Progress (coupled with happiness) is the pinnacle of aprofound process called Peace. All theelements of the society contribute their faculties and capabilities to createthe dynamic conditions and the wheels of development are set rolling.
Our society is surviving in a peculiar set of circumstances.All these years of conflict we have witnessed how deep despair has set in allaspects of our lives. In the saga of blood and tears, we see innumerablefactors continuously working on the psychological and sociological aspectsthereby culturing the minds of the people. Therefore, our lives are fraughtwith doubts and uncertainty; as a result we are all suffering from thecondition of collective stress.
Due to this stress, easy accessibility to resources,corruption of minds and other causes like the misuse of social media societaltransgressions have become our common lot. We are bound to find ourselves inthe cul-de-sac situation; materialistically pampered but spiritually starved.
Therefore, the increasing incidents of rape and therapacious drug abuse by our youth have jolted the society. Drug abuse hasbecome an epidemic of drug addiction, and the overwrought people have goodreason to be troubled.
Drug abuse is otherwise a growing global menace, and cutsacross all barriers including the socio-economic lines. It is hurting thesocial systems everywhere, because it devours the youth and particularly theteenagers. In our case the situation is more alarming as the abusers are mostlyin the age group of 10 years to 25 years. While the alarm bells are ringing itis pertinent to take a stock of the situation and set in tangible corrective aswell as the preventive measures.
Children imitate their elders in the family who smoke,various studies have established that they imitate their elders in the familyand start smoking cigarette stubs and end up taking drugs. As it is, smokingnot only directly affects an individual’s health but destroys the health ofthose around.
Furthermore, the teenagers/adolescents because of their ageare propelled to a new phase of their life. While they develop a newunderstanding of the world independent of their parents they try to becomeassertive with their decisions. At this stage of life they are more likely tofall prey to the negative influences such as use of alcohol and drugs or becomeinvolved in other deviant behaviors within their social circle.
An exposure to healthy lifestyles, positive livelyactivities such as sports; creative activities such as reading or writingclubs; eco-protection or pro bono activities can surely restrain theadolescents from relenting to such activities.
Social media usage has become intrusive in our modern lives;hence a contributing factor for increased levels of alcoholism and drug abuseamong the adolescents as they share undesirable material online and experiment.
Another major factor as to why adolescents take to drugabuse is lack of parental involvement in the lives of their children. Generallyboth the parents are working or in case they are divorced they are so engrossedin their own lives that they are hardly pro-active participants in the lives oftheir adolescents. The lack of parental attention is compensated by thepresence of grandparents in the family, but due to nuclearisation of the familysuch positive influences have gone missing.
Parental pressures can also have negative influence on thechildren. Therefore, the detached adolescents are more vulnerable and morelikely to fall prey to intoxication and addiction. Children of this age groupneed the guidance and emotional support; friendship and openness from theirparents. Strong family ties and ample communication between the children andparents acts as a deterrent as well as a shield to such children who mayotherwise indulge in deviant behavior.
The parents also need to know who their children areacquainted with, what all activities they are involved in, keep a check on whatthey are spending at, and above all make sure the children/adolescents spendquality time with the family.
Peer pressure is yet another factor why they indulge in suchactivity. It gains them acceptability in their friend circles, or they takedrugs seeking euphoria. The feeling of euphoria depends on the kind ofsubstance used. These youngsters use drugs to relieve stress, anxiety orphysical pain and even as stimulants (a rarity). It has been found in our StateHeroin, Brown-sugar is the most frequently used substance besides opioids,inhalants, sedatives and steroids.
Development of addiction among the adolescents is adangerous cycle. From one time users they become all time addicts, therebyjeopardizing their lives. Such sustained use of drugs reduces a person’sability to control or stop the use. Their will power is compromised to say’No’. Such adolescents require tertiary care and need to be admitted to thede-addiction centers in the hospitals to overcome the chronic addiction.
Drug abuse can cause loss of IQ, impairs memory and thinkingability; as a result the adolescents become impulsive and aggressive, and sobecoming social deviants even indulging in criminal activity; and there isevery likelihood that such addicts may indulge in unprotected conjugal activityand other risk activities, even accidents are caused due to effects of drugaddiction.
It is indeed unfortunate that such addictive substances areso easily available in the markets to these adolescents; pain killers, steroidsand other preparations are available over the counters in pharmacies withoutprescriptions. It requires strict regulation and action by the Controller ofDrugs.
The enforcement agency has of course come down heavily onthe drug peddlers, who are only small fish in the big net. Stringent actionneeds to be taken against the dealers and peddlers who are poisoning thesociety. The law is also strict in such cases and there is no bail for suchoffences only in very exceptional situations may bail be granted. In thesecases there is a presumption of guilt. The judiciary has a very significantrole to play.
At the societal level it requires enormous grit and spiritto pull our adolescents out of this quagmire. In schools the teachers have aresponsibility to check the academic performance of the children. If they skipthe school or suddenly show lack of interest immediately the parents should beinformed.
Primary responsibility is however always on the parents, whomust keep a check on the school and social activities of their children. Anywithdrawal symptoms should immediately but delicately be handled. Where theadolescent is a frequent drug abuser the psychiatrist and experts at drugaddiction center in the hospitals can be consulted without hesitation andfurther delay. Our young generation has deep mental health issues. If we wereto measure their happiness quotient despite providing them the best of luxuriesit would be very minimal. Therefore, let’s all gear up; parents, teachers,administration, enforcement agencies-one and all. Let’s team up to give ourchildren a better future.
(The author is Advocate J&K High Court at Srinagar)