A report in this paper the other day had both good and bad news to offer regarding the scourge of drug addiction. Quoting experts, it revealed that the use of heroin is on the decline.
The bad news was that more and more young people were turning to synthetic derivatives of opiates. This new form of addiction is said to be spreading fast because of low price and easy availability of opiates. The report also said that the use of tranqualisers too was on the rise.
The dangers inherent in this new trend are obvious. Synthetic opiates may not look as sinister as heroin or other such substances, but they can be equally harmful to human health. According to experts, those who consume synthetic opiates, especially the ones who tend to mix these with intoxicants, are at a greater risk of contracting life-threatening illnesses.
Such addicts may develop infections of the heart lining/valves, and may also suffer from congested lungs and skin disorders. It is common knowledge that addicts tend to share syringes, and the practice leads to the spread of AIDS, liver diseases, tetanus and serum hepatitis. Prolonged use of tranqualisers has its own adverse effects.
Needless to say, the government has to do something about the problem before it gets worse. The concerned authorities must first determine the causes of this new scourge in order to address them in an effective manner. As is well known, most young people turn to drugs for fun's sake while many working class individuals use them as an escape from the pressures of daily life. So far as the young users of drugs are concerned, experts hold that lack of parental control is a major reason for the prevalence of addiction among them. While parents are busy attending to the rigours of daily life, many do not pay attention to what their children do besides their normal activities.
That highlights the need for the government to start public awareness campaigns aimed at potential addicts as well as parents to warn them of the hazardous consequences of negligent behaviour. For those already addicted, it must ensure that there are enough and properly equipped rehabilitation centres to help these people give up drug use.
The government must also find a way to end the easy availability of synthetic opiates as well as tranquilisers. Most developed countries do not allow the buying and selling of drugs without a qualified doctor's prescription.
That solution though may not work in our situation. Sadly for us, medical cover is unavailable to a vast majority of the population in this country. Health care is one of the low priority areas for the government, which has resulted in poor working conditions and lack of service-related incentives for qualified medical professionals.
As soon as they pass out of medical schools, doctors start looking for greener pastures abroad. No wonder, for the past several years, the doctor-patient ratio in Pakistan has been descending. Which is why it may not be advisable to implement the 'prescriptions-only' rule for the sale of drugs.
Yet this systemic weakness should not be allowed to promote drug addiction. Our health planners must work out a sound strategy to address the spread of synthetic opiates as well as self-prescribed tranquilisers.
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