The government is spending
a hefty amount on seminars related to drug awareness instead
of providing drug addicts better treatment and healthy
environment, The Fact learnt here
.
According to the findings, the increasing number of drug
users in different areas of Rawalpindi shows that drugs
are easily available and the authorities have failed to
stop the supply of these life-ending drugs.
Addicts are easily found near Dalda Sara, Mohalla Amir
Fure, Mohalla Cha Sultan, Nullah Leh and Pirwadhai bus
stand using drugs different methods such as through cigarette,
cigarette foil, injection, and sniffing.
Talking to The Nation these addicts mentioned different
factors such as economic problems, unemployment, pleasure,
unrequited love, domestic problem etc as the reasons behind
their addiction.
Qamer Shah, 26, a drug addict at Pirwadhai said, “The
main reason for indulging in this bad habit is my failure
in love.”
Another addict said that it was due to his family problems
and bad environment at home that he sought solace in drugs.
About the supply of drugs another addict, Ahmad Ali, said
that drugs are easily available. He said that drug suppliers
send drugs to the user through different ways.
When the chairman of Najjat Trust (a treatment centre
for drug abuse) Malik Azhar Tanveer, was contacted in
this connection, he said that the ratio of drugs user
is greater in Rawalpindi than Islamabad. The age group
of all drugs user who were treated in the trust in 2004
was between 10 to 60 but the majority was from age group
25 to 40.
About the occupation of these addicts who treated Malik
Azhar Tanveer said that most were unemployed.
The chairman said that no multinational company was providing
funds to the trust despite several demands of the government.
He said that government is only concentrating awareness
about drug abuse while ignoring the rehabilitation side.
A doctor in the trust said that injecting of drugs is
very dangerous as HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis is very easily
spread through this method.
He said that when these addicts stop using they start
vomiting, suffer from different pain, blood pressure and
sleeplessness.
