We have to fight against the growing trend of drug abuse among the young generations. There has been a constant growth in the trend of drug addiction among the young generation of the country. It is like a wild fire; adolescents become a victim of this thing which destroys the rest of their life.

Why has this trend grown in the past few decades? With time exposure to such things have increases. The immense competition and harshness that practical life brings along, which is always difficult to face, has made the young generation find an easy way out. To fight the sorrows that life presents is always difficult but to escape them and run away from reality is easier. Thus, the youth chooses this easy way of running away from the reality They try to escape the issues of life and opt for drugs. This spontaneous carelessness destroys their life forever.

But is it only the complexity of life that leads young people to such addictions? No. Actually, some become a victim because of curiosity, while others become a prey of peer pressure. During the age of puberty, when the human body experiences potential physical and mental changes, a feeling of curiosity overwhelms every individual. This feeling of curiosity inclines young people to experience new things and try new stuff. Evil and bad are always attractive and drugs are part of it.

Stereotypes play the role as well. Smoking a cigarette is thought to be “cool” or the intake of any sort of drug is considered a sign of adulthood. This is another reason why younger generations are becoming a victim of drug abuse and addiction.

The reasons are clear, however, the question is how do we remove this demon from our society. The elimination of this evil lies in the reasons behind its popularity. We need to bring a radical moral change. New rules and regulations should be introduced to preserve the backbone of the society i.e the youth.

It is one of the responsibilities of the state to take stringent measures against the misuse of drugs. Regulations should implemented which ensure that children under eighteen can not access drugs, alcohol or cigarettes. Strict punishments and heavy fines must be imposed. Breaking of this law must be considered a serious crime that should be dealt properly. Another way is to increase the level of awareness among the youth. It is very important to tell them about the harms potential destruction of drug abuse. Moreover, support programs must be introduced where adolescents are given hope and assistance along with guidance to fight the complexities of life. This will ensure that they are free from the shackles of drug addiction.

It is the responsibility of parents, teachers and elders to raise awareness among the youth so that they reject ideas that revolve around drug usage. It should halt the spreading trend of considering drugs to be “cool”. It will ensure that young people do not fall prey to addiction of fatal drugs. Collectively, it can be safely concluded that drug addiction and drug abuse is a menace, a monster that feeds on young blood and results in the destruction of the society in general. It is the responsibility of every individual to put a halt to this ever increasing trend.

SYED QASIM ABBAS,

Lahore, November 8.