Drug Abuse Scourge

The struggle of Nepal against narcotics is becoming more serious due to the expansion of trafficking groups and the spread of drug abuse among youngsters. Nepal's wide-open borders with India have made the smuggling of drugs a common phenomenon leading to the abuse of such substances and the proliferation of HIV among drug users. The rise in drug abuse cases can be attributed to the lack of adequate intervention programmes designed to curb it. Drug abuse is also linked to human trafficking. As per a news report published in this daily on Saturday, in the last fiscal year a total value of about Rs. 857.75 million, comprising 23.141 kg of brown heroin, 13.347 kg of cocaine and more than 541,000 Tramadol capsules, was confiscated by police. It becomes apparent from these statistics that tough law enforcement measures, close border coordination and increased public consciousness are needed to stop the growing drug menace.

The increased volume of arrests and prosecutions shows that the traffickers are becoming more organised and sophisticated in their operations. The problematic issue is the growing cases of young people addicted to drugs. Behind each figure is one whose life has been derailed, a family that is strained and the community that is weakened. Drug addiction leads to crime, affects physical and psychological well-being, denies chances of education and lowers economic performance. A country that does not protect its future generations will pay dearly for that failure. What the authorities have done in response to the problem is rather reactionary. While arresting the drug suppliers and seizing the substances is essential, it only solves half the problem since the root cause of the problem is yet to be addressed.

Problems including unemployment, social alienation, mental problems, conflicts within families and lack of future certainty have made many youths susceptible to substance abuse. The easy availability of prescription drugs has worsened the problem even further. The government needs to have a national plan that integrates prevention and enforcement measures. Programmes on drug awareness should become an integral component of education at all levels, in schools and colleges. Mental health treatment and counselling need to be extended to rural areas, and there should be increased availability and accessibility of rehab centres. The problem of addiction needs to be considered from the health care perspective and should receive prompt attention instead of being a crime for which people are punished.

On the other hand, it would be unwise to ignore the organised trafficking groups. Effective monitoring and regulation of pharmaceutical drugs are crucial, and cooperation with other countries is important to shut down criminal enterprises. This situation calls for active participation of the family, school, local community and civil society. The country should stop the drug situation from getting worse. Stopping drug use cannot be accomplished only by the efforts of the police. Parents need to stay vigilant of behavioural shifts in their children, schools need to educate about the harmful impact of drugs, and communities need to help rehabilitate people rather than stigmatise them.