20000306Number of drug addicts increasing alarmingly

RECORDER REPORT

FAISALABAD: There are 400,000 addicts in Pakistan who spend Rs 131 billion every year on drugs.

A majority of them belongs to Punjab using heroin, opium, charas, alcohol and other narcotics.

A recent survey, conducted by the Punjab Youth Council, indicates that the number of drug addicts has been increasing alarmingly in the country and the majority of them aged between 14 to 28 years. Drug pedlars are freely supplying all-variety narcotics while the district anti-drug committees constituted by the deputy commissioners have been completely failed to check the sale and use of drugs, the report added.

No doubt that the Narcotic Control Board nabbed some big fish last year but their number is negligible, the report said.

There is need to activate the anti-narcotic committees with more powers to effectively curb the growing menace of drug addiction, the report suggested.