It is in fact a matter of utter privilege for us all to address the hot pot of drug abuse that

has rendered a greater share of the youth almost inefficient. Before I get into the details of the

topic let me share with you that our youth is under tremendous stress due to career insecurity

which has drove them to seclusion. Consequently drug addiction has gained acceptance among

this alienated mass. Drug addiction is a disease that disrupts the normal functioning of the brain

and affects human behaviour. Around three million Indians are projected victims of different

kinds of drug abuse. Moreover the easy availability of the intoxicating medicines is ruining the

youths. It has also been observed that many girls are seeking divorce today because of the drug

addiction of their husbands.

Drug abuse is a very serious problem in many places in the world which starts as a simple

curiosity or is considered social. Many individuals start using a particular drug and find that they

have total control over their habit. However, after a certain period of time, these people may start

to lose the control that they once had. Eventually, it will take more and more of the same type of

drug for the individual to achieve the same state of euphoria as they experienced previously.

An individual who abuses drugs can develop an addiction that is psychological, physical,

or emotional. By the time that the drug abuse reaches its peak, or an individual seeks assistance

for their drug addiction, the addiction can be a combination of physical, emotional and

psychological conditions. This is due to the fact that the more that an individual is subjected to

the drug that they are abusing, the chemistry of the body starts to change. These changes often

result in the negative consequences of being unable to control the urges and impulses that are

commonly associated with drug abuse.

It is common for a drug addiction to result in many biological changes to occur within the

body of an abuser. This is why many people who abuse drugs seem to change so drastically.

Many individuals experience weight loss or weight gain, a change in personality, changes in
moods, memory impairment, loss in general gross motor skills, and many may even develop

various types of chronic medical conditions. Whereas the normal person is often motivated by

many factors in their life, those that engage in drug abuse have one motivating factor. That is,

ultimately, to abuse the drug that they have been experimenting with.

Since the sale of medicines is regulated by the Drugs and Cosmetics Act for which the

authority concerned is the Drug Controller, there is a need to enforce this Act firmly as the

business is deep-rooted in society. The only way to check drug addiction is to declare the sale of

these medicines only against a doctor’s prescription. It should also be treated as a cognisable

offence under the law. Exemplary punishment should be given to those violating the rules.

So there is a dire need of generating awareness among the masses about the drug abuse

by organising seminars, workshops and conferences at various levels.

Dr. S.M. Zubair

The Himalayan Ecological and Conservation Research Foundation, J&K
43/16B, Mangotrian, Rajpura, P.O. Shakti Nagar, Jammu.