Pressure, Curiosity leads to start Cannabis, Alcohol ,Tobacco ,Drugs-Dr Sidhu
KS Diwan/ royalpatiala.in/ Patiala
Cannabis, Alcohol and Tobacco (CAT) are the three main intoxicants which act as entry or gateways for the users leading them to start the use of drugs of abuse and drug addiction. Drug abuse in fact now has been labeled as a “Brain Disease” by medical experts and it is real difficult for the chronic users to come out and more difficult to treat them due to relapsing episodes. According to one survey, one of the districts in Punjab state, has the highest number of alcohol users in the world and about 2 percent population in Punjab is affected with Opioid addiction whereas the number of people suffering from HIV (AIDS) and Hepatitis from injectable drug abuse in Punjab is 11 to 14 percent against the national figure of 7 percent and it clearly states the people of Punjab are living in a high risk drug abuse zone.
These views were expressed by Dr B.S. Sidhu, Head of the Psychiatry Department and Principal Government Medical College Patiala during his talk to sensitize young medical students against drug abuse under “Tandrust Punjab Mission” organized by NSS (National Service Scheme) Unit of the medical college. He advised the students to be aware of the peer pressure and curiosity, the two most common reasons leading to starting of the use of the drugs of abuse.
Dr DS Bhullar, Programme Officer NSS Medical College Unit said that in a study in ten districts commissioned by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment of Government of India in 2015, the total number of drug users in Punjab was 2, 32,856 with 89 percent drug addicts educated and literate. Almost all drug addicts in the state were males (99%) and 83% having jobs and almost half of them from villages. The most commonly abused drug was Heroin (chitta) with 53 percent users. On an average Rs. 1400 were spent on heroin by drug addicts every day in the state and opium users spent Rs. 340 per day while the pharmaceutical Opioid users spent Rs. 265 per day.
Drug abuse leads to physical, mental and moral deterioration of the drug user and the medical students should come forward to sensitize and teach masses to say no to drugs and make the state free from drug abuse, said Bhullar. The programme concluded with vote of thanks by Dr Simmi Bhatnagar. More than 200 medical students attended the programme.
