Survey finds 21% of Shimla school children into drugs
Shimla: Rising stress levels among children because of academic pressure, emotional distress and parental expectations was causing drug abuse to rise among them which a survey has pointing out that as many as 21 percent children in Shimla schools were into drugs.
Citing a survey of twelve schools undertaken in 2004 for a study on drug abuse, Gopal, a doctor at IGMC disclosed at a discussion forum organized upon International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking that drug abuse was prevalent among 21 percent of children surveyed in Shimla schools.
He said the schools surveyed included 7 government schools and the survey of 2040 students found out that there were 21 % drug users in private schools and 21.8 % among government schools,
Speaking on the occasion chief justice Joseph Kurian expressed concern about rising incidences of drug abuse among the young and emphasized upon teachers to take up the role of counselors to reach out to children and lead by example.
The chief justice said that citizens owed a civic responsibility towards fighting drug menace. “Every section of society always talks about ones rights but we simply sleep or ignore our duties toward society that we have pledged under by adopting a constitution which starts with – We the people —,” he said.
Opening the discussion Akarshan Chauhan , president Youth Enlightenment for Society (YES) an NGO, pointed out at the easy availability of drugs, cigarettes and alcohol near schools and colleges.
Additional Director General of Police ID Bhandari said that growing of opium and cannabis because of demand from outside the state was coming up in Sainj, Ani region of Kullu valley and Chuhar valley of Mandi.
Enforcement authorities were seeking stricter punishment for offenders of the narcotic act and a campaign to uproot as well as desist people from taking to growing cannabis and opium crops was becoming effective, he said.
Psychiatrist Ravi Sharma said that most children turning up at the clinic for drug abuse often were a victim to pressure of studies, emotional stress and rising expectations of parents.
He said that the threshold of children to withstand stress was falling, resulting in many taking to drugs.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.
Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.
Society creates everything..who creates the poison of competition in minds of tender kids..who makes them feel guilty when they score less..aguilty child is bound to feel unworthy..First fill their minds with rage , competition ..which is itself an indirect form of violence..trying to defeat someone …can never be peaceful..may be wars or exams..hence frustrations, complications in mind..and final result = Drugs !
On one hand this superficial society teaches love and peace..with flowery talks and pocha maar words..and on the other hand it expects performers..who stand out in first row in everything..then only it recognises..the problem is not with Kids..the problem is with ill seeds of society that cripples every mind right from childhood..Get first, get 99%, get rich..get powerful..not every child can manage it..delicate minds and hearts are bound to get suffocated and would seek some solace in any way..
This is a non ending vicious circle..our own society , parents and people first create mentally disturbed children with their psychological verdicts and discrimination and when they get out of control of their own lives and try abusing drugs or alcohol or anything..they again come with rescue remedies and preachings, morality and spiritual recovery..strange world !
children, kids are gentle souls..only this venomous society and foolish parents spoil them…class me first aao..kuch kar ke dikhao..ulte latak jao..par kuch ban ke dikhao..dekha vo kitna like hai..tum duffer ho..all this rubbish can’t make children follow right path..we need to dig roots of causes..and stop pruning dry leaves..!
drinking alcohol is a process that puts a pause on thinking. person who consumes it is actually consumed by it even then people keep on drinking alcohol. It’s shame to know that more than half of the male population of himachal is under the grip of this menace, n it’s side effects other than health can not be overlooked it effects the whole family creates an unhealthy atmosphere for kids, lowers the income n disturbs the society too. it’s also note worthy that alcohol is more consumed in poverty ridden families than that of better ones, it shows that people consume it more under stress but again do drinking brings any solution? so in order to check this some firm steps should be taken such number of liquor shop should reduced , prices should be raised these ideas may sound weird but I personally feel that counseling n awareness programs hardly works on people who live to drink so punitive measures should be used to check n here is an exercise for those who actually wants to quit alcohol …………. next time when u ll be holding ur glass of wine recall the scared faces of ur kids n ur wife who curses u to be a loser husband n father.