By Suresh Unnithan
Kochi: The statistics are startling. There is a horrendous hike reported in drug abuse cases from Kerala, the state lauded for maximum literacy. As per the records of the state administration, the drug related cases have escalated by 335% in 2022 compared to 2016. According a report presented in Parliament 27,545 drugs-related arrests were made in Kerala in 2022, which is 29.4 per cent of the total arrests in India.
A survey indicates a sharp surge in narcotic, abkari and Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) cases registered in the state in 2022, and the drug menace is growing alarmingly in Kerala. According to the survey the drug abuse among the younger generation, particularly among the teens are on the rise. “46 per cent of the surveyed teenagers used drugs more than once a day. As for the age of first drug abuse, 70 per cent said they first used cannabis between the ages of 10 and 15. Only 20 per cent had their first drug use between the age of 15 and 19.”
As per a survey conducted by the Kerala Police “among youths below 21 years of age, who were victims of substance abuse, has revealed another shocking fact that 40 percent of them were children below the age of 18.”
As per Dr Geetha Jacob, a clinical psychologist who has been campaigning against drug abuse for over three decades admits that “the youngsters are becoming easy prey to drugs. It is more frightening, girl children are increasingly becoming victims of drug abuse and they are being used as carriers by the drug cartels.” Dr. Geetha said that she “has come across girl children even below 13 years of age being treated for drug addiction. “Generally, these girls on their own will not walk into the drug traps. Their boyfriends compel them to taste it (drug), and then exploit them sexually. After continuous use for a while, they become addicted. At this stage the cartel will appear as Good Samaritan and with no efforts induct them as carriers.”
Talking about the reasons for the youngsters being lured into drug habits, Dr Geetha says that in most of the cases teens are dragged into drug habits by “sermons” of those “experienced” elders. “ Friends or peers who are doing drugs extensively explain to them extraordinary feelings of pleasure they can experience after taking drugs. Young people often find consuming drugs to try new experiences, especially ones that they think are thrilling or daring. Certain others take drugs thinking it can act as stimulants for studying or anabolic steroids to improve their athletic performance.”
Explaining the magnitudes of destructive potential drugs she cautions “consuming drugs when young can interfere with developmental processes of the brain. It can also affect decision-making ability. The drug abusers are prone to indulge into risky things, such as unsafe sex and dangerous driving. Taking drugs at an early age can lead to severe health problems, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and sleep disorders.”
A medical doctor who works among the drug abused teenagers agrees with Dr Geetha and says “these drugs are mostly psycho-active in nature and damage the normal brain chemistry of the consumer. That could potentially make the child abnormal and will lead to hallucinations. This could end up in strained relations with the near and dear and the family.”
However, Dr Geetha is optimistic in countering the hazard of drug addiction. “There is a saying that prevention is better than cure. To begin with we need to think of preventing our children from tasting drugs and this can be effectively done by the family and educational institutions. “the parents need to have a close and cordial approach to the wards, educate them about the ills of drugs and the havoc it can make in their lives. Similarly the teachers also need to have a watchful eye on each student. Generally, both the parents and teachers are very concerned about the academics of the children and fail to notice whether the child is having any deviance.”
“Drug abuse and addiction are preventable with effective intervention programs involving families, schools, communities. Media has a crucial role to play in countering this evil and has the power to make the coming generations mind-numbing and unproductive. The media needs to expose the sources and brains behind the supply and spread of drugs. The media has the potential to awake the administration in slumber and make it work against the drug cartels. Media with its effective intervention can save the generation (s) from this cancer that is spreading far and wide. ”
