The movie Udta Punjab depicted the grave problem of drug addiction among Punjab’s youth, but the neighbouring state Haryana is also not far behind.
Haryana not only shares a border with Punjab but also its drug abuse problem with drugs entrenching deep within the roots of youth in the state, as per reports.
To deal with the increasing menace, at present, there are eight drug de-addiction centres in general hospitals at Ambala, Hissar, Gurgaon, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Sirsa, Narnaul and Kaithal. And in recent years, these psychiatry and drug de-addiction centre have seen a substantial increase of young addicts knocking on its doors for help with boys as young as 14 years seeking treatment.
There has been a four-fold increase in the number of addicts visiting the centres in just four years – from 842 in 2011 to 3,390 in 2015. Around 1,700 addicts have already come to the institutes between January and June 30, 2016, says a report by Times Of India.
Psychiatrists say that these addicts had turned to drugs due to peer pressure and easy availability.
These are the other shocking findings listed in the report:
- 20 persons, most aged below 35, arrive at these centres in Haryana every day for treatment.
- 95% of the 15 to 20 persons visiting the Hisar de-addiction centre were hooked to smack.
- 40% of the patients from Gurgaon and adjoining areas were alcoholics, while the rest were addicted to cannabis, opioids and sedatives.
- Doctors at Karnal-based de-addiction centre, said people in the area were into `bhukki’ (poppy husk), psychotropic tablets and alcohol. During counselling, addicts revealed that bhukki was supplied in villages during elections.
- Sirsa district which borders Punjab and is vulnerable to drug abuse does not even have a psychiatrist at its de-addiction centre.