 hectares was eradicated. The new drug report carry no figure for the year 2008, mainly due to the ongoing war against Taliban militants and anti-state elements in parts of NWFP, the main poppy cultivating areas.
The United Nations Office of Drug and Crime, which released its annual World Drug Report, suggests in its estimates for 2008 that most of the opium exports from Afghanistan cross the border in Iran while nearly 40 per cent exports of morphine and heroin exports go to Pakistan.
Pakistan has reported an additional new route to Malaysia, both direct and via Dubai. Until recently, heroin in Malaysia originated exclusively from Myanmar. This new route shows that Afghan opiates may now reach other destinations since Malaysia has been mentioned among the key embarkation points for heroin shipments into Australia.
The report says the bulk of all opiates produced in Afghanistan are destined for consumption in the neighbouring Iran, Pakistan, Central Asian countries and, to a lesser extent, India. These markets – about five million users – are, in fact, larger than the opiate market in western and central Europe – about 1.4 million.
The opiate markets in Western Europe are, however, financially more lucrative. Therefore, opiates also leave Afghanistan via Iran and Pakistan along the Balkan route towards Western Europe.
Opiate use remains the most prominent illicit drug problem in this region. Population surveys suggested that 1.4 per cent used opiates in the past year in Afghanistan, and 2.8 per cent in Iran which has an estimated 0.7 to 1.6 million so-called ‘drug addicts’. Injecting drug use in Pakistan is reportedly increasing, with one study estimating 630,000 opiate users in Pakistan, equivalent to 0.7 per cent of those aged 15 to 64, around 77 per cent of whom were heroin users. At least half of the world’s amphetamines-group users – between 5.8-37.0 million – live in Asia.
Most of these are methamphetamine users in East and South-East Asia, which account for between 52 and 79 per cent of estimated users in the region.
Source: http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/12drug+trafficking+continues+to+plague+pakistan--bi-03
One out of every 10 students is a drug addict
One out of every 10 students is a drug addict
Friday, June 26, 2009Muhammad QasimIslamabadDrug abuse is rapidly growing in Pakistan, especially amongst youth in colleges and universities, resulting in serious social and health implications. Almost five per cent (five million) of adult population in the country is using drugs and its use is growing at an annual rate of seven per cent, while according to estimates, one out of every 10 college/university students in Pakistan is a drug addict. According to a National Assessment study on Drug Abuse in Pakistan, there are estimated 500,000 heroin users and 125,000 injecting drug users in the country and the number of latter has doubled since 2000, which is alarming. Over 40,000 street children are involved in solvent substance abuse in merely four major cities of the country namely Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, the study reveals. “Over the last 20 years, the increasing number of drug addicts has brought a bad name to the country and today, Pakistan is highly notorious for the phenomenon,” said Head of Community Medicine at Islamabad Medical & Dental College, Islamabad Prof Dr Muhammad Ashraf Chaudhry while talking to ‘The News’ in connection with the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse & Illicit Trafficking that is observed on June 26 each year around the globe. The United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime (UNODC) leads the international awareness raising campaign of the major problems that illicit drugs represent to society and especially to young people. “The theme of this year, the same as of 2007 and 2008, ‘Do Drugs Control Your Life? Your life. Your community. No place for drugs’ communicates that the destructive effects of illicit drugs concern us all,” said Dr Ashraf. According to UNODC, nearly 200 million people worldwide are using illicit drugs such as cocaine, cannabis, hallucinogens, opiates and sedative hypnotics. The world of drug addicts is also getting bigger in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. According to an estimate, the peddling of narcotics is going on at more than 80 points in Rawalpindi city without any check. At these points, hashish, charas, opium, heroin and morphine is being sold by both male and female agents. “Most of the male agents are kiosk owners, vendors, vegetable sellers, beggars, automobile mechanics and shopkeepers, but they actually sell narcotics to their clients,” said Dr Ashraf. The main drug-peddling points are located in areas of Raja Bazaar, Banni, Pirwadhai, Sadiqabad and Chaklala Scheme III. Cannabis (hashish) is the cheapest of all narcotics and easily available in the twin cities at the rate of Rs20,000 per kilogram while heroin - a highly addictive substance - is available for Rs100 per dose. “Drug addicts are mostly found busy in their activities in extremely unhygienic areas, especially near nullahs and shrines, bus stops and railway stations,” said Dr Ashraf adding that covered in ragged clothes with untrimmed hair and bearded faces, drug users spend days under the sky without having any meal. To a query, Dr Ashraf said often the narcotic substance is linked to factors such as risk taking behaviours that might involve experimenting with narcotics, smoking and alcohol, social isolation, the need to cope with unfamiliar and stressful situations, peer pressure (bad company), unemployment, excessive pocket money by parents and lack of supervision, the desire for social acceptance, boredom, curiosity, just to feel good, weak religious beliefs and a lot of free time at their disposal. “While some of the physical effects of drugs may sound nice, they do not last long. Many people get depressed and start feeling sick shortly after being on drugs, while the physical and sexual health of addicts weaken so rapidly that a young man in his 30s looks like an old man of over 60 when on drugs,” he added. Drug abuse causes not only the economic breakdown of a family but also the loss of self-confidence and will on part of the addict along with the loss of job, indulgence in crimes such as theft, and suicidal thoughts. Drug addicts are also more prone to accidents and are at higher risk of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B & C and tuberculosis. Married drug addicts have a high probability of having mentally retarded and physically handicapped children, said Dr Ashraf. Talking about the preventive measures of drug use, he said parents could recognise addiction in their children by noting some of the symptoms including deep body emaciation, loss of appetite, difficulty in breathing and fatigue, strong nervous disturbance, prolonged home absences, much money demand, lying to get money, remaining isolated, long sleep periods, laziness, pale face, tremors in fingers, constipation, irregularities in work and studies, and marks and traces of abuse on the body. “Parents after witnessing even a few of the above symptoms in their child should immediately get him/her examined,” advised Dr Ashraf. An addict is a sick person and needs humanistic treatment that comprises three stages - assessment, detoxification and rehabilitation. The most difficult part of the treatment is rehabilitation in which there is a need to motivate a patient to take up any healthy activity preferably away from old places and old company. “No one should be stigmatised because of his dependence on drugs,” he said. For the prevention and control of drug abuse, he urged running campaigns through mass media, essay contests, lectures and declamation contests in schools, colleges and universities in order to create awareness about the ill effects of drug addiction. The evidence points to a pressing need of taking drug abuse very seriously, and parents and teachers along with government and public health agencies should be alert to the rising epidemic of drug abuse among the Pakistani youth. Dr Ashraf said efforts should be made to control tobacco smoking in the country, as it is the gateway to drug abuse. “Parents should be vigilant and keep an eye on the company/activities of their children. They should keep their children busy and motivate them to say their prayers regularly. He added that the government should solve the unemployment problem in the country, as economic worries provide a fertile ground to an individual for drug addiction. “Free quitlines (telephone helpline offering treatment for addiction and behaviour change) for counselling services should be made available,” he said and added that the government should increase the number of treatment and rehabilitation centres for drug addicts. Moreover, services provided for drug dependence in different sectors (government, NGOs, and private) need to be assessed for their quality, effectiveness and efficiency in providing a continuum of care and meeting the clients’ diverse needs, he said. The message must be promoted that drugs are slow poison in all forms and death follows drug addicts, concluded Dr Ashraf.
Source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=184979
Friday, June 26, 2009Muhammad QasimIslamabadDrug abuse is rapidly growing in Pakistan, especially amongst youth in colleges and universities, resulting in serious social and health implications. Almost five per cent (five million) of adult population in the country is using drugs and its use is growing at an annual rate of seven per cent, while according to estimates, one out of every 10 college/university students in Pakistan is a drug addict. According to a National Assessment study on Drug Abuse in Pakistan, there are estimated 500,000 heroin users and 125,000 injecting drug users in the country and the number of latter has doubled since 2000, which is alarming. Over 40,000 street children are involved in solvent substance abuse in merely four major cities of the country namely Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, the study reveals. “Over the last 20 years, the increasing number of drug addicts has brought a bad name to the country and today, Pakistan is highly notorious for the phenomenon,” said Head of Community Medicine at Islamabad Medical & Dental College, Islamabad Prof Dr Muhammad Ashraf Chaudhry while talking to ‘The News’ in connection with the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse & Illicit Trafficking that is observed on June 26 each year around the globe. The United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime (UNODC) leads the international awareness raising campaign of the major problems that illicit drugs represent to society and especially to young people. “The theme of this year, the same as of 2007 and 2008, ‘Do Drugs Control Your Life? Your life. Your community. No place for drugs’ communicates that the destructive effects of illicit drugs concern us all,” said Dr Ashraf. According to UNODC, nearly 200 million people worldwide are using illicit drugs such as cocaine, cannabis, hallucinogens, opiates and sedative hypnotics. The world of drug addicts is also getting bigger in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. According to an estimate, the peddling of narcotics is going on at more than 80 points in Rawalpindi city without any check. At these points, hashish, charas, opium, heroin and morphine is being sold by both male and female agents. “Most of the male agents are kiosk owners, vendors, vegetable sellers, beggars, automobile mechanics and shopkeepers, but they actually sell narcotics to their clients,” said Dr Ashraf. The main drug-peddling points are located in areas of Raja Bazaar, Banni, Pirwadhai, Sadiqabad and Chaklala Scheme III. Cannabis (hashish) is the cheapest of all narcotics and easily available in the twin cities at the rate of Rs20,000 per kilogram while heroin - a highly addictive substance - is available for Rs100 per dose. “Drug addicts are mostly found busy in their activities in extremely unhygienic areas, especially near nullahs and shrines, bus stops and railway stations,” said Dr Ashraf adding that covered in ragged clothes with untrimmed hair and bearded faces, drug users spend days under the sky without having any meal. To a query, Dr Ashraf said often the narcotic substance is linked to factors such as risk taking behaviours that might involve experimenting with narcotics, smoking and alcohol, social isolation, the need to cope with unfamiliar and stressful situations, peer pressure (bad company), unemployment, excessive pocket money by parents and lack of supervision, the desire for social acceptance, boredom, curiosity, just to feel good, weak religious beliefs and a lot of free time at their disposal. “While some of the physical effects of drugs may sound nice, they do not last long. Many people get depressed and start feeling sick shortly after being on drugs, while the physical and sexual health of addicts weaken so rapidly that a young man in his 30s looks like an old man of over 60 when on drugs,” he added. Drug abuse causes not only the economic breakdown of a family but also the loss of self-confidence and will on part of the addict along with the loss of job, indulgence in crimes such as theft, and suicidal thoughts. Drug addicts are also more prone to accidents and are at higher risk of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B & C and tuberculosis. Married drug addicts have a high probability of having mentally retarded and physically handicapped children, said Dr Ashraf. Talking about the preventive measures of drug use, he said parents could recognise addiction in their children by noting some of the symptoms including deep body emaciation, loss of appetite, difficulty in breathing and fatigue, strong nervous disturbance, prolonged home absences, much money demand, lying to get money, remaining isolated, long sleep periods, laziness, pale face, tremors in fingers, constipation, irregularities in work and studies, and marks and traces of abuse on the body. “Parents after witnessing even a few of the above symptoms in their child should immediately get him/her examined,” advised Dr Ashraf. An addict is a sick person and needs humanistic treatment that comprises three stages - assessment, detoxification and rehabilitation. The most difficult part of the treatment is rehabilitation in which there is a need to motivate a patient to take up any healthy activity preferably away from old places and old company. “No one should be stigmatised because of his dependence on drugs,” he said. For the prevention and control of drug abuse, he urged running campaigns through mass media, essay contests, lectures and declamation contests in schools, colleges and universities in order to create awareness about the ill effects of drug addiction. The evidence points to a pressing need of taking drug abuse very seriously, and parents and teachers along with government and public health agencies should be alert to the rising epidemic of drug abuse among the Pakistani youth. Dr Ashraf said efforts should be made to control tobacco smoking in the country, as it is the gateway to drug abuse. “Parents should be vigilant and keep an eye on the company/activities of their children. They should keep their children busy and motivate them to say their prayers regularly. He added that the government should solve the unemployment problem in the country, as economic worries provide a fertile ground to an individual for drug addiction. “Free quitlines (telephone helpline offering treatment for addiction and behaviour change) for counselling services should be made available,” he said and added that the government should increase the number of treatment and rehabilitation centres for drug addicts. Moreover, services provided for drug dependence in different sectors (government, NGOs, and private) need to be assessed for their quality, effectiveness and efficiency in providing a continuum of care and meeting the clients’ diverse needs, he said. The message must be promoted that drugs are slow poison in all forms and death follows drug addicts, concluded Dr Ashraf.
Source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=184979
DRUG ABUSE: ALARMING INCREASE
DRUG ABUSE: ALARMING INCREASE
There has been a sharp increase in use of tranquilizers as a deadly substitute for narcotics
By Syed M. Aslam Aug 05 - 11, 2002
Abuse of prescription drugs among rich segment of the society has reached an alarming proportion in Pakistan due primarily to failure of the federal and provincial Health Ministries to enforce the relevant laws. According to informed market sources, who made the information available to the PAGE about the menace on condition of strict anonymity, there has been a sharp increase in use of tranquilizers as a deadly substitute for narcotics among the people in the upper levels of society.
In last five years the abuse of drug marketed by a number of pharmaceutical companies in the country under different brand names has increased drastically to such an extent that the supply now far exceeds its genuine demand. The drug, whose formula or generic name is Buprenorphine HCI, is used in the manufacture of injections is strictly a prescribed drug is tranquilizer and pain killer. However, it has find itself in increasingly demand by the youths, both boys and girls, belonging to richer segment of the society to be injected into the bodies as a narcotics.
Market sources informed PAGE that though the drug is also produced locally by a number of multinational and local pharmaceutical companies under various brand names, the brand imported by a single company Reckit & Benckiser (former Reckit and Colman) has emerged as the brand leader. "The company is allowed to import 400,000 boxes of Temgenic Injections annually though the demand for the same in the country does not exceed the 5 per cent of the quantity.
"As each box contains 5 ampoules of 1 ml injection each, the company is importing 2 million injections of Temgenic every year though the demand for the same in the country is only around 100,000. The fact that the drug is being greatly abused is evident from the fact that though the retail price of a box of 5 injections is Rs 212.96 it is selling in the market for around Rs 500. The main buyers of the drug are the youths — mainly boys but also many girls."
While the multinational mentioned above is the only pharmaceutical company allowed to import the drug into the country many other multinational and local companies are also marketing the same formula under different names and they too are allowed to manufacture a quantity though only up to as low as half of that allowed to be imported by Reckit & Benckiser. The availability of the drug from all sources, thus, far exceeds its genuine demand in the country to pose a serious drug abuse problem among the younger generation.
Sources told PAGE that the formula is "also manufactured locally by Local company Sami as Buepron Injection, by PCW as Bueprogenic Injection, by another local company as Temfin Injection, by another local company as Gesnor Injection, by MNCs Organon as Orgesic Injection, by Pharmatec as Zonor Injection, etc. All of these brands are selling at a premium way over the retail prices. For instance, Zonor injection, produced locally by MNC Pharmatec is available in the market for around Rs 380.00 per 5 ampoules of 1 ml each way over its retail price of Rs 166.52."
Sources claimed that only about 5 per cent of the entire supply of the drug is used for genuine purposes while 20 per cent is being abused and the remaining 75 per cent is smuggled to neighbouring Afghanistan and Iran from where it sneaks into a number of European countries where there is an absolute ban on this drug. Thus the over supply of drug is not only resulting in increased abuse here in Pakistan but is also feeding it in Iran and Afghanistan and way beyond into Europe itself.
Needless to say, the over-supply highlights the fact that unscrupulous elements all along the shady path has find it fit to mint tonnes of money from a drug which is encouraging abuse among the youths far beyond the national borders. The over-supply in a country where over-the-counter drug culture has only increased over the years is posing a grave risk to the health, and ultimate lives, of hundreds of thousands of youth who have the means to afford to get hooked to the synthetic narcotics that suits their social status.
It is surprising to note that the habit-forming drug is easily available at the medical stores across the city in total disregard to the provincial law enacted in 1994 by the Sindh Assembly to keep track of all such drugs categorized as narcotics. The law made it binding for the manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and retailers to maintain records about the drugs at all levels of the supply chain so as to ensure that it is sold only through prescription.
There has also been drastic increase in the abuse of other lesser priced tranquilizers (use narcotics) over the years, particularly among the middle class segment of the society. The formula Penthazocin is being manufactured by a number of companies locally and is available in the market only at a premium. For instance, Sosegon Injection, and also Tablets, marketed by pharmaceutical giant ICI is available in the market for around Rs 130.00 per 5 ampoules of 1ml each way above its retail price of Rs 105. Similarly, a 5-injection pack of Pentazegon made by local Indus Pharma is selling for Rs 80 compared to retail price of Rs 42.00 and Pentonil Injection marketed by local Tabbros company is available for Rs 75.00 instead of retail price of Rs 42.00.
The question is: Is this massive abuse of drugs is not visible to the Ministry of Health? Or is it the question of playing with the public health for the benefit of a small, but influential, group of unscrupulous elements in and around the industry.
Source: http://www.pakistaneconomist.com/issue2002/issue31/f&m.htm
Prayer
Prayer
Circle me, Lord
.Keep protection near
And danger afar.
Circle me, Lord
Keep hope within.
Keep doubt without.
Circle me, Lord.
Keep light near
And darkness afar.
Circle me, Lord.
Keep peace within.K
eep evil out.
By David Adam
Circle me, Lord
.Keep protection near
And danger afar.
Circle me, Lord
Keep hope within.
Keep doubt without.
Circle me, Lord.
Keep light near
And darkness afar.
Circle me, Lord.
Keep peace within.K
eep evil out.
By David Adam
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