Madhu Tandon
Use of drugs have assumed alarming proportions across the country and our UT of Jammu and Kashmir is no exception. The UT of Jammu and Kashmir enjoys close proximity because it shares long borders with Pakistan. Pakistan is notorious for promoting narco-terrorism for achieving ulterior motives, besides, her aim is to foment trouble in India by misguiding the people by adopting various overt and covert means. As such, drugs are being smuggled in large quantity from neighbouring Pakistan which also shares border with Afghanistan. The sole aim is to spread drug culture among the young and innocent generation. Therefore, there is an urgent need to organize drug awareness and prevention programmes to check illicit use of drugs and the same can be curbed to a great extent by way of undertaking various awareness drives. Not only this, proper education and prevention programmes can also play a vital role in curbing the menace of drug abuse.
Sensing the gravity of situation worldwide, every year 26th of June is celebrated as International Day against drug abuse. On this day, various events and purposeful programmes are organized across the globe to spread awareness among the people against the use of drugs in society by them. Moreover, the use of drugs has really disturbed the mental health and social equilibrium in society, thereby ruining the young generation everywhere. Therefore, there is a great need to strengthen action and cooperation in achieving the goal of a world free of drug abuse. The basic objective of International Day against Drug abuse and illicit trafficking is to keep ourself, our family and our loved ones away from the use of various drugs so that we can lead a hale and hearty life and contribute for the betterment of society. Another objective is to create awareness among the people to treat the individuals using drugs with compassion and sympathy so as to make them shed the bad habit of taking drugs. No doubt, Government has set up various drug de-addiction centers to tackle the problem but still number of solid measures are required to be taken to keep away the youth from the use of drugs after their proper de-addiction.
The drug trafficking can be prevented by making concerted efforts at all levels. Education can play a key role in prevention of drug trafficking. Besides, education, there is great need to take various measures to alleviate the poverty level of people. Not only this, there should be strict punishment for those who are violating the prescribed laws with impunity by luring the young people and innocent minds into the bad habits of drugs use. Moreover, the need of the hour is to have better international cooperation to check the menace of drug abuse. Likewise, there is great need to involve health experts who can spread awareness about preventive measures to be taken at minimizing/reducing risks or threats emanating from the regular use of drugs to health. It has been usually believed that the addicted person suffers from wide ranging diseases which often results into large scale disorders in society.
In India drugs and magic remedies (objectionable advertisements), 1954 has been passed to control the advertisements of drugs in India. Another aim is to prohibit advertisements of drugs and take remedial measures regarding spreading of wrong notion about magical properties for treatment of certain diseases and disorders.
No doubt, laws are there in India to tackle the menace of drug abuse but still lot needs to be done to deal with drug peddlers, smugglers and other anti-social elements who are actively engaged in illegal drugs trade/trafficking, thereby, targeting the young and innocent minds by promoting use of different types of drugs among them. If timely stringent measures are not taken, then we are not losing our younger generation but also the future of our country would be at stake. Therefore, it is high time that Government, NGOs and civil society members should work in Unison to create awareness among all in society so that our young generation do not fall prey to drug abuse. Therefore, let us unite and make strenuous efforts to make our society free from drug abuse for better and healthy future of all.
(The author is Sr.Lecturer in Botany)
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