It impacts not only result in negative consequences to the one who uses, but also for the people who keep less distance from the users. It leads to the state of scoring several risks for the future generations. However, bad parentage is a major reason which puts children at the risk of drug use. At a home where drug use has become a routine practice, children, considering it a cultural use, are attracted towards drug addiction.
Ironically, the process of drug abuse or drug addiction starts with consuming items like cigarettes, gutka, pan, mawa and all those detrimental substances which are openly sold.
A report released by UN states that there are 9 million people are drug users in Pakistan and the most common drug of choice is cannabis. It is estimated that there are more than 800,000 Pakistanis who use heroin on daily basis, with approximately 44 tons of refined heroin consumed annually.
A similar survey conducted by Narcotics Control Division in 2013 reported that a large population of Pakistan aged between 15 and 63 years face mental and physical violence due to drugs. Around 6 per cent of the country's youth – or in other words 6.7 million young men and women – used drugs in 2012.
The number of drug users in this survey, primarily university students, fell between ages 25 and 39 years – 78 per cent men and 22 per cent women.
These psychoactive drugs also cause violent acts and lead to physical and psychological abnormalities.
Nako Subaan, 60, lives in a small town in Dasht tehsil of Turbat. He raised three sons; Jabir, Aslam and Raheem. Aslam and Raheem are around 25 to 35 and married whereas Jabir is approximately 20 and unmarried. Unfortunately, the sons are drugs addicted.
“I could only imagine the miserable circumstances I had to face for upbringing. We have a bad environment here,” he said and added that the officials knew where the drugs were being sold.
People are attracted towards drug use for several reasons, including distress. And some simply suffer from toothache and start using opium for quick relief.
According to Nako, his sons even steal items from house to get drugs. “The jewelleries my old wife had saved for an emergency were stolen and sold to the drugs traffickers," he added.
To address the issue, good parenting, among other things, is required. We must not have an open smoking culture where the children turn to smoke. The culture of eating pan, gutka and mawa' is as detrimental as the use of drugs. There should be laws to prohibit these items to save our future generations.
Note: Names have been changed to protect identity