[author image=”http://hunzanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Dr-Sadia.jpg” ]Dr Saadia Khan A paediatric resident at the Children’s Hospital and Institute of Child Health, Multan, she has a keen interest in preventative paediatric medicine and community work, and tweets as@drkhanchc (twitter.com/drkhanchc).[/author]
Addiction is affecting youth in every part of the world like an epidemic. Its threats are also increasing in Pakistan day by day and have become an alarming &worrisomecondition now. Our youth is at a target of drug sellers. Addiction kills the youth morally, socially, physically, economically, psychologically which can make them handicapped and dependents on others permanently.
Pakistan has now one of the biggest markets of heroin consumption and also contributes to the export of heroin. About 50 tons of opium is illegally brought to Pakistan to produce heroin. About 25% of youth population of our country is involved in some form of drug abuse.
It is prevalent in KPK where 11% of population is drug abusers followed by Sindh-6.5%, Baluchistan 5% & Punjab 4.8%.
- Cannabis (chars) most commonly used addiction followed by opiates opium.
- Benzodiazepines, antidepressants, cough syrups are commonly used addiction for young female.
- People often start drugs to forget losses, worries and problems initially started with tea, chhaliya, gutka, pan, and beera and cigarette then switched over to heroin, opium, cocaine, &alcohol.
- Cocaine and alcohol have now become an essential part of Elite’s parties and no celebration is completed without it.
- Flavored smoked sheesha are in fashion now a days, this smoke is burning the lungs of youth.
- Youth hostels are major sites for drug abusers.
Isolation, stress, anxiety, bad company, freedom by parents, un-employment excessive pocket money, weak religious belief, easy to access to internet are major contributors to provoke smoking and drug abuse in youth.
Drugs effects of relaxation, mood changes, enjoyment&pleasure are temporary but its affect the quality as well as span of life.
Effects of drugs/Smoke
- Tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats that the world is facing and one person dies every six second due to tobacco, and nearly 6 million people each year.
Smoke causes
Coronary artery diseases (Heart attack, angina) blood clotting, and high blood pressure
- Cancer of lungs, month, larynx, esophagus, cervix, bladder.
- It causes poor wound healing.
- Chronic lung disease.
- Asthma.
- In women, premature labor, miscarriages.
- Male infertility.
- Second hand smoke also increases the risk of heart and lung diseases while in children it causes upper respiratory tract infections, pneumonia, ear infections and trigger Asthma.
- Drug abusers are at a risk of malnutrition, accidental injuries, Hepatitis B and C, TB, HIV/AIDS and premature deaths.
WHAT TO DO?
1- There should be preventive strategies for the use of Tobacco and drugs.
2- Public messages and awareness lectures should be given masajids, schools, colleges, universities, offices and public places.
3- Taxes should be raised on tobacco and there should be a strict ban on tobacco advertisement and promotion.
4- There should be guidelines in local languages to help people how to quit smoking and drug abuse.
5- Policies should be made by Government and anti-Narcotics department to end sale and trafficking of drugs.
6- People who quit smoking due to their health issues should encourage others.
7- Health education should be part of our Syllabus.
8- Parents should keep an eye on the activities of children.
9- Religious scholars can motivate people to quit drugs and smoking.
10-There should be strict punishments for those who are spoiling the future of our country and lives of youth.
In short this is the time to take serious moves and action.If, drug addiction and smoking have not taken seriously it will ruin and spoil the future of our youth.
All of us should contribute to make a world free of drugs and smoke.
Get yourself familiarize with healthy life styles-Stay blessed.
