Drugs addiction is harmful not only for the addicted but also has negative impact on the fabric

of the
society. The effects of such an addiction can cause dangerous changes in the mind, body and spirit of the
drug addict. The most disturbing aspect of drug addiction is that it is reaching epidemic proportions in
the whole world. People in our part of the world are increasingly becoming addicted to all kinds of drugs
including street drugs and prescription drugs etc.

Street drugs include cocaine, heroin and crack, marijuana and meth, while prescription drugs include
those such as Valium, OxyContin, Percocet and Ritalin etc. The price of drugs can be very heavy. Simple
ill-effects of such addiction include physical itchiness, coma and even premature death. On the other
hand, the psychological ill effects can make a person completely dependent on taking drugs in order to
survive.

Drugs addiction is a very serious problem and even if the addict is using prescribed drugs, the ill effects
can be very harmful indeed. It is, therefore, important that the government takes administrative, legal
and policy measures that put an end to the menace of drug addiction. The right kind of information can
help the addict avoid overdosing and it can also prevent medical-related complications.

The ill effects of addiction to drugs can be very difficult to endure, which is why the addict must be
treated for their condition at the earliest. A lot of research is being done on how addiction to drugs
harms people and societies. An individual that takes drugs will expect certain changes to take place in
his being.

In the US, addiction to drugs is quite widespread. One study on this problem revealed that one in every
five American aged between sixteen and fifty nine had used at least one drug. What’s more is that about
half (46 percent) of Americans, aged between 16 and 21, admitted having used drugs in different phases
of their life. Even more worrying is the fact that approximately twenty million people, aged above
twelve years, have used illegal drugs in the US. In fact, about 1.47 percent of Americans are addicted to
drugs.

North America, which includes US and Canada and even Mexico, has a major drugs addiction problem.
The problem is no less dangerous in Central America where countries such as Belize, Guatemala and
Nicaragua are major centres for drug abuse.

Drugs addiction in Pakistan is no less worrisome. Though its neighbours (India, Bangladesh and Maldives
as well as Nepal) all have drugs addiction issues, Pakistan is the worst affected throughout South Asia. It
is, after all, home to the largest market for heroin consumption. What’s more, Pakistan is also a major
exporter of heroin and, in fact, approximately fifty tons of opium is illegally brought into Pakistan to
produce heroin.

Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and even Sri Lanka all have major issues with use of
drugs. Afghanistan, for example, has about 28,513,677 drug addicts, while Bangladesh has 141, 340, 476
addicts. India has a staggering 1,065, 070,607 drug users, while Pakistan has 159, 196, 336 addicts.

The worst thing about being addicted to drugs is that it is affecting the youth in every part of the world
in a major way. The trouble starts among the school-going children but the problem is exacerbated with
abetment by those who wish to earn money out of selling drugs.
The problem among children and youth arises because of a perception that they seem to harbour the
notion of their inadequacy for failing to measure up to their expectations of their elders. Nowadays it
has become fashionable for the actors and singers to include tales of drugs addiction and sexual
references in their music. So instead of inculcating good values in the youth, the entertainment industry
is responsible for propagating the use of drugs, which is further fuelling the addiction to drugs in both
the developed and developing world.

The youth has become the target of major drug peddlers. These peddlers sell drugs and package them as
symbols of revolution and freshness but have no regard for the consequences of their actions. The youth
that takes to drugs are more likely to commit suicide because of the harmful effects of the drugs they
are taking. Misinformation about drugs is another reason for these deaths as the addict or user may
take the drugs in wrong doses, which can then lead to a fatality.

Drugs addiction among the youth is killing them morally and socially as well as psychologically and even
physically. And, drug barons are becoming increasingly wealthier by supplying these drugs that are
causing untold misery.

It is time that societies and governments took a firmer view about preventing and stopping drugs
addiction. There should be a community plan that should be implemented to stop addiction to drugs.
This plan must identify the specific drugs that youth are using. It should build on existing resources such
as existing drug abuse prevention programmes and it should also develop short-term goals relevant to
proper implementation of research- based drug abuse prevention programmes.

In addition, the community plan must project its long- term objectives to ensure that resources are
made available and in addition, the community plan must also incorporate ongoing assessments to
evaluate the effectiveness of their preventive measures and strategies.

In fact, all preventive measures need to address different forms of drug abuse and addiction and should
also target different types of drug abuse and addictions. It should also be tailored to address risks that
are specific to certain populations or audience characteristics. It must be aimed at specific populations
and at major transition points such as at middle-school level.

Unless serious measures are taken now, the very future of a large chunk of today’s youth will be
severely compromised. The problem of drug addiction is too real and serious to be ignored. The
governments need to involve communities and media in highlighting the perils associated with the drug
addiction. Media has a responsibility to highlight such issues with a view to educating people and
building a consensus among them to forge a united stand against such scourges.

The perpetrators of doom and gloom are well entrenched in the power structures and have formed
transnational partnerships for their nefarious purposes. The response to deal with such an organized
menace should also be concerted for effective output. It calls for sustained engagement and
coordinated action among countries. Individual efforts cannot produce desired results. For how long
shall we turn a blind eye to such critical issues? It is now time to be responsible in our actions.