P.M. SERAJUL ISLAM: Drug impacts directly influence the economic and social aspects of a country and physically to a human body. In Bangladesh, it is a growing national concern. More and more people are beginning to use them - middle aged people, old people, housewives and young girls, University’s student, even high school students (especially in English Medium student).

Every intelligent and humane person in the world society and international organisations such as the UN and WHO are alarmed by the present rate of addiction. In our country the regular seizures of stocks of heroin and other hard drugs by the police and narcotics department gives us an indication of the extent of addiction in our country. Nowadays nearly ten per cent of outpatients in our hospitals are cases of drug addiction involving heroin, ganja and phensidyl. These are generally youths and young men between 15-30 years of age and come from all strata of the society. But there are adolescents below 15 years of age and men and women over 30. Hospital surveys show that average age of drug addicts is 22. The addicts are students, professionals, businessmen, laborers, rickshawallahs and from other professions. Students are most affected and drugs have caused deterioration in standards of education and students have also given up going to schools and colleges. These addicts are turning to various criminal activities, in order to procure drugs.

The most common drugs used in Bangladesh are stimulant drugs. These teens are ignorant about drugs. Some of them can not tell the difference between stimulants and marijuana. At first they put the drugs into drinks. They don't even know which drugs are dangerous. It's easy for teenagers to get the drugs. They can buy them from friends who don't think it is wrong to sell them, or they can get them from some foreigners. They buy drugs called "Speed, tiger, yaba" they knew it´s a type of Drinks or tablets which give refreshment to study and mind, which they don't think is dangerous. They don't realize that it really is dangerous. There are a larger number of young using drugs. According to the police- "In the last 3 or 2 years many more teens have been arrested for using drugs than ever before".

Drug addiction has grabbed not only the youth but it has grabbed the social leaders also. In the present situation, we need to strengthen family and social values and religious ethics in order to maintain a stable and drug-free society. We believe that there is a lot to do to stop this social malaise now before another dangerous symptom appears which AIDS is. After doing all these we can get our drug-free Bangladesh.

Drug addiction beings on rapid erosion of educational and cultural, moral and family values. The addicts lose their professional and educational capabilities, self-dignity, and get involved in serious or petty criminal activities. The sole aim in life of an addict becomes the procurement and use of drugs. Other aims and objectives in life are thrown by the roadside. Besides, dread diseases such as Hepatitis, HIV/AIDS can easily attack drug addicts through use of injectible drugs.

In our country, heroin is mostly smoked within aluminum foil or cigarette paper, but in other countries, this is injected. Heroin addiction lowers mental eagerness and efforts and physical ability. The addict loses contact with normal society and becomes self and drug-centered. He engages in all types of activities to obtain money to buy drugs. A Heroin addict may need about Taka 500 worth of the drug a day. He neglects the needs of the family, and those are non-earning may sell off family assets. They also go out on the streets for mugging and dacoity

Children are the beloved of the parents. Suspicions of one's child engaged in immoral and criminal activities are a source of the utmost heartache for the parents. Yet for this very reason, children must be kept under close observation. Behavioral and emotional changes are common in the adolescent and young men. But long-standing changes and rapid shifts in mood needs specialist doctor's attention and investigation. Heroin addicts live in a dream world, unconnected with realism and the environment around them. They lose attentiveness, live alone, and are irritated by interference and contact with non-addicts or other addicts. They rub their eyes and legs, and lose appetite rapidly.

Treatment of addiction in our country is still not in a hopeful stage. Some unqualified and dishonest people are engaged in making money out of this suffering with growing organizations and signboards, which confuse the patients. Such institutions do not have doctors. Others falsely advertise the availability of services and doctors form abroad. Such doctors even if available cannot be very effective, unless they are truly knowledgeable about our social, cultural and economic environment.

Its is time that experienced and qualified doctors and health professionals come to the aid of the addict in our society, and give genuine and prolonged treatment and care.

Daily newspapers are full of reports of drug network having a turnout of crores (tens of millions) of taka. Many experts believe that Bangladesh is often used as a transit point for international drug trafficking, making the country vulnerable to drug abuse. Traffickers are making their shipments through Dhaka, Chittagong, Comilla, Khulna, and other routes in Bangladesh. So, in near future, Bangladesh will face a disaster if the alarming drug abuse is not effectively checked through extensive motivation and prevention. Bangladesh is situated in the central point between golden crescent (Pakistan, India, Afghanistan and Iran) in terms of geographical location. And it is also surrounded by the major drug producing countries of Asia, many of which are strengthening their narcotics and stepping up enforcement measures. Bangladesh with its easy land, sea and air access is becoming a major transit point. Traffickers who supply drugs in the markets of Northern America, Africa and Europe are making their shipments through Dhaka,Chittagong , Comilla, Khulna, Jessore and other routes in Bangladesh.

Our country is a land surrounded by India from three sides. The northern and eastern sides are surrounded with hills and mountains. And the western corner is mainly plain land. The hilly regions are suitable for illicit drug trafficking. The traffickers can easily hide themselves in these hilly forests and transfer the drugs safely. In our country, there are border crossing points from where every day millions of taka is being exchanged for drugs.

Nowadays, drug abuse among youth has become a serious problem in many countries, both rich and poor, across the world. Not only the illegal drug use is on the rise, but children as young as 10 years old are also experimenting with alcohol, phensidyl, heroin, baba, ganja, and other forms of available drugs. The effects of drug abuse are well known. Many young talents are wasted, and prolonged addiction to hard drugs can cost a user his or her life. Suggesting remedies for youth drug abuse requires a clear understanding of the underlying reasons.

It has been found that many people, especially the youths are teenager to get rid of drugs. But unfortunately they can hardly find any way out. The departments of narcotics control, police, Arms forces etc. either do not work or/and even some how are related to drug smuggling/business. According to the discussion with the concerned people such as drug abusers, guardians, teachers, policemen and related persons in the drug business, it is clear that behavioral modification of the abusers is not enough to check the spread of drug taking and drug trafficking in Bangladesh.

The writer is a publisher and editor of law related daily newspaper ‘International and is Ph.D researcher, columnist and human rights activist, lawyer in Bangladesh Supreme court, E-mail: seraj.pramanik@gmail.com, Mobile: 01716-856728