Drug addiction in Pakistan

By YesPakistan.com Staff Writer

Pakistan is today notorious for many things, but in the last 20 years, drug production and addiction has
increasingly become just one of them.

The issue of drug addiction is often overshadowed by the many of the country's other human
development problems, such as poverty, illiteracy and lack of basic health care. But the fact is, drug
abuse is rapidly growing in Pakistan and in South Asia in general.

While Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Maldives all suffer from this, Pakistan is the worst victim of the drug
trade in South Asia. Today, the country has the largest heroin consumer market in the south-west Asia
region.

It wasn't always this way. Pakistan became a major exporter of heroin in the 1980s, following the influx of
Afghan refugees escaping the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.

The major consequence of this has been a significant increase in domestic consumption of heroin in
Pakistan. Heroin was once upon a time a drug which was virtually unknown in the country until the late
1970s. Today, Pakistan is not only one of the main exporters of heroin, it has also become a net importer
of drugs. It is estimated that about 50 tons of opium are smuggled into Pakistan for processing heroin for
domestic use. Almost 80 percent of the opium processed in Pakistan comes from neighboring countries.

Widespread drug abuse may be indicated by the fact that almost five percent of the adult population is
using drugs in Pakistan. As a proportion of drug abusers, heroin users have increased from 7.5 percent in
1983 to a shocking 51 percent a decade later in 1993.

Drug production for Pakistan's domestic market is estimated at close to $1.5 billion. It appears that only
three percent of the gross profits from the illegal opium industry remain within Pakistan.

Like many of the country's other human development problems, the issue of drug abuse touches the most
vulnerable: the majority of drug users in South Asia belong to the poorest strata of society. In addition, the
presence of a large drug industry in Pakistan leads to a redistribution of income from the poor to a few
rich individuals who control the drug trade. This not only makes the gap between the rich and the poor as
well as income inequality even worse, it also erodes Pakistan's social cohesion and stability.

Although almost all South Asian countries have enacted strict laws for fighting drug trafficking and drug
use, these measures have produced very disappointing results.

One problem is that corruption has also touched the fight against drug abuse in Pakistan and other South
Asian countries, since drug traffickers often escape punishment by giving bribes to get out of being held
accountable for their actions.

But Pakistan is not alone in fighting this disease. With the

globalization of the drug abuse problem in the last two decades, the situation has gone from bad to
worse, so much so that the United Nations Commission on narcotic drugs no longer discusses individual
situations. It has argued that the solution does not lie in the hands of individual countries. It has to be
worked out through mutual efforts by South Asian countries.

Date/Time Last Modified: 6/18/2002 8:06:25 AM

http://www.yespakistan.com/people/drug_addic.asp
Drug addiction grows among women in Pakistan
By Amna Nasir Jamal A
For CentralAsiaOnline.com woman
2010-03-02 inhales
drugs
in
Lahore
LAHORE, Pakistan – Drug abuse is nothing new, but Pakistan is facing a two-pronged . Drug
problem. addicti
on has
First, addicts are getting hooked earlier. The mean age of initial heroin use, according to increas
the last National Drug Abuse Survey (2002-03), has fallen to 22 from 26. ed
steadil
Second, more women are using and the country refuses to take seriously the social y
factors that contribute to this worsening picture. among
girls
Drug addiction can start in school. Girls at one private institution used hashish in the and
restroom while a reporter was there. A headmistress of one girls’ college in Lahore women
expelled a group of her students for possessing and using narcotics on the premises. in
Pakista
“The problem of drug addiction among women cannot be separated from other aspects n.
of their social conditioning … such as racism, sexism and poverty … that are essential [Amna
to understanding drug abuse in women”, said Tasneem Nazir, a clinical psychologist at Nasir
Lahore’s Mayo Hospital. S Jamal]

he said teenage girls are likely to abuse substances in order to lose weight, relieve stress
or boredom, improve their mood, reduce sexual inhibitions, self-medicate depression and
increase confidence. Women who seek treatment for alcohol and drug problems report a
connection among domestic violence, childhood abuse, and substance abuse.

One woman said she had suffered from physical, mental and financial abuse before turning to
drugs.

“I don’t know why I didn’t realise it”, the woman, 42, said of her addiction, but “I didn’t deserve
what my husband put me through”.

Nazir said that to declare addiction openly is to sign a social death warrant.

“Many addicted women refuse to go into drug rehabilitation programmes. They are outpatients
because of the shame and stigma attached to substance dependence and addiction. They cannot
stay in rehabilitation centres for cultural reasons and go only for medicine and advice”, said Dr.
Mahmooda Aftab, a clinical psychologist running a rehabilitation centre.

Nazir suggested that the way to remedy the problem is to address violence and sexual abuse,
unsafe housing, unemployment, stereotyping of sexual roles, and the lack of health care and
child care, all of which contribute to the depression and hopelessness linked to substance abuse
by women.

Brig. Sajjad Ahmed Bakshi, force commander of the Anti Narcotics Force (ANF), Punjab, told
Central Asia Online that though information on women’s drug use is limited, drug addiction has
increased steadily among girls and women.

“The youth of today are a pathetic sight", he said. "Greater attention is being paid to create
awareness among the people about the dangers of drug abuse and the ways to avoid it”.

Bakshi said women, especially young girls belonging to “elite backgrounds”, are becoming
addicts.

Some women are not aware of the drugs they are taking. Doctors prescribe a “medicine”, and
some incurious users know little about the side effects.

“There is no restriction on buying (painkillers or tranquilisers)”, he said.

Many women have been taking such medicines for months or years and have become dependent
on them.

“We came to the doctor for treatment. The doctor prescribed these medicines, which I used to
sleep well and to ward off worries”, said Hajra, a rehabilitation centre patient whose name was
changed to ensure privacy. “I didn't know the medicines used prescribed by the doctor are
poison”.

Bakshi said the ANF has established wards at eight government hospitals to provide free
treatment. But most patients don’t know where they can get help, either before or after the
addiction takes hold.

“It is important for women to have the knowledge and skills to be a positive force in confronting
this problem, especially in drug prevention”, Bakshi said. “It is an imperative of this time that all
sections of society combine their efforts to eradicate drugs from our society”.

He suggested that for complete eradication, systematic education and constant community
support need to exist.

“It is essential to … implement awareness programmes effectively and intelligently", he said.

"Doing so would lead to a better and (more) prosperous future for each member of the society”.

Society’s view on addiction also needs to change, according to concerned observers.

“The barriers to treatment for women must be addressed because most programmes are based on
male-oriented models that are not geared to the needs of women", Mahmooda said. "The need of
the time is programmes must be designed to overcome the current barriers to women’s access to
and participation in treatment”.
http://centralasiaonline.com/cocoon/caii/xhtml/en_GB/features/caii/features/pakistan/2010/03/02
/feature-02

Poverty, joblessness pushing youth to drug addiction

 
Friday, February 25, 2011

Karachi

Ever growing poverty and joblessness and resultant despair and hopelessness is pushing Pakistani youth
towards drug addiction and every year about 0.6 million new addicts are joining the army of drug
addicts.

According to the figures of the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), there are some nine million drug addicts in
Pakistan and their number growing at the rate of 0.6 million per year. There are around 30 million
smokers in Pakistan and as many as 100,000 people die every year of smoking-related diseases.
Amongst smokers the number of shisha addicts is on an alarming rise.

The number of heroin addicts is about 1.5 million. There are about 25 to 30 million people whose lives
are adversely affected by the addiction of their relatives. Peer pressure at school, societal taboos,
economic frustrations and lack of healthy recreational outlets are among the major reasons why people,
especially the youth, are succumbing to the lure of addictive drugs. Oddly enough, it has been observed
that the following two drugs are largely used: heroin and hashish.

Heroin addiction has penetrated all social classes and is now all-pervasive. The country has drug dens -
places where people smoke hashish, heroin and other drugs. In Pakistan heroin and hashish are most
favourite narcotics followed by alcohol, opium, Bhang, solvent sniffs, cocaine, tranquillisers and anti-
depressants.

According to the gender classification almost 90 per cent of drug addicts are males whereas 10 per cent
comprise of the female lot. A vast majority of the new addicts belong to the younger generation who are
hooked on narcotics through their friends, casual acquaintances, drug pushers and, sometimes, family
members.

The major reason of drug addiction in youth is termed poverty and joblessness. The jobless youth find
their refuge in drug addiction. In every locality dozens of youth could be found at garbage dens, dark
alleys and other isolated locations using injection-able drugs. To meet their expenses these poor youth
commit petty crimes. Growing street crime ratio in cities like Karachi is directly related to growing drug
addiction amongst youth.

Experts say poverty and substance abuse go hand in hand. The connection between substance abuse
and poverty makes sense. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition defines poverty as
“the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions.”

It is generally agreed that poverty is multidimensional and should be measured not only by income, but
also by access to public goods such as education, health care, a safe water supply, and provision of other
civic facilities.

Poverty in youth is a global phenomenon. According to World Youth Report 2005 it is estimated that
there are some 209 million young people living on less than US$ one a day and around 515 million young
people living on less than US$ two a day.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=32877&Cat=4&dt=2/25/2011

Drugs Addiction & the Youth

By Sahibzada Hussain Mohi-ud-Din Qadri
Drugs addiction is harmful not only for the addicted but also has negative impact on the fabric of
the society. The effects of such an addiction can cause dangerous changes in the mind, body and
spirit of the drug addict. The most disturbing aspect of drug addiction is that it is reaching
epidemic proportions in the whole world. People in our part of the world are increasingly
becoming addicted to all kinds of drugs including street drugs and prescription drugs etc.

Street drugs include cocaine, heroin and crack, marijuana and meth, while prescription drugs
include those such as Valium, OxyContin, Percocet and Ritalin etc. The price of drugs can be
very heavy. Simple ill-effects of such addiction include physical itchiness, coma and even
premature death. On the other hand, the psychological ill effects can make a person become
completely dependent on taking drugs in order to survive.

Drugs addiction is a very serious problem and even if the addict is using prescribed drugs, the ill
effects can be very harmful indeed. It is, therefore, important that the government takes
administrative, legal and policy measures that put an end to the menace of drug addiction. The
right kind of information can help the addict avoid overdosing and it can also prevent medical-
related complications.

The ill effects of addiction to drugs can be very difficult to endure, which is why the addict must
be treated for their condition at the earliest. A lot of research is being done on how addiction to
drugs harms people and societies. An individual that takes drugs will expect certain changes to
take place in his being.

In the US, addiction to drugs is quite widespread. One study on this problem revealed that one in
every five American aged between sixteen and fifty nine had used at least one drug. What’s more
is that about half (46 percent) of Americans, aged between 16 and 21, admitted having used
drugs in different phases of their life. Even moreworrying is the fact that approximately twenty
million people, aged above twelve years, have used illegal drugs in the US. In fact, about 1.47
percent of Americans are addicted to drugs.

North America, which includes USA and Canada and even Mexico, has a major drugs addiction
problem. The problem is no less dangerous in Central America where countries such as Belize,
Guatemala and Nicaragua are major centres for drug abuse.
Drugs addiction in Pakistan is no less worrisome. Though its neighbours (India, Bangladesh and
Maldives as well as Nepal) all have drugs addiction issues, Pakistan is the worst affected
throughout South Asia. It is, after all, home to the largest market for heroin consumption. What’s
more, Pakistan is also a major exporter of heroin and in fact, approximately fifty tons of opium is
illegally brought into Pakistan to produce heroin. Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan,
India and even Sri Lanka are confronted with drug-related issues where a good number of people
are addicted to various forms of drugs.

The worst thing about being addicted to drugs is that it is affecting the youth in every part of the
world in a major way. The trouble starts among the school-going children but the problem is
exacerbated with abetment by those who wish to earn money out of selling drugs. The problem
among children and youth arises because of a perception that they seem to harbour the notion of
their inadequacy for failing to measure up to their expectations of their elders. Nowadays it has
become fashionable for the actors and singers to include tales of drugs addiction and sexual
references in their music. So instead of inculcating good values in the youth, the entertainment
industry isresponsible for propagating the use of drugs, which is further fuelling the addiction to
drugs in the both the developed and developing world.

The youth has become the target of major drug peddlers. These peddlers sell drugs and package
them as symbols of revolution and freshness but have no regard for the consequences of their
actions. The youth that takes to drugs are more likely to commit suicide because of the harmful
effects of the drugs they are taking. Misinformation about drugs is another reason for these
deaths as the addict or user may take the drugs in wrong doses, which can then lead to a fatality.

Drugs addiction among the youth is killing them morally and socially as well as psychologically
and even physically. And, drug barons are becoming increasingly wealthier by supplying these
drugs that are causing untold misery.

It is time that societies and the governments took a firm stand on preventing the drug addiction
through a mix of reforms. There should be a community plan that should be implemented to stop
addiction to drugs. This plan must identify the specific drugs that youth are using. It should build
on existing resources such as existing drug abuseprevention programs and it should also develop
short-term goals relevant to proper implementation of research- based drug abuse prevention
programs.

In addition, the community plan must project its long term objectives to ensure that resources are
made available and in addition, the community plan must also incorporate ongoing assessments
to evaluate the effectiveness of their preventive measures and strategies.

In fact, all preventive measures need to address different forms of drug abuse and addiction and
should also target different types of drug abuse and addictions. It should also be tailored to
address risks that are specific to certain populations or audience characteristics. It must be aimed
at specific populations and at major transition points such as at middle-school level.

Unless serious measures are taken now, the very future of a large chunk of today’s youth will be
severely compromised. The problem of drug addiction is too real and serious to be ignored. The
governments need to involve communities and media in highlighting the perils associated with
the drug addiction. Media has a responsibility tohighlight such issues with a view to educating
people and building a consensus among them to forge a united stand against such scourges. The
perpetrators of doom and gloom are well entrenched in the power structures and have formed
transnational partnerships for their nefarious purposes. The response to deal with such an
organized menace should also be concerted for effective output. It calls for sustained engagement
and coordinated action among countries. Individual efforts cannot produce desired results. For
long have we have turned a blind eye to such critical issues. It is now time to be responsible in
our actions.

http://www.youth.com.pk/en.php?tid=12365

Pakistan fights drug addiction

By Amna Nasir Jamal
For CentralAsiaOnline.com
2011-03-22

LAHORE – A 17-year-old boy was once a brilliant college student with a promising future.

“But he was introduced to this hell by one of his classmates,” said Kawish, an older brother of
the unnamed teen. “Now everything has changed.”

The “hell” his friends took him to was the world of drug use.

“We sent him to a rehabilitation clinic, but his addiction drove him back to the streets,” Kawish
said.

This 17-year-old wasn’t the only victim; teens from all walks of life have fallen prey.

Near shrines and historical structures, one can see addicts dressed in rags, lying unconscious in a
corner or wandering aimlessly.

Over the years, the scope of drug control has broadened. Regulators once were concerned only
with monitoring the production of medical drugs, but now they are working with international
partners to co-operate against the problems associated with illicit drugs.

Pakistan is among those nations with the highest number of drug addicts – some 5m people. of
whom 500,000 are chronic drug abusers, and 60,000 inject drugs with needles. The mean age of
first heroin use, according to National Drug Abuse Survey, fell from 26 to 22 years in a five-year
span, according to the Rapid Situation Assessment Study conducted in 2003.

For many youths, substance abuse — even that of tobacco and alcohol — often precedes
academic problems such as lower grades, higher truancy and decisions to quit school.
Drug abuse in Pakistan is reportedly increasing because of poverty, unemployment and low
literacy rates.

Awareness

The Ministry of Narcotics Control and the federal and provincial education departments have
planned anti-drug messages for incorporation in textbooks for schools, colleges and universities.

“For this purpose, services of educationists and experts will be hired,” Maj. Gen. Syed Shakeel
Hussain, Director General Anti Narcotics Force (ANF), told Central Asia Online.

Shakeel emphasised the role of teachers against the drug menace and suggested that educational
institutions should be declared “smoking free zones.”

“When it comes to ensuring a successful future for our nation’s youth, it is often educators —
teachers, and other school personnel — who empower them to make the healthy choices
necessary to excel in life,” he added.

“The curriculum will enable the student to produce positive lifestyle changes,” he said.

The national anti-narcotics policy, approved by the cabinet in July, aims to hit both supply and
demand. It envisions eliminating poppy cultivation and preventing trafficking and production of
narcotics.

Simultaneously, it seeks to reduce demand by educating the population about the dangers of drug
use, Shakeel said.

Parents are vital to protecting their children from drugs, he added.

Young most vulnerable

The large number of boys and girls taking drugs at vulnerable ages is a burning issue that the
public sector has the ability to publicise.

“My parents separated at a very young age. I was looked after by my father, and he is an
alcoholic,” said Imran, a patient at the rehabilitation centre in Lahore. “I studied hard and got
into one of the best universities but unknowingly got trapped into drug addiction. My friends
take drugs, and my father drinks on a routine basis. I want to quit drugs, and that is why I am
here.”

Maida, 25, started using drugs at the age of 15. She was using hashish (charas) and other drugs
for entertainment. She was unaware that she could become addicted.

Maida, from an upper-class background, had to drop out of school and is undergoing treatment
for the fifth time in three years.
“I want to quit drugs for good, but my family does not support me,” she said. “My parents want
to kick me out of the house; perhaps my relationships with men irritate them.”

Addicts need attention

Drug abuse is common because of a lack of awareness and guidance.

“Study suggests that a well-designed in-school and community communication campaign really
can dramatically cut marijuana and alcohol use among young teens,” said Dr. Nasir Saeed Khan,
Associate Professor Psychiatry Department, Services Hospital, Lahore. “Unfortunately, our
schools are not drug-free, especially privately run institutions, where majority of drugs are being
traded.”

“Teenagers, college-goers studying in prestigious institutions come to us in great numbers for

treatment,” he said. “It is a pity that teachers and parents are not keeping a watchful eye on their
offspring.”

Drug abuse could be prevented by bridging the gap between parents and children, Dr. Haroon
Rashid Chaudhry, professor at the Fatima Jinnah Medical College and director of the Fountain
House, said.

“Media could be used as a tool to create awareness among the people. The society should accept
its darker side and consequently work on it to pave the way for a better future,” he said.

http://centralasiaonline.com/cocoon/caii/xhtml/en_GB/features/caii/features/pakistan/main/2011/
03/22/feature-01

Drugs addiction

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News Comments (0)

Kiran Tahir 86 days ago | Comments (0)

Pakistan is today notorious for many things, but in the last 20 years, drug production and
addiction has increasingly become one of them. The use of legal and illegal drugs has a long
history in Pakistan.

Today, Pakistan is not only one of the main exporters of heroin; it has also become a net
importer of drugs. It is estimated that about 50 tons of opium are smuggled into Pakistan for
processing heroin for domestic use. The current trend of substance abuse among youth and
especially school age children is troubling. This terrible trend is growing in women also. Many
fingers have been pointed at the youth themselves while at the same time ignoring the very
people who support the youths drug habits, and wantonly purvey rot among the youth.
The height of societal breakdown and decadence comes when the older generation fails to live up
to their responsibility and duty of guiding the younger generation. Drug peddlers and barons are
increasingly targeting the youth, a symbol of freshness and revolution, for money and for their
mental derangement. It is pitiful that drug peddlers lead the youth into temptations through
advertisement and glamour. They totally ruin the physical and mental skill of the young people.

These drug peddlers have no regard for the consequences of their bloodied actions. Many youths
have committed suicide in the malicious tents of pathological drug abuse, and not being able to
distinguish the concords of life from the discords.

Currently, drugs ranging from alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, cocaine, heroin to hashish and
many others are readily available to young children and the youth among the university and
college in Pakistan. These portend a great economic problem to the majority of the third world
where development aspirations are generally pegged on manpower and expertise, which is
currently wanted in these countries.

Our youth are dying morally, socially, psychologically and physically from drug abuse and
addiction. The duty of parents in looking after their youth has also come into serious focus here.
Before anything else, parental care is the most important control and preventive measure against
drug abuse and addiction. The parents should do enough to guide and be with their children at all
times.

KIRAN TAHIR

Lahore

http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2011/01/drugs-addiction/

Drug addiction

April 15, 2008

Approximately 5 million drug addicts in Pakistan are not only destroying their lives but also
affecting every sector of society, including the business sector causing accidents, reducing or
loss of productivity, poor work and absenteeism as well as other serious adverse effects, says a
report prepared by Pakistan Drug Free Foundation. Drug addiction affects all parts of society as
the rapidly increasing number of drug addicts in the country in the business sector as the ratio of
the drug users in labor class and lower middle class increases day by due to one or other reasons.

Approximately an addict spends Rs150 per day on drugs. There are 5 million drug addicts in the
country, so 500,000 addicts spend Rs750 million in just one day, in a month 22,500 million and
in a year Rs270 billion. These are the direct expenses on drugs. There is no data available on the
losses borne by our economy due to absenteeism, wastage of time, low productivity and
accidents of drug abuser in workplaces.
One of the consequences of drug abuse in the workplace is that the economy of Pakistan pays a
big price for it – employee accident and errors, high illness rates, wastage of time, low
productivity and absenteeism are just a few examples of the affects of illicit drug use.

A survey conducted by the United States` health and human service indicates that drug abuser
functions at approximately 65 per cent of their capacity.

Up to 40 per cent of industrial fatalities and 47 per cent of industrial injuries can be linked to
drug abuse. Employees who abuse drugs are 3.6 times more likely to be involved in a workplace
accident and five times more likely to file a worker`s compensation claim. An estimated 500
million work days are lost annually due alcohol and drug abuse in America.

• Employees who abuse drugs are more likely to request early dismissal or time off, 2.5 times
more likely to be late for work.

• Illicit drug users are more than twice as likely than those who do not abuse drugs.

• Employees who abuse drugs cost their employers about twice as much in medical claims.

• According to the United States National Institute of Drug Addiction, almost 10 per cent of
all employees use drugs.

According to the data mentioned above, the problem of drug abuse at workplaces is more in the
developed countries of the world. This problem also exists in Pakistan but no authentic data is
available about the financial losses incurred due to drug abuse at workplaces.

At this point, some questions are raised for the authorities who are responsible for such a
financial disaster.

There is a strong need to launch a grand operation to eliminate the silent killer by government
and the business community.

HAIDER MEHER
Planning & development manager
Drug Free Pakistan Foundation