25 per cent of the youngsters addicted to drugs

Himalayan News Service

Mahendranagar, February 1

The number of youngsters taking to drugs has increased significantly increased.

The sale of without-prescription drugs has touched new heights, especially in Mahendranagar where the addiction is taking a dangerous form. HIV/AIDS infection is the greatest risk to the health of these users.

A survey conducted recently showed that around 25 per cent youth between 14 to 30 years are into drug abuse.

Regardless of family background or income ceilings, youngsters from both well-to-do homes as well as poor ones are addicted to marijuana and brown sugar. They are also into injecting TDJSK, AMIL, Nitrozepam, said Ram Chandra Budha, general secretary of the Nepal Medical Business Association (NMBA), Mahakali branch. Budha said that injection syringes by the thousands are being sold in Khatima and Banbasa of India. The nearby Salghari forest serves as an opportune drug cover for them.

Addicts go into the, administer their fix and return thoroughly stoned, police personnel along the Nepal-India border said. Sometimes, the addicts even bring back the drugs with them.

The majority use syringes. One syringe is shared by five to six addicts. As a result HIV/AIDS are spreading like wildfire, said the vice president of NMBA, Birendra Tiwari. The numbers of HIV/AIDS patients is increasing every year. A survey by a NGO, revealed that 128 people in Kanchanpur are infected with HIV/AIDS. The report also said that there were 300 - 400 drug addicts in Mahendranagar Bazaar alone.

Among them, 80 per cent belong to affluent families. Most have fallen prey to the addiction under peer pressure or due to family problems.

NMBA general secretary Budha disclosed that some addicts were to the rehabilitation centre at Haldwani in Uttaranchal state of India, but to no avail.

All have relapsed. Most addicts even commit theft and burglary to finance their daily fix.

Dope on abuse

• Around 25 per cent of youths between 14 and 30 years are addicts.

• Addicts belong to affluent as well as destitute families.

• Medical stores in Khatima and Banbasa are earning lakhs of rupees supplying drugs to addicts.

• Number of HIV/AIDS patients increasing due to drug abuse.

• In Kanchanpur, 128 infected with HIV/AIDS.

• In Mahendranagar Bazaar alone, there are 300-400 addicts

• Eighty per cent of addicts are from well-to-do families.