The horrible truth of drug addiction.has struck our youth at many levels, and moved into lives, family, and communities into utter destruction and decay, and drug addiction started killing young people.Four centuries ago, drugs and narcotics came down from the developed Western countries, where the affluence of the upper class acted as a catalyst for the drug menace. In our country, addiction drugs first started from the upper classes, but then it got serious and was spread to college youth and university students. Very regrettably, in the youth area, a great many started thinking that it is "in" or that being addicted gives some kind of fashion, thereby inspiring many others. Tremendous irresponsibility there is since the numbers of addicted youths remain unknown in the country. However, deep under-the-ground situations based on the seizing of illegal drugs throughout the country and statistics from the poisoned addicts under reformative treatments almost fail to satisfy expectations. In this area,a good burden also rests on the parents; they should keep constant watch on their children and observe their movements.It is the duty of the parents to instill the very basics of social and cultural discipline within the house. Young people should therefore be inspired with a thirst and desire for worthy goals in life.They must get the rudders of their lives under control toward destinations that are, honorific and rewarding. Simply letting life drift by like a rudderless ship will end only in tragedy. A life that should and could have been beautiful and meaningful through a course of action such as the service of humanity, and self-interests, will return only in times of great deprivation and ruin.
A monstrous crisis is staring at us in the face. The issue of drug abuse was long regarded merely as a ‘personal problem’ and kept largely under the carpet until social ramifications and appalling statistics by the book began to emerge. A major problem facing our country today, risking the future of our youth and their families. The disintegration of the very fabric of society can have far-reaching implications for the very development of the country which one couldn’t even think of. Sticking to the very basic of this ‘menace’, we see reasons behind succumbing to the ugly world of addiction, including pressure of dealing with stress, the desire to have just a high for the moment, or just to plead to fit in with one’s peers. It is called a cycle because once this little ‘want’ becomes of greater importance than any other aspect of life, and slowly gets colored by addiction, moving out of such a scenario becomes very tricky. However, this is only scratching the surface to get a better insight into it; we will have to look into its causes more deeply. Is drug addiction just a personal battle or is it linked with something else?
Why, then, are teenagers susceptible to drugs? The youth, during their teen years, get that invincible courage to do something extraordinary with their small lives. But due to family pressure to follow certain domains of operations toward the normal, they tend to revolt. These kids, when they get a slight bit of freedom, turn to drugs and alcohol as a vent for their anger or energy. Kids from broken families troubled either by existing parent addictions or problematic relationships stand a bigger chance of adoption. Another very vivid explanation for getting into drugs was a breakdown in the family system. The lack of love and support drove them toward drugs and alcohol. Hence, given this fact, a close family system in the Indian scenario can prevent this monster known as 'drugs. In a country like India, drug de-addiction on a scale may be comparatively easy as we are a family-oriented society and very much attached to our families, and India is a country with low divorce rates. The Unified Lawyers report claims that India has the lowest divorce rate at 1%. The WHO has found that a family-type setting is the best way to cure drug addiction. The issue, meanwhile, received severe blow-up post-Green Revolution in Punjab. Whatever destruction happened to Punjab’s ecology in the name of the Green Revolution might not have been too astonishing had Punjab been described as 'Cancer Express.' One can't overlook the increasing rates of cancer and drug abuse. This fatal mix of drugs and chemical fertilizers has crippled the state.
While on one hand the Green revolution added to the glory of Punjab, on the other hand there was a dark repercussion that would affect the mental and physical health of its people for generations to come. In fact, back in the 1970s, the introduction of GM crops, pesticides, and fertilizers for higher yield production under the Green Revolution acquainted Indian farmers with these set of technologies specially in Punjab, Haryana, UP, Himachal, and Uttarakhand states. Almost entirely absent from Indian agriculture earlier was mechanization of the labour-based kinds common in agricultural activities. And by this, it meant that there was a generation of unemployment which forced the working class and small farmers on the drug and alcohol path to deal with stress. In fact, 85 to 90% of drug addicts today are from the lower middle class.
Structural Violence Causing Drug and Alcohol Dependency.
Alcohol use and drug abuse, as it appears, offer themselves in a direct formulation of structural violence. In India, structural violence manifests itself in militancy, terrorism, insurgency, and Maoism. Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and the north-east of the country saw rather visible this violence. A very powerful external entity-the non-state actors-keep the fire of structural violence burning. The only troubling factor is that once violence in this form has been going on in a region for at least 10-15 years, an economy of violence develops in that region. A high percentage of the income generation and livelihood of the nearby population is directly or indirectly dependent on this economy. This opportunity, as it turns out, then is cleverly banked upon and fostered by external agencies and perpetrators of violence into economic support for violence. Households assemble, locally or regionally, to accumulate supplies and finance the maintenance of drug structural violence. In fact, ordinary local people inadvertently become wrapped up in this whole network of drug dependence that is subtly fed and nourished in order to protect the structural violence. Therefore, really, it is posited that all structural violence has an inbuilt rather strong moral cause, whereas, with the passage of time, the ideals are washed out, and people exploit them; taking advantage of the vulnerability of innocent individuals.
Rehabilitation:
Rehabilitation is the systematic treatment to facilitate the recovery from drugs and reintegrate an addict into the society as a normal, functional member. In it are the elements that include medical, psychological, and social support for successful long-term recovery. Medical care, emotional support, and social reintegration are needed for successful rehabilitation, and with the proper approach, people can come back to live a drug-free life.
The best course of action to be taken:
To bring about any lasting change. we need a change in agriculture. The indigenous cows of Sahiwal used to be the pillars of ecology, agriculture and social life in Punjab. Today, in Punjab, you hardly find any desi cow like Sahiwal anymore. With a further degradation in human health, reliance on packaged or synthetic milk has increased. Drug addiction is hardly something to consider a social issue; it is criminal. Further, Yoga and meditation can be a good way to divert this energy in the right direction. Otherwise, the youth might be tempted to an indulgence in sensory gratification. A mass-movement in which women hold central positions must rise to the occasion if such is ever to change. Women in the past have spearheaded successful movements against alcohol and drugs in other regions of the country. I am certain this success can be replicated in Punjab as well. Until and unless people speak collectively, this nexus with numerous players and patrons can never be confronted. Isolated voices can do little; what if we are unable to define the magnitude of the problem? It is unquestionable that it is enormous and horrendous.
(Vivek Koul)
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