The Ministry of Narcotics Control has started 'Drug Demand Reduction Campaign' through media, costing Rs 39 million. Sources told Business Recorder on Saturday.
The ministry has started the media campaign in collaboration with anti-narcotics force (ANF) to create awareness among the public about the harmful effects of drugs and to contain drug demand, production, sale and purchase.
They said that narcotics produced in Afghanistan were mainly exported to European countries. Sources said that the number of drug abusers has risen from 4 to 5 million out of which 60,000 are heroin drug injectors who have permanent risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis A, B, C and D prevalence.
Heroin, opium and hashish are the most commonly used drugs, along with a wide variety of easily available pharmaceutical drugs such as analgesics, hypno-sedatives and tranquillisers, they said.
Narcotics trade impacts all aspects of human security ranging from individual health to socio-economic welfare and its consequences are particularly devastating for resource constrained countries like Pakistan, they said.
They said that no society can remain unaffected by the disastrous consequences of illicit drug trade adding that an estimated 200 million people, or 5 percent of global population aged between 15 and 64 years, have consumed illicit drugs at least once in the last 12 months.
There is dire need to create awareness among the public especially youth that is most vulnerable section of society in using sedatives and tranquillisers as youth is more prone to drug addiction, they said.
The government must establish Model Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Centres initially in major cities and gradually in rural areas and a long-term strategy must be devised by the government to materialise these projects, they said.
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