Drug abuse -a menace to the whole society

The problem of drug abuse and alcoholism has become so much widespread and deep-rooted in our society that it cannot be controlled or minimized, let alone eradicated either by the Police-Excise administration or by the institutionalized medical management in the Government sector.

Since the propensity to addiction develops in the early adolescence, care need be taken by the parents, teachers and other relations to see that their grown-up child does not slide off into the blind alley of addiction for no fault or negligence on their part. Being frustrated with conjugal or family problems or malcontented in workplace or career prospects, the adults including middle-aged people take to addiction. The family members and colleagues in the profession and others friends do have a moral responsibility to see that somebody related to them does not fall to the trap of drug-taking habit due to want of their timely and proper care and attention. The milieus of liberalization which our country is currently passing through glamorises the cult of booz and kick through the ad boom of different brands of alcohol and tobacco and thereby tantalise the common people, especially the impressionable youth not only to take to addiction but also to run after a life-style full of illusions, fantasies and double standards. In such a situation the sensible citizens of the society such as intellectuals, mediamen, academicians, litterateurs and social activists have a significant role to play in conscientising the entire socio-political system against the moral-spiritual malady engulfing the whole population, of which the rising tide of liquor and drug mania is both a symptom and a product.

Role of NGO

The moot point arises, who shall bell the cat? Who shall galvanise the different segments of population to stand against the onrush of addiction and intoxication? Who shall build up the confidence among the parents and teachers that their boys who are already addicted to some substance or the other can be de-addicted and be enabled to lead a sober, drug-free life? Who shall tell the crucial truth that addiction like any other problem of health is a disease that can be cured? Who shall de-motivate the addicted youth from the suicidal path and induce them to seek treatment in the De-addiction Centres? Who shall counsel the drug patients undergoing treatment, especially at the critical moment of painful withdrawal syndrome and thereby reinforce their will power to give up addiction?

Is there any agency in our society to respond in the present situation as aforementioned? Yes. It is the N.G.O.s (Non Government Organisations) who can undertake the difficult but all the more desirable job of addressing to the different segments of the population in an integrated manner, with the ultimate objective of protecting the vulnerable sections from the tentacles of hydra-headed monster of addictive drugs and alcohol. To promote the community efforts for containing the spread of addiction, the Govt. of India in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, New Delhi are now sponsoring more than four hundred nos. of Drug De-addiction and Counseling Centres spread in different States and Union Territories. There are about thirty two nos. of such Centres located in different parts of the State. While the De-addiction Centres have the provision of indoor detoxification services combined with counseling, Yoga therapy, After care and Rehabilitation facilities, the Counseling Centres are basically meant for counseling, referral, survey and awareness activities. The different Centres have evolved different norms for registration, admission, treatment regime and rehabilitation, which the drug patients and their relations need to know in order to avail the facilities so provided.

The Killer drug- Brown Sugar

It has been noticed that the abusers of traditional substances like Alcohol, Ganja, Opium, Bhanga etc. are easily de-addicted, while the addiction to the latest drug 'brown sugar' now fashionable among the youth across the world poses a formidable challenge. The rate of relapse among the brown sugar patients is quite high. The rate of mortality of BS patients is also quite high compared to those of the traditional drugs. The notorious, killer drug Brown Sugar through its exceptionally quick conditioning of both body and mind metamorphoses an individual into a deformed psychotic personality, very difficult to reform.

In absence of any medicine for the cure of Brown Sugar addiction, what is utmost essential is a strong will power and conscious determination of the patient himself for getting de-addicted. In order to avoid a quick relapse, which a Brown sugar patient is prone to, what is required is a prolonged stay of the patient in the Centre, following the detoxification, which is known as After care or Half way home. Recovery from Brown Sugar addiction is a sort of resurrection or rebirth of the addict, which requires above all a complete moral-spiritual transformation of the being. So the practice of yoga, meditation, prayer, spiritual discourse and the like are much necessary in addition to regular involvement in appropriate social-philanthropic activities along with some or other manual labour for the Brown sugar patient in the post- recovery phase. The Narcotic Anonymous Groups despite their obvious occidental orientation are also helpful in keeping the patient clean.

An agenda for all

Under the circumstances, it is the moral obligation of every sensible individual to see that adolescent children are not lured by the appeal of the drug, secondly to help an addict whomsoever they come across, immediately to contact the nearest De-addiction or Counseling Centre and thirdly, not to stigmatise an addict or ex-addict, rather to sympathetically help him get reintegrated into the mainstream of society. Last but not least, let each of us strive to enrich and enliven the environment around us in such a way that our children find better lures for living than the drugs which create only the' living dead'.