Prescription drugs, ganja-the new `in` thing

From an occasional puff or a beer -youngsters in the country are now stepping up their party style, causing concern among parents as well as law enforcement agencies.Forensic test results on 287 youngsters arrested from the recent infamous rave party in Pune have rung alarm bells for everybody. Policemen as well as doctors and parents were all astonished to find that 249 youths including girls picked up from the party tested positive for drugs.

"Drug culture among youths is on the rise. What is surprising is that even school students are now getting into drugs or substance abuse," says Dr Gautam Bhatia, Director, Sahyog, a rehabilitation clinic here

Statistics available with Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), say out of the total 981 kg of heroin seized in 2005-06 from across the country, 20 percent was from Delhi alone.

"People start off with softer drugs such as marijuana (ganja) and graduate to higher ones. And thus follows a chain of abuse," adds Dr Bhatia.

Rave parties that are synonymous with drug abuse are now a common thing in many cities. Invitations for such parties are often sent out by word of mouth or through community websites like in the case of the Pune incident.

From inputs received from different bureaus across the country, police officials say there is no culture of rave parties in their respective jurisdiction.

According to Gopal Hosur, Joint Commisioner, Crime, Bangalore, "We don't get any specific tip-off since the groups indulging in rave parties are very closed one and do not advertise. They have their own internal source of communication and pass information personally. Hence, it is difficult to nab them."

Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore among other bigger cities had been always known for their rave parties and smaller cities have also caught on to the party mode.

In November last year, police raided a farmhouse near Jamwaramgarh, Rajasthan the venue of a rave party organised exclusively for foreign tourists. The raid yielded various kinds of drugs scattered around.

Likewise, the holy town of Pushkar is also known for rave parties and if event managers are to be believed such parties in Pushkar are unofficially organised on full moon nights and on Saturdays.

His theory is also supported by Dr Bhatia who says, "Society is becoming more and materialistic. Break up of joint families, peer pressure, working parents take a toll on a child’s mental strength as he starts feeling alone and steers to drug abuse. Moreover, drugs are now considered the 'in' thing."

The doctor says one of his youngest patients was a class nine student who was abusing commonly available medical drugs.

A recent study conducted by Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar, has revealed that the drug use pattern has changed in Punjab. The study found out that prescription drugs, including painkillers, cough suppressants and pills are more prevalent.

According to drug and food controller, Kashmir Aslam Khateeb, "our department has received a number of complaints alleging that the youths are using particular drugs.

"Getting pot (ganja) is not a big issue here. All one needs to know is whom to contact," says a young college student in Delhi. Places like Paharganj, Majnu Ki Tila in North Delhi or even areas near East of Kailash have been a favourite hunting grounds for many students in Delhi eager for their daily joint.

With ganja (known as the poor man's drug and hence not monitored enough) selling for as low as Rs 20, it is not tough to procure them.

College students are not the only ones who are affected by the drug culture.

Bureau Report