United action needed to tackle drug abuse
Papel Kumar Shaha:
The issue of drug abuse has become a burning issues and worrying problem in the whole world, including Bangladesh. Drug abuse is spreading everywhere and is gradually leaving different bad reflection on the socio-economic environment of people. This is affecting everyone at every level of society, including children, youth, and the elderly. Due to drug addiction, the normal life and well-being of the environment and surroundings of people are being endangered, which has become an overwhelming problem and has paralyzed people’s intelligence, thinking, and conscience, prompting them to behave abnormally.
In the recent study of the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) Report 2024, it is seen that the estimated number of drug addicts in the country is 8.3 million. Of these, 7.76 million are men and 2.85 million are women, and 2.55 million are children and adolescents addicted to drugs. Among drug addicts, about 6.1 million are addicted to marijuana (about 52 percent), 2.3 million to yaba (about 20 percent) and 2.2 million to alcohol (17 percent). More than 3.46 million people are addicted to phensedyl and similar drugs and 3.2 million to heroin. In addition, about 300,000 people take sleeping pills as drugs. About 1.60 million people use glue like Dandy as drugs. About 39,000 people take drugs intravenously. The total number stands at about 1.17 million. However, the same person is addicted to more than one drug. This calculation has been made taking that into account. As a result, the total number of drug addicts stands at 8.3 million.
Whereas the Narcotics Control Act, 2018, and the Smoking and Using of Tobacco Products (Control) Act, 2005, clearly mention legal issues and punishment provisions for controlling drugs. However, the most worrying thing is that a large portion of drug addicts are young people.
Soumik Shil, a final-year MBBS student of the K-78 batch of Dhaka Medical College, said, ‘Drugs promise escape, but steal freedom. It numb the pain, then take our peace. It starts with dopamine and ends in dependence. From euphoria to encephalopathy, its journey through neurotransmitters is swift. Leaving a life consumed by slow decay Addiction isn’t a choice; prevention is. It’s better than rehabilitation, so choose health, not habit. Choose medicine, not misery. As a youth we say no to the lie, yes to life, because our future is worth the fight.’
Drug abuse requires collective action from individuals, families, society, and government, including raising awareness, following religious teachings, achieving education, reducing unemployment, enforcing laws, establishing libraries, and investing in solutions.
Papel Kumar Shaha
CEO, Papel Story &
Convenor, Firefly Campaign
[email protected]