Drug Addiction In recent times, drug-addiction in India has assumed menacing proportions and the evil is increasing by leaps

and bounds. It is Wide-spreading the hostels and campuses of the universities and technical and professional institutions of the country. Charas, Ganja, Heroin, smack or brown sugar 'bhanga' and even 'LSD' are in great demand and are purchased at exorbitant prices. Taking of drugs is a great evil. A number of causes are responsible for the evil. In many homes, growing boys and girls do not get the love, care and attention which they should receive at this tender age. Often both the father and the mother are in service and consequently have no time to look after their children. In other cases, the husband and the wife are not on good terms with each other. They often quarrel, the quarrels increase in intensity and violence, and life in the home becomes most unhappy and unpleasant. Such quarrels may lead even to divorce and the breaking up of the family. In still other cases, the father remains too busy in his own social life, to look after the children. The result is that young people in such homes feel lonely and neglected. They feel frustrated. Deprived totally of parental love and affection, they seek consolation elsewhere. They go astray. Their so called friends, who are themselves drug-addicts, mislead them and induce them, at least, to have a taste of it. The drug-sellers fully exploit them. Drugs are in the beginning provided to them quite cheap, but the price goes on increasing as this evil habit takes hold of them and they can no longer do without drugs. Drug-addiction is an acute problem which has defied all efforts at its solution so far. The drug - addict cannot do without the drug even for a short while, and the habit goes on increasing and soon the addict finds himself a helpless victim of this degrading habit. He must get his dose of it at the fixed time and if he does not get it, he weeps and cries and becomes incapable of the least movement. The result is that he borrows money, or he steals it from his own home or from any other place which may be within his reach. He or she exploited in various ways by their so called friends or the sellers of these vicious drugs. The drug-addicts steal, and with their parents and other members of the family, so that their life in the home becomes a hell. Often the evil results in suicide and the ruin of the whole family. The only beneficiaries are the vendors of these drugs. They thrive while their victims perish. Total eradication of the evil is the urgent need of the hour, and fight against it must be undertaken on a war-footing and on a number of fronts. public opinion must be created against it and the different media of mass communicationthe press, the radio, the television, the cinema, the public platform and the class room-must be pressed into service to combat the evil. In this way the people more particularly the youth, must be made aware of the evil consequences of this habit. They must be made to realize that 'the friends' who initiate them into this evil practice are not their friends but their enemies. They exploit them for their own nefarious ends. Secondly, there must be a concentrated drive against smugglers who smuggle these drugs into the country and make huge profits by selling it to their unlucky, helpless victims. Thirdly, de-addiction centers must be established, at least in all major cities, where the victims of this vicious practice may be treated and gradually weaned away from it. The drug-addicts need sympathy and an understanding of their problems. They should be treated as essential for successfully tackling the problem. We are glad to note that the government is fully alive to the urgency of this problem. Mass media have already begun to stress this problem and from public opinion against it. Programmers aimed at the eradication of this evil are televised frequently. The drive against smugglers and vendors of these drugs has been intensified, and huge quantities are being seized practically everyday. De-addiction centers for the treatment of these helpless people have already been established in cities like Delhi, and it is hoped that more and more areas would soon have such centers. The fight against this social evil has begun, and its eradication is a matter of time only.

Drug Addiction
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Drug is Death: Say no to Drugs and other similar slogans visible on billboards and newspapers are proofs of the social awareness drug abuse has attracted. Drug related crimes are equally conscience stirring and have made people much over it. We all have relied on the drugs. Our doctors have prescribed for the various diseases, so, how can its use be an abuse. The use of psychoactive substances for obtaining relief from mental tension or physical discomfort i.e.. For therapeutic uses is legitimate use of drugs. Contrary to this, when used for attaining pleasure or new experiences and consequent physical or psychological harm is termed as drug abuse. Such drug abuse induces drug dependence and ultimately addiction and habituation. In drug addicts there is enslavement to drugs and compulsion to obtain and consume it by any means. They develop a psychological and physical dependence on the effects of the drugs and an effect detrimental to the individual and to the society. The abusable 3drugs are of various types; sedatives or depressants that relax the central nervous systems, induce sleep and provide a soothing effect. Stimulants activate the central nervous systems and relieve tensions, make them aggressive and counteract fatigue. Narcotics, like depressants affect. The central nervous system and produce feelings of pleasure strength and lesson inhibitions. Hallucinogens produce distortion of perceptions and dream images. Drug abuse has been explained by psychologists and sociologists. It is generally regarded that pleasurable sensations produced by drugs reinforce their use or it satisfies certain psychological needs, or is a response to fear and insecurity to the conditions of modern life, often association with users is also regarded as a reason for accepting drugs. Drug abuse can also be explained in terms of weakening of social bonds between individuals and society due to maladjustment alienation and noncommitments. A new dimension in drug abuse has been its use by sports persons to enhance their potential beyond humanly endurable limits. The incident of Ben Johnson was a jolt to the sports lovers all over the world and has caused much thinking on effort to curb the recurrence of such incidents. However, with unfailing regularity such controversies erupt, for example Katrin Krabe. It would be appropriate here to search for the causes of drug abuse. Among sports persons it can be safely attributed to the search and urge for glory. It can be an attempt to gain an unfair advantage over the others in the achievement orientation of modern society. The ends have become all powerful and means have been relegated as secondary. The use of drugs among children which is most shocking and astounding can be variously explained. Juvenile delinquents take to it in defiance and deviance to the social values. Some children accept it under peer group pressure and as an act of proving their masculinity. Others take to this due to weakening of emotional bonds between parents and siblings. The children who are in an impressionable age require much effectual and emotional bond to wean them away from such antisocial activities. In rural areas the use of psychoactive substance is for religious purposes and on ritual occasions. However, it is also used to relieve fatigue and also a source of entertainment. In industrial urban setting the use is for more or less the same reasons. Apart from the health and physical disadvantages drug abuse causes, it has also led to e acceleration in crime. An addict would stop, nothing to get his dose of the drug. There has been a spurt in thefts and murders by these addicts whose dependence physical and psychological upon the drugs is so great that the accepted values and norms of the society are shelved and their prime concern becomes acquiring their dosage. There has been an increase in smuggling and peddling of those drugs as the economic advantages are numerous. It has also made the gangs engaged in such activities more vicious and violent as the economic stakes are very high. This delineation of drug abuse brings us to the point where reference must be made to efforts to curb their evil. Given that the use of drugs have historical and cultural context makes prevention more complicated. Efforts have been made to combat drug trafficking, treat addicts and prevent drug abuse. India being on the transit route faces a challenging and unenviable task. However, our Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act has not been very effective, Seizures have increased and so have indictment for offences but that is reflective only of the increase in those activities and not any positive development of control of drug abuse. Other legal sanctions are merely suggestions of intention and not actions. Government regards drugs as a source of revenue and therefore its cultivation cannot be stopped. The inefficiency of administrative machinery in policing and preventing abuse needs no highlighting. The only positive development is the establishment of de-addiction and detoxification centers which, have enabled us to salvage some people from destruction. However, these centers are expensive and the addicts have a tendency to relapse unless they have a strong will power and a desire to abdicate the malaise. Voluntary associations have also been doing a commendable task. In conclusion, we can say that drug abuse has been realized as a major evil. It is a social problem and has legal ramifications. It has been given a high profile now and mass media has been disseminating information to educate people with the intention of preventing drug abuse. The battle continues and war on drugs is on.

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Drug Addiction

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Drug abuse has become a big malady in many countries. Millions of young boys and girls have become drug addicts. . It is Wide-spreading the hostels and campuses of the universities and technical and professional institutions of
the country.

Drug abuse causes multiple problems for countries and communities. The medical and psychological effects are very obvious. Addicts cannot function as normal members of society. They neglect their families, and consequently require expensive treatment. The second effect is on crime. Huge police resources are needed to fight smuggling and dealing. Criminal gangs and mafia underworlds develop with the money from drugs.

However, the problem of drugs can be fought. Education is the first battle. Children need to be told at home and in school about drugs. People need to be aware of the effects so that they can avoid this problem A second approach is to increase police manpower and create effective laws to stop dealers. However the main target should be the user: Families and counselors need to talk to children and people at risk. Parents need to look at their children and help them to become responsible. Worthwhile jobs and housing are also needed to give people a role in society. In conclusion, although the problem of drugs may seem impossible to end. There are concrete steps that can be taken to weaken the hold of drugs on society. The danger from drugs is too great to ignore for us and our children.