Drug abuse, particularly among young adults, has been increasing by 10 to 15 per cent annually. According to a recent government report, the number of drug addicts in the country has risen to a whopping 150,000, and the majority of them are school and college students. In fact, the drug mafia recently have not only made schools and colleges their targets but also been using students to peddle drugs. Though students in most of the schools and colleges in the capital have been found to be hooked on drugs, about 90 per cent of the schools have not taken any serious initiative to control drug abuse by their students.

Students generally pick up this dangerous habit owing to stress and peer pressure, which has also resulted from competitiveness that is characteristic of modern academic environment. They might also fall prey to this habit for lack of proper parental guidance and care, which is essential at this stage of students’ life. Moreover, the fact that the government authorities are doing precious little to control drugs peddling and use even in public places has also led to a proliferation in this harmful practice. Though some of the schools and colleges in the capital have recently launched anti-drug campaigns to raise awareness against the dangers of drug abuse, such effort would only half serve the purpose. What is needed is that the government should crack down on drug trafficking with firmness and also take effective steps to identify and rehabilitate addicts.