Drug Addiction 

Essay No. 01

The major cities of India are in the grip of the drug menace. This devastating vice finishes off the addicts by debilitating them physically and psychologically. A seminar on Drug Abuse held recently in Madras has painted a horrible picture of this malady. The most disturbing fact is that the university campuses, college premises and school grounds nourish this evil more and more.

Drug addiction implies physical dependence upon a drug including the development of tolerance and withdrawal. An addict who develops tolerance requires more of the drug to transport him to the world of fantasies. If the addict is not allowed to take the drug he suffers from painful and uncontrollable convulsions, vomiting, depression and various other maladies.

Many drugs give the user a kick eradicating frustrations and adversities that life throws in his way. What they forget or do not understand is that the problems drowned in drugs come back with a vengeance to torment them once the effect wears off. The addicts’ endeavour, is escapist and it is doomed to catastrophic failure even before it begins.

Drugs used by the addicts, particularly in India may be categorised into narcotics, hallucinogens, stimulants and sedatives. Marijuana, opium, heroin, barbiturates and amphatamines are all habit-forming drugs. Marijuana is the Indian hemp, its tetrahydro-cannabinol content is the real drug content and its largest concertration is in the flowering top of the plant. The resin collected from the tops of potent cannabis sativa is called hashish. It is considered to be five times stronger than marijuana. Side-effects of this drug are greater and more injurious. These drugs which are inhaled in smoke-rolled into cigarettes. But both marijuana and hashish can be added to food and drink. As soon as its smoke is inhaled eyes become red, heart beat increases and usually the smoker coughs. Hunger and drowsiness normally follow inhalations of smoke. The smoker gets distortions of visions and hearing. He loses all the sense of time though the smoker thinks that his thoughts have become clear and better. Hallucinations and delusions may also happen. Unfounded suspicion of anything accompanied by anxiety,  uncontrolled laughter or weeping and irrational mental fixations also are noticed. Hallucinogens are drugs that provoke changes in sensation, thought process, self-awareness and emotion. Aberrations in the perceptions of time and space happen, illusion, delusion or hallucination may vary in intensity in accordance with the dosage inhaled. Marijuana smokers stand the danger of ceasing to become “high” on smoke and may have to take recourse to heavier drugs. And the results produced by the same amount of drug may vary in the same person depending upon circumstances.

LSD (Lysergic Acid) is the most powerful hallucinogen. Its intake dilates pupils of the eyes, flushes the face, raises body heat and heart beat. Blood pressure shoots up and the person feels chilly. Convulsions occur but rarely. As the effect of the drug wears off the symptoms disappear. Vision is most markedly affected, perception of the objects is distorted. The subject experiences transferred emotions; he may consider music just a picture. It can also fill the person with horror. Thus, extreme euphoria or insufferable terror is the result. Consequences are unpredictable-the extreme being homicide or suicide. The most detrimental effects of LSD is flashback. Such flashbacks can cause extreme anxiety.

Amphetamines called stimulants are supposed to increase alertness, increase vigour and reduce hunger. Medically it is used to reduce depression. Stimulants known as `appers’ or `pep pills’ are taken in capsules or tablets. They are also taken through inhalations or through injections. Some inject massive doses intravenously from one to a dozen times a day. This type of user is called a speed freak. In ordinary quantities it provides a temporary sense of alertness and well being. Hunger is reduced and the performance of an exhausted person improves. But intravenous intake in large quantities gives an ecstasy high for some time. Once it wears off, reinjection is needed. This goes on till the person breaks down physically followed by collapse and death. Social, familial and moral values erode.

Sedatives induce sleep and are capable of reducing tension taken in small doses. The largest group of sedatives is from barbiturates. Taken without medical supervision people may take over-doses and then become habituated. These drugs are called gold balls, sleepers and downers. Tranquilisers calm, relax and diminish anxiety. They may cause drowsiness also. A strong desire to take drugs develops. If a person takes a few barbiturate pills after drinking he may succumb to death. Barbiturates taken with narcotics, alcohol or tranquilisers can also prove fatal.

Narcotics relieve pain; opium and its active components such as morphine and heroin belong to this group. Morphine is bitter in taste. Opium has 10 percent morphine content. Dialetyl morphine hydrochloride is prepared by the action of an antibride on morphine. When mixed with sugar and other ingredients, this is called brown sugar. It is taken orally or by injecting intravenously. It is smoked in the Chinese way also. It accounts for about 90 percent of the drug intake. It has no medicine value.

People in all kinds of pain take heroin for relief. Pure heroin if injected can kill within minutes. Unclean implements used for injections may lead to viral hepatitis, skin abscess, inflammation of veins and congestion of the lungs. The addict may become prone to Tuberculosis.

Drug addiction reduces sober time available to a person. The personality of the addict is destroyed and his emotions become intense and distorted. Fertility is reduced and children born may have serious illness and withdrawal symptoms. The Indian government is making an all-out effort to check this diabolic trafficking of the drug.

Essay No. 2

Drug Addiction

Drug addiction is the worst social evil of modern civilization. It is spreading like cancer. The misguided and frustrated adults are the prey of this habit. Mostly of rich families, these people are becoming habitual of using drugs such as herion, smack, opium, charas, cocaine, ganja and brown sugar. Drug addiction is a part of western culture. It is thought is a thing of fashion and modernization. The worst aspect of this social evil is – if you start taking drug in fun or fashion, it becomes so habitual that it cannot be left easily. It is an invitation to death. This evil is reaching and spreading in Asian and African countries. Drug addiction is self- destruction. This may take sometimes as we see in case of cancer, but it is a sure stepping towards death.

Drugs have been used for medical purposes since ages. Never before this modern period. There was no misuse of drugs. Man is greedy by nature. To earn more in short period some anti social adulterated drugs cause deaths those who are busy in anti- human activity for their selfish motives, should be punished. There should be no encouragement from government department to anti- social elements. The public should also co- operation to make anti- social elements suffer.

Drug abuse is fast becoming very common among students. thousands of school and  college going youngmen have become drug- addicts. This evil is more  rampant in big cities. Villagers and the town people are still free form this abuse. Urban life is slowly becoming a mechanical life. it has become highly competitive and risky. Tension and cut-throat competition put an unbearable pressure on youngmen and women. Life becomes tiring and burdensome. Students tend to become escapists. As an escape from the drudgery of life, they take to drugs. In the beginning they turn to drugs just for fun and thrill. Then they get addicted to this abuse. They are compelled to even steal to buy drugs. They become physically and mentally wrecks. They invite their own doom.

Drug abuse has become a great social and cultural problem. It has been polluting the minds and morals of our youngmen. The menace of drugs can’t   be tackled by the authorities alone. There should be a comprehensive and all- out – war to root out this evil from the students. rehabilitation centers should be opened to treat the addicts. However, the root of this evil lies in the disorder an degeneration of our social and family life. peaceful and purposeful social and family life will fill our youth with hope and faith in themselves. They will not be tempted or lured by the vicious addiction of drugs.

The abuse of drugs has now become an international problem. Recent studies show that 88% of heroin addicts in India are in the age group of 14-25 years. In fact at present drug abuse has become a craze among school and college students. drug habit is considered a fashion or a symbol of modernity at the beginning. But after some time it becomes a habit, making body weak and a prey of different diseases. Children having no sweet life, lack of healthy education , heavy burden of books; sex and violence seen through T.V. and cinema programmes; loss of moral values, uncertainty of future life prepare a youth to be a prey of this had habit. Drug affects a person physically, mentally, and spiritually leading to a wreck life. he lives only for these deadly drugs.

Drugs addiction must be fought on war footing. Concerning departments and public should be alert to remove this social  evil. A great publicity should be made regarding this social evil. A large number of banners, posters and placards should be displayed. Evils of drug should be highlighted through the media- radio, television and press. The parents should be more careful about their wards specially in tender young age. The drug addicts should be kept under special care and treatment. Doubtful anti- social worker should be checked with regular attention and should be punished seriously if found guilty.

Essay No. 03

Drugs and Teenagers

The start of college is a new and different experience for all teenagers. They are keen to learn about their new surroundings and make new friends. At the same time, many teens consider drinking, smoking and drugs as cool. In a survey recently conducted on the abuse of alcohol, nicotine, and other harmful drugs, researchers studied that the maximum number of teenagers involved in smoking, drinking and drugs are in the age group of fourteen to twenty. In today’s society, the pressure to drink, smoke or use drugs to fit in has been seen in youth. On the basis of such surveys, it was found that these teenagers drink one to two times per week because they enjoy it. They feel that it is also a chance to have fun and hang out with their friends. However, teens say they do it out of boredom also.

Often, teens are anxious to find an alternative way to have fun and to escape from movies and television. For this reason, they jump at the chance together in a large group to socialize. They are willing to pay their pocket money for a cup of beer, i even if they know that drinking under age is illegal. Drinking alcohol comes with many responsibilities. These teens ‘responsible drinking’ as ‘having control of your action. In other words, teens drink as long as they know what  they are doing. However, drinking teenagers are often found in situations where they act irresponsible. Teenagers are often caught driving while under the influence of alcohol. When teens get into the car, they do not think about the consequences. There is always that one thought in the back of everyone’s mind in this type of situation. They say, nothing bad is going to happen. Sadly, when something does happen, most of the time the drunk driver is never the one to be injured. It is always the innocent passengers or the victims on the road.

Smoking is another issue within the college community. Many teenagers who smoke have been doing so quite some time and started smoking at an early age. Even though most people do not agree with teens smoking, a good percentage of adults smoke cigarettes. Therefore, the influence to smoke is constantly around teens and young children. On the other hand, some teens also like to smoke socially. This usually occurs at parties or just when they feel like hanging around outside of their dorms. Drug usage is the third huge area of abuse among students in college. The majority of these teens have tried the most common gateway drug, marijuana. Many of these teenagers said they have also tried mushrooms, ecstasy, and speed. Peer pressure has nothing to do with their reasons for drinking, smoking, or doing drugs. They believe college is the time to live. Drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, and using drugs are not going to stop them from having the times of their lives. Only awareness can stop them.

Essay No. 04

Drug Addictions

Drug addiction is a major social evil of modem times.  It  has  transcend all  barriers  of  caste, color,  creed,  sex,  nation.  Drug addiction symptomatic of the ills of our society.

Industrialization  led  to  a  large  scale  exodus  of  rural  population  from  the villages  to  the  cities  in  the  hope  of work.  It  meant  separation  from family  and  leading  a  single,  insecure  and  lonely  life  in  the  city  with one  to  share  ones  sorrows  and  feelings  with.  Such  people  became prey  to  the  drugs  and  were  fully  exploited  by  the  drug  traffickers.  Similarly breaking  down  of  the  joint family  system  led  to  the  birth  of  nuclear  family where  each  family  was  a  unit  consisting  of  parents  and  their  offspring The  pressures  of  life  drove  both  husband  and  wife  to  search  for  work.  The rising  cost  of  living  forced  women  to  step  out  of  the  sanctity  of  home and  take  on  the  role  of  a  bread  earner  to  supplement  the  family  income. In  the  more  affluent  families,  the  parents  were  too  busy  to  look  after  ill children.  They  left  them  in  the  care  of  servants  and  ayahs  who  could not instill  the  right  values  in  the  children.  Hence  the   tendency  to  take  to  drug has  increased  in  the  last few  decades;  specially  among  the  youth.

 However, it is not a malady afflicting the young only.  Drug addiction common among young and old, poor and affluent.  It  is  a  problem  of  I whole  society  and  is  eating  into  the  very  vitals  of   the  society.  In beginning,  a  person  takes  a  drug  out  of  curiosity  or   to  escape  from reality.  There  are  some  who  take  drugs  simply  for  the  thrill  it  gives  them. The tragedy  is  that  once  a  person  gets  used  to  taking  any  kind intoxicating  drugs,  it  becomes  an  addiction.  His body develops dependent on  the,  drug.  He has to steadily increase the dose.  Even  if  at  any  point his  life,  he  realizes  his  folly,  it  becomes  extremely  difficult  to  give  up. It is like being in the clutches of a monster.  It  is  pathetic  to  see  a  drug addict,  when  he  does  not  get  his  usual  dose.  His whole body writhes with pain and agony which drives him to madness.  Besides taking drugs is expensive.  Therefore  it  drives  drug  addicts  to  stealing,  committing petty crimes  and  other  anti-social  activities.  It is-not surprising that drug addicts become anti-social elements.  Drugs  completely  destroy  their  mental  faculties to  think  clearly,  rationalize  and  reason.

India  is  caught  in  a  geographical  drug  nightmare  sandwiched  between  the so-called  Golden  Triangle  (areas  covered  by  Thailand,  Myanmar  and  Laos) and  the  Golden  Crescent (areas  covered  by  Pakistan,  Afghanistan  and Iran)  and  has  been  widely  used  by  the  smugglers  as  a  transit  and  exit country.  The transit country also usually becomes the user country.  Drugs have become big business.  There is an international network of drug paddlers.  In  fact,  international  drug  trafficking  has  got  an  impetus  with  what  has  come  to  be  known  as  narco-terrorism.  Terrorists, to raise funds for  their  activities  become  drug  peddlers.  For  example,  the  terrorists  in  Sri Lanka  raised funds  by  selling  heroin  in  Canada,  West  Germany  and  France. In India,  the  BSF  and  the  Customs  authorities  have  been  seizing  a,  lot  of drugs  at  the  borders  and  airports.  Thus  with  the  advent  of  narco-terrorism t  drug  addiction  has  assumed  wider  arid  international  dimensions.  Some governments also encourage drug traffic.  Hence, it has become difficult to fight drug trafficking.

Thus,  drugs  not  only  destroy  the  addicts  but  breed  terrorism,  homicide, international  tensions,  and  diseases  like  AIDS.  All  these  facts  point  to  the need  for  fighting  the,  evil  of  drug  abuse  with  the  greatest  determination. There  is  need  for  strict  supervision  over  youth  by  the  parents  and  the guardians.  Students  living  far  away  from  the  parents  in  hostels  fall  easy prey  to  such  habits  as  a  result  of  persuasion  by  friends  who  are  already addicts.  Besides,  the  young  .generation  needs  a  sense  of  direction,  love, affection,  guidance  of  the  peers,  parents  and  teachers.  There  is  also  a  need to revitalize  the  education  system  in  which  there  is  great  stress  only  on learning  the  three  Rs.  Education should bring about all-round development of the individual.  At  present  it  only  prepares  for  earning  a  livelihood.  It does not teach the growing minds how to live.  It  does  not  inculcate  in them  certain  values  which  are  essential to  lead a  life  in harmony with oneself  and  ones circumstances. Adequate  measures  should  be  taken  to Check  the source  of  supply  Of  intoxicants—the  pills,  L.S.D.;  marijuana, cocaine,  heroin,  brown  sugar,  etc.  Today, Delhi  has  become  one  of  the principal transit  points  for the  fast  expanding international  trade in  narcotics. The daily  seizures  of  heroin  and  other  drugs  in  various  raids  by  the  police in the capital is  an  indication of  the  extent  of the  menace.

Although  in  order to fight  this  evil Anti-Narcotic  Squad  (ANS)  and  an International  Drug  Enforcement  Agency (IDEA)  have  been  formed,  we need  far  more  than  these  agencies  to  combat  drug  menace.  We need strict laws and their implementation.  Besides, we need  to  look  into  social reasons for  drug  addiction.  Mass  media  can  play  a  very  useful  role  in educating the  masses  on the  dangers  of taking  drugs.  Hospitals  should  provide  fret service  to  a  drug  addict  who  wants  to  end  his  subservience  to  the  drugs. Efforts   should  be  made  to  tackle  unemployment.  More  centres should  be opened  for  counselling  the  young.  Voluntary  and  social  organisations  should extend  counselling  facilities  to  the  poor  whose  families  are  the  worst  victims. When  the  sole  bread  earner  becomes  an  addict,  it  drives  the  whole  family to  the  point  of  starvation  and  death.  Narco-terrorism  points  to  the  need  of greater  international  co-operation  in  fighting  the  drug  menace.

In  India,  drug  addiction  is  increasing.  Official  estimates  show  that  there are  between  500,000  to 700,000  heroin  addicts  in  India.  Article  47  of  the Constitution  enjoins  that   the  State  shall endeavour  to  bring  about  prohibition of  consumption,  except  for  medicinal  purposes,  of  intoxicating  drinks  and drugs  which  are  injurious  to  health.  To  check  this  alarming  increase  in  the number of  people  taking  drugs,  the  Government  of  India  has  taken  important steps  both  in  legislation  and  enforcement  to  combat  drugs.

The  Narcotic  Drugs  and  Psychotropic  Substances  Act  1985  has  been  further strengthened  by  making drug  offences  non-bailable  and  providing  seizure and  forfeiture  of  properties,  related  to  drug trafficking  and  death  penalties in  certains  specific  cases.  The  Prevention  of  Illicit  Traffic  in Narcotic

Drugs  and  Psychotropic  Substances  Act  1988  was  enacted  with  effect  from July  4, 1988  for supplementing  deterrent  penal  provisions  of  1985  Act.

Voluntary  organizations  are  also  being  assisted  for  undertaking  awareness building  programmes  and  for  organising  de-addiction  camps.  Grants for this  purpose  are  also  given.

A  survey  by  an  international  agency  has  revealed  that  the  drug  trafficking gangs  have  huge resources. They  find  it  easy  to  corrupt the  politicians and bureaucrats  with  the  help  of  money.  The  Government  should  try  to  identify such  people  in  power  who  are  in  league  with  these  smugglers  and  punish them  severely.

When,  people  in  power  or  in  limelight  indulge  in  such  malpractices, it has a  bad impact  on the  masses  who idolise them.  It is amazing how drugs have  become  the  cause  of  major  international  scandals  in  politics, sports,  etc.