June 26 is observed as the International Day Against Drug
Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. In 1987, the United Nations General Assembly
decided to commemorate June 26 as a day to raise awareness about the harmful
effects of drugs and to combat illicit drug trafficking. Since 1988, the day
has been observed across the world.
Drug abuse is one of the most pressing challenges
confronting Bangladesh’s national life. Drug addiction is a silent killer. It
gradually destroys individuals and devastates families, communities and
nations. In the current context, the spread of drugs across the country has
assumed alarming proportions, extending its destructive branches like a cursed
tree.
A significant portion of Bangladesh’s youth population has
fallen prey to the grip of drugs. Many young people who could have brought
pride to their families, contributed to society and national development, and
emerged as assets through their talent and intellect are instead being
destroyed by drug addiction. Worse still, they are shattering the dreams and
happiness of their families.
Drug abuse plays a leading role in turning peaceful and
prosperous families into scenes of despair. Today, a vast segment of the
country’s young generation has been stung by this poisonous scourge.
A drug is any substance that reduces the sensitivity of
the brain and creates temporary stimulation in the body when used or
administered. Alongside its pain-relieving effects, drug use may cause
drowsiness, euphoria, irritability, mental confusion, respiratory depression,
low blood pressure, memory loss, vomiting, constipation and numerous other
complications. In simple terms, any substance that adversely affects a person’s
normal physical and mental state and creates dependency is considered a drug.
Drug addiction is a condition in which a person becomes
habituated to using a substance and experiences discomfort or restlessness when
unable to consume it at regular intervals. A drug-dependent individual often
exhibits various withdrawal symptoms when deprived of the substance. Research
suggests that people between the ages of 15 and 35 are most vulnerable to
addiction, accounting for approximately 70 percent of drug users. The average
age of first drug use is around 22 years.
According to experts, several behavioral and lifestyle
changes may indicate drug addiction. These include suddenly associating with a
new group of friends, frequently asking for money under various pretexts,
returning home late, staying awake at night and sleeping during the day,
displaying unusual behavior upon waking, reduced appetite and weight loss,
excessive consumption of sweets, frequent tea and cigarette use, spending
unusually long periods in the bathroom, recurrent diarrhea, excessive sleepiness,
restlessness, loss of interest in sexual activity, decreased sexual capability,
a tendency to lie, constant conflicts with family members, irritability, sudden
mood swings, and the presence of suspicious items such as cigarette butts,
plastic or glass bottles, paper packets, syringes, empty vials, and burnt
matchsticks.
A decline in interest in studies, sports, and cultural
activities, as well as foul-smelling clothes and burn marks, are also warning
signs. The presence of multiple such indicators strongly suggests possible drug
addiction.
The hands that should be engaged in creativity and social
development are now increasingly being used to consume deadly narcotics. Drug
users and traffickers not only destroy society but also shatter family peace
and happiness.
A tragic example is the widely publicized case of Oishee
Rahman, the yaba-addicted daughter of Police Inspector Mahfuzur Rahman, who, in
August 2013, murdered both her parents in their Chamelibagh residence with the
help of friends in order to obtain money for drugs. Numerous similar incidents
demonstrate how addiction can destroy otherwise happy and prosperous families.
Many parents, overwhelmed by the abuse and violence of drug-addicted children,
have even sought legal assistance to have their own sons or daughters
imprisoned.
There is no completely reliable statistic regarding the
actual number of drug addicts in Bangladesh. However, according to the
Department of Narcotics Control, the number exceeds 7.5 million. Of them,
around 80 percent are between the ages of 18 and 30, meaning approximately four
million are young people.
Why do people become addicted to drugs? There is no single
cause. However, if one primary factor is identified, it would be the easy
availability of drugs. Behind this accessibility operates an organized network
of criminal syndicates that deliberately distribute narcotics to maximize
profits.
According to sociologists, drug addiction is a by-product
of market-driven greed, where vested interests seek enormous illicit profits.
Beyond this, numerous socio-economic, political, cultural, and psychological
factors contribute to addiction.
In post-independence Bangladesh, the complexities created
by rapid urbanization, the negative influence of violent student politics,
manipulation by political actors, reckless behavior in the name of modernity,
terrorism, frustration, and social conflict have all facilitated the spread of
drug abuse. Additionally, peer pressure, family instability, social and
psychological distress, and Bangladesh’s use as a transit route for drug
trafficking are considered major contributing factors.
A survey conducted by the World Health Organization found
that the tendency to use drugs is often higher among children from affluent
families. For many privileged youths, drug use is perceived as a symbol of
status and sophistication. They seek pleasure and escape through intoxication.
The biochemical reactions triggered by drugs in the bloodstream create
sensations of warmth, excitement, and euphoria. Over time, these temporary
pleasures lead to severe dependency.
Among educated and otherwise aware drug users in
Bangladesh, many mistakenly believe that drug consumption sharpens the mind,
enhances creativity and increases productivity. Such arguments generally
reflect psychological weakness rather than reality.
Drug addiction may result from a single factor or more
commonly, from multiple interconnected causes. In many cases, a lack of
parental affection, emotional support, family harmony and financial stability
acts as a catalyst for addiction.
The consequences of drug addiction are devastating at the
individual, family, social, and national levels. Drug dependency creates a wide
range of problems in personal and public life. When a young person becomes
addicted, their hidden potential is often destroyed before it can flourish. By
drifting away from prevailing social values, moral principles, and ethical
standards under the influence of drugs, individuals effectively choose a path
of self-destruction. When a nation’s most promising segment becomes addicted,
it poses a serious threat regardless of whether the country is developed or
developing.
Social analysts have identified several harmful
consequences of drug abuse:
First, drug use damages physical and mental health while
eroding moral values and encouraging criminal behavior. Certain substances make
young users feel unusually powerful. Combined with impaired judgment, this
false sense of power can lead to serious crimes and anti-social activities.
Many eventually become involved in extortion, robbery, theft, murder,
black-market operations, prostitution, and other grave offenses.
Second, drug addiction gradually weakens an individual
physically, mentally, and economically. It often leaves people isolated,
socially marginalized, and deprived of dignity. Dependency damages health,
causes diseases, reduces body weight and strength, diminishes appetite, lowers
motivation, and impairs judgment. Over time, users become increasingly
unhealthy and move toward premature death.
Third, drugs inflict extensive damage on the human body.
Alcohol, for instance, gradually destroys digestive functions, reduces
appetite, alters physical appearance, weakens the nervous system, and increases
overall physical incapacity. Long-term alcohol abuse can severely damage the
liver and kidneys and eventually render a person incapable of productive work.
Drug abuse is also linked to the spread of
life-threatening diseases such as AIDS. The unrestricted use and illicit
trafficking of drugs constitute a complex, multidimensional, and international
problem. Drug consumption and smuggling transcend national boundaries,
religions, races, and social classes. No country—rich or poor, developed or
developing—is immune from the devastating impact of drugs.
The rapid spread of drug addiction among students in
schools, colleges, and universities is particularly alarming. If decisive
action is not taken now, it may become exceedingly difficult to control in the
future.
One cannot help but ask: Why do young men and women, whose
parents sacrifice so much to send them to reputable colleges and universities,
become addicted to drugs?
To reverse this trend, moral and human values must be
integrated into educational curricula. Young people should receive holistic
education that enables them to realize their aspirations and become job
creators rather than merely job seekers.
To protect the nation from the destructive impact of
drugs, strict enforcement of the law must be ensured. People from all political
and social backgrounds must participate in anti-drug social movements. Students
and young people must be freed from the influence of vested political interests
and manipulative patronage networks.
At the same time, greater opportunities should be created
to engage youth in constructive, recreational, and developmental activities.
Schools, colleges and universities should expand sports and cultural programs
so that young people can easily participate in healthy pursuits and avoid
despair and frustration. Such initiatives can significantly reduce
vulnerability to drug abuse and broader social decay.
According to a World Bank survey, nearly 45 percent of
drug addicts are involved in one form of social crime or another. Drug
addiction is among the most serious public health challenges of our time. The
increasing rate of addiction among Bangladesh’s youth is deeply alarming. If
immediate measures are not taken, there may soon be few families left untouched
by this crisis.
Drugs are among the most effective weapons for destroying
a nation from within. Therefore, there is no alternative to public awareness
and social resistance in preventing drug addiction. Families, communities,
educational institutions and religious organizations must all play an effective
and coordinated role in this effort.
Emran Emon is an eminent journalist, columnist and global
affairs analyst. He can be reached at emoncolumnist@gmail.com
