Mohammad Shahid Lone
Drug addiction is a mounting concern across the world with more and more individuals getting snared by this vicious evil. Drug abuse is one of the most serious health problems faced by the world today. The Prophet Muhammad SAW said, “All drinks that produce intoxication are Haram, prohibited.” All intoxicants are Prohibited in Islam. It is root of all evils. It effects persons brain and behaviour and leads to an inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or medication. Substances such as alcohol, marijuana and nicotine are considered as drugs. Drug addiction is becoming a social evil in India. It is not less than a tragedy that millions of youths, the future citizens of India have fallen victims to the habit of taking drugs. In kashmir today a growing number of young men are becoming addicted. According to United Nations Drug Control Programme (UNDCP), that around 70000 plus people are drug addicts in the kashmir and cases are continuously rising in kashmir valley, alone among them 4000 are females. In the valley age group of 17-30 are involved in this menace. School going children, youths, girls are mostly involved in this menace. It is a matter of concern, also harmful to the society. It leads a person unconscious. The common substance used by drug addicts in kahmir are cannabis, brownsugar, heroine, sp tablets, alphax, inhalants like fevicol, sr etc. Now a days it is a big challenge to curb theses drug peddlers.
Causes of drug abuse:While specific incentives differ from person to person, generally speaking people start using drugs to escape pain or mask pain. In some individuals the onset of drug use can be from untreated psychiatric issues including anxiety and depression. Some of the causes are trauma or abuse, mental illness, low self esteem, poverty, relationship problems, loss of a loved one, stress, chronic pain or medical effects. It has serious effects. The sad truth is that more deaths, illness and disabilities are caused by substance abuse than by any other preventable health addiction. It has always harmful effects. It damages immune system, heart attacks, veins are collapsed, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, liver aver excretion or liver failure, seizures and strokes, loss of employment, relationship loss, financial trouble, homelessness, risking sexual behaviour. Teachers have an important role to play in it’s eradication from the society. Our children are likely to spend more hours in the school environment around teachers than at home with their parents. Research has shown that a positive relationship with school, colleges etc. which creates a greater sense of community attachment and performance is associated with reduced drug abuse. Ask students the negative effects of drug addiction, give them moral, social, ethical education, awareness programs should be held on drug abuse and their effects, strict rules and regulations should be maintained in schools, colleges etc, keeping an open mind and asking students for their opinion, give praise and reward for students,good behaviour achievements and accomplishments, encourage reading for pleasure outside of school hours, teachers should be good listener’s also. Parents also plays crucial role in the prevention of drug abuse. Drugs including tobacco, alcohol are easily available to children and adolescents. Drug abuse prevention starts with parents. Parents have a major impact on children decision not to use tobacco, alcohol and drugs. Prevention starting when parents talking and listening of their children, parents should make good choices to their children, parents can teach their children, no to drugs. There is no guarantee that child won’t use drugs but drug use is much less likely to happen. Parents should provide guidance and clear rules about not using drugs, parents should spend time with their children, parents should not use Tobacco or other drugs, children should make accountable where he spent time today with whom etc, parents should give islamic, moral, ethical knowledge to their children, parents should not give excess money to their children, they should give money as per needs, praising for things done well and making good choices, when there is free time parents should tell their children to play sports. Parents should not quarrel with each other that effects children this causes depression, anxiety, hating their lives etc. Thus, parents and teachers plays an important role in preventing drug abuse. It depends on parents and teachers what they will teach their children . We should not spoil our lives by using drugs. It has harmful effects. It also effects society too. It gives us bad name.Govt should take necessary steps in preventing drug abuse. There should be strict legal actions against drug peddlers.There should be one slogan “say no to drugs”
(The author is a student at P G Department of Commerce at Kashmir University. Views are his own) [email protected]