Burgeoning problem: Drug addiction is poisoning the society

The end of a war does not determine who is right but only who is left, I am not going to talk about conventional war here but the one that might put an end to all other wars; i.e. war against drugs. Without understanding the gravity of the situation, we are being deeply affected by this social evil. Drug consumption does not only have an impact on an individual but its implications work as a domino effect.

Most of us are familiar with the proverb that says “you can only lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink”. In the same way, the Ministry of Narcotics Control and the Anti-Narcotics Force can continue to work tirelessly against this hazard but unless each one of us decides to play an individual role, we cannot achieve the goal of a drug-free society. 

From the identification of the causes that lead to drug abuse to the consequences that follow; each step involved requires a collective effort to counter the issue. Increased levels of mental health issues coincided with the popular culture of intoxication amongst the youth, which are two major causes that have led to an alarming increase in drug consumption. Pakistan is one of the victim states that has fallen prey to this hazard; drug abuse is a global challenge but with limited human and financial resources, the Government cannot eliminate this menace from society without the cooperation of its citizens.

Awareness and Rehabilitation are two key factors needed in countering the curse of drug abuse. We have roughly 9 million people in our country who are consuming drugs as reported by UNODC in the year 2024 which is 2 million more than the previous data provided in the year 2022. 

One of the primary reasons for increased illicit trafficking across the globe is economic incentive and this can only be discouraged by diminishing the demand. To do the latter, increased awareness and individual efforts are needed. The ones who become drug users should be treated as patients, it is imperative to realize that abandoning them is only going to increase the magnitude of the problem. 

If we look at the current data, we have less than 150 people who were successfully treated at the Model Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers (MATRCs) and for the figure of 9 million drug consumers, the total number of these centres is 4. Keeping in view the sensitivity of the situation, the Ministry of Narcotics Control has proposed a state-of-the-art rehabilitation centre to be built in the Capital and later the model to be replicated in each province. Meanwhile, with such alarming figures, we need a number of hospitals to dedicate at least one ward for rehabilitation purposes and also normalize treating drug patients.

In fighting this battle against drugs, not only the families and people associated with drug abuse victims are suffering but also there are unsung heroes of the Anti-Narcotics Force who are fighting a frontline battle against the smugglers and suppliers of this nuisance.

Use three steps to save your loved ones from this trap; (1) Educate: tell them the facts, figures and impacts associated with drug abuse, (2) Aware: make them aware of their surroundings and help them differentiate between right and wrong, it is important for our youth to understand that every popular culture is not “right” culture. Lastly (3) Care: If you see someone facing mental health issues or heading towards drug consumption to seek refuge from the trouble that he is facing, reach out, listen, help and care.

Do not isolate the people who are struggling to survive, make the battle easier for them to fight. If we all do this as a nation, we can save our future generations from this trouble and provide them with a healthy and drug-free society. However, if this issue is left unaddressed and the number of drug users keeps increasing, this war on drugs is going to put an end to all other wars because it is going to devour generations.