A growing problem which is slowly but steadily turning serious is the frequency of drug abuse among the youth. It is to be noted that the problem of drug abuse is not a new one rather it is an age old problem which led to the downfall of many generations. However, due to the readily available internet services and other digital platforms, the younger generation is easily exposed to subjects which wasn’t possible for the previous generation. With subjects ranging from nudity to substance abuse, such unfiltered internet grasps the minds of the young ones which eventually leads to getaway or the beginning of substance abuse.
If we are to talk numbers, Punjab has staggering digits with 75% of the youth being addicted to drugs, that’s 3 out of every 4 children. Other cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad etc are also building up its numbers of youths into substance abuse. To give a vivid perception Delhi alone has 500 rehabilitation centers trying to steer back the youth into the right path. The state of Assam is not on the backfoot either. Major areas like Dibrugarh, Nagaon, Sibsagar including Guwahati are seeing the surge of substance abuse among the youths which can be directly co-related with their uber lifestyle and mindset of not stepping back from anything. While mentioning the urban areas, the alarming rate of increase in substance abuse among the youths of rural areas must not be overlooked. Villages and small town youths too are not free from this creeping pandemic.
According to researchers, the main reasons of substance abuse among youths in India results from peer pressure, adolescent immaturity and irresponsible parenting. Subjects of substance abuse are talked in most Indian households like a taboo of some kind, so no proper education is given regarding the affects. However, the group who hasn’t yet abused drugs can be prevented from doing it in the future by applying various means like promoting good health, encouraging for positive alternatives and community development etc. However it doesn’t mean that one must overlook those who are already addicted, if better de-addiction centres are developed for the youth, the cumulative number of addicts in the country would decrease substantialy over time.
The stance of authorities regarding these disruptions is also suspicious. Peddlers running wild all over the place, nobody to arrest. Mostly feels they are protected. Once in a blue moon there would be series of operations against such which will fall cold after a few days. It is for sure that just one or two weeks of operations against peddlers won’t be able to root out the problem that has been plaguing the country for generations. However its high time for everyone concerned to get ourselves educated and try to protect the younger generation today from such disruptive activities because they are the ones that are going to be at the helm of the country tomorrow.
Visuals by: Rahul Haloi
Article by Puhar Pallab Bharali, The North-Eastern Chronicle
