26th June: International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking
By: Dr. Reyaz Ahmad Ganaie
International days are occasions to educate the public on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems, and to celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity. The existence of international days predates the establishment of the United Nations, but the UN has embraced them as a powerful advocacy tool. On 7th December 1987, the UN General Assembly decided to observe 26 June as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse. Each year the day is supported by individuals, communities, and various organizations all over the world.
This global observance aims to raise awareness of the major problem that illicit drugs represent to society. The International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is to strengthen action and cooperation in achieving a world free of drug abuse. It emphasizes the need to improve the understanding of the world drug problem and how in turn, better knowledge will foster greater international cooperation for countering its impact on health, governance and security.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) encourages individuals, non-profit organizations, the private sector and Member States to get involved in its social media campaign to mark this day and invites them to draw on the resources provided in the social media campaign package.
In today’s world we are facing lot of issues both at national as well as international level and among them drug abuse is one of the burning issue and various efforts are being made to root out this menace to secure the future of our younger generation. The World Drug Report 2023 presents an overview of the current trends on global drug markets and includes the latest information on drug use, production, and trafficking. It analyzes the gender gap relating to drug use. The Report also focuses on contemporary issues related to drugs, including the online sale of drugs; the regulatory approaches to medical cannabis; recent developments surrounding psychedelics, and the convergence between drug crime and crimes that affect our environment. The report provides a global overview of the supply and demand of opiates, cocaine, cannabis, amphetamine-type stimulants and new psychoactive substances as well as their impact on health. It highlights, through improved research and more precise data, that the adverse health consequences of drug use are more widespread than previously thought. For two decades, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has been helping to make the world safer from drugs, organized crime, corruption, terrorism and are committed to achieving health, security and justice. It aims for tackling all these threats to promote peace and sustainable well-being as deterrents to them.
Every responsible citizen of the society particularly teachers have a big role in addressing the issue of drug abuse because mostly the victims of this drug abuse fall in the age group of 11-20 years. Therefore apart from teaching, their duty is to impart moral education to the students and to help them to overcome their day to day problems they are facing so that such students should not be misguided by the miscreants to motivate them for any kind of drug abuse. The study conducted by Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience (IMHANS) in a Drug De-addiction centre in Srinagar, found that over two-third of patients had started substance abuse in the age group of 11-20 years. The common Substance used by Drug Addicts in Kashmir are Cannabis, Brown Sugar, Heroine, SP tablets, Anxit, Alprax and other Inhalants and It is official Now that drug addiction has taken epidemic form in Jammu and Kashmir. The Civil Society is very much concerned over the rising cases of substance abuse, mostly the use of cannabis.
Warning signs to look for:
There are clear signs to look for if you think a student is taking harmful substances but first make sure that these signs are not the result of other problems. Do not immediately jump to the conclusion that a student is abusing drugs. These warning signs are as:
Emotional signs
Mood swings ranging from elation to sudden withdrawal and depression, Anger for no reason, Loss of interest in school or extra-curricular activities, Difficulty getting along with others, Playing truant, Falling grades and poor academic performance, Short attention span.
Physical signs
Red eyes, Tendency to fall asleep in class, Slurred speech, Inattention in class, Forgetfulness, Neglect of personal hygiene and general appearance, Trembling and uncoordinated movements.
If we recognise the above signs among any children in the age group of 11-20 years our early intervention will definitely make a positive change in the lives of such victims so that they can live a normal peaceful life. The greater responsibility lies with police and security forces to stop the flow of banned substances in the region. We must realise the problem can be addressed effectively only when the availability of drugs is choked and the law enforcing agencies, particularly the police, have to work to put a check on the sale of drugs and act tough against drug peddlers. Medical experts should also be engaged if needed to counsel or treat such students so are saved from getting ruined. A teacher can play an important role in spreading awareness about the ill-effects of drugs among students to keep them away from this menace. A student will take a teacher’s advice more seriously than that of his father or guardian.
There are multiple reasons for the drug problem, which include lack of awareness, easy availability, peer pressure, uncertainty, trauma and anxiety created by the day-to-day conflict by using drugs. During Covid-19 crises it was difficult for administration to destroy its cultivation and to book the people involved in this cultivation and the youth have faced a lot of problems on this account and the people involved in this process are making huge fortunes out of this illegal trade at the cost of our future generations.
Although it is the duty of every citizen to fight against the drug mafia in order to get rid from this menace which is taking a heavy toll on the lives of people particularly the youth, the Jammu and Kashmir Excise Department meant for this purpose together with police department has to gear up its men and machinery to destroy the poppy and cannabis cultivation. Therefore a coordinated effort by police, excise department, civil society groups and educational institutions can play a big role to save our future generation from drug abuse. Let us take pledge to root out this menace from our land.
