SHIMLA: In a joint meeting of the Himachal Gyan Vigyan Samiti and Jan Swasthya Abhiyan held in Sanjauli, the alarming surge in drug abuse among youth took center stage, with the citizens demanding an all-out war against synthetic drugs in the capital city by bringing the drug mafia to justice.
Dr. Amit Sachdeva, Assistant Professor at the Community Medicine Department of Indira Gandhi Medical College, shed light on the technical aspects of drug addiction, emphasizing the heightened risk posed by synthetic drugs to the youth.
Dr. Sachdeva cautioned that today's youth are increasingly vulnerable to the dangers of synthetic drugs, leading to a societal stigma that fosters feelings of inadequacy and stress among them.
He highlighted the eagerness among teenagers to experiment with drugs due to peer pressure, resulting in a spiral into addiction.
State Coordinator of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan and Himachal Gyan Vigyan Samiti, Satyawan Pundir, stressed the urgency to move away from policies that vilify and target youth as criminals.
He expressed grave concerns over the lack of sufficient rehabilitation centers for those grappling with addiction, both at governmental and private levels, further exacerbated by inadequate facilities.
Dr. Kayasth, the retired principal, advocated for proactive interventions through schools, advocating for proper guidance and innovative activities to inspire creative pursuits among children, steering them away from substance abuse.
Journalists Rohit Dogra, Yashvinder Dogra, Kapil Sharma, and Ayushi Pundir underscored the need to utilize social media as a platform to design impactful messages warning against the perils of drug abuse.
Dr. Reena Singh, President of the All India Democratic Women's Association, emphasized the importance of not stigmatizing drug addicts and preventing them from being labeled derogatory terms like "junkies," as it undermines their self-esteem.
Dr. Kuldeep Singh Tanwar, the state president of the Himachal Kisan Sabha called for a comprehensive and widespread citizen campaign to build a drug-free society.
Expressing astonishment at the lack of concrete data on the prevalence of drug abuse despite the severity of the issue, Dr. Tanwar advocated for surveys and case studies to be conducted urgently.
The committee resolved to conduct surveys and case studies to address the drug problem effectively.
As citizens continue to grapple with the devastating consequences of synthetic drug abuse, calls for an all-out war against the drug mafia, including certain chemists and vendors in Shimla city, have intensified.
The citizens demand the coordinated efforts from citizens, law enforcement, and civic authorities to identify drug dealers and suppliers exposing them putting them behind bars.
