The youth is the backbone of any nation or society. If this backbone becomes weak, it becomes difficult for the society to remain healthy. In today’s time, the increasing inclination of youth towards drugs is a matter of serious concern. Whether in villages or cities, drugs are eating away at our youth like termites. The growing attraction of young people towards drugs indicates that parents, society, government, and responsible institutions have failed to understand the mindset of this group. This negligence has pushed our youth towards drugs.
Youth is a stage of life when a person needs proper guidance and education. Psychologists believe that drug use usually begins during adolescence. There is no doubt that most drug users fall between the ages of 13 and 24. At the age of 14–15, a person stands at the threshold between childhood and youth. Without proper guidance, it is natural for them to go astray. As a child steps into youth, they face many unfamiliar situations. Apart from physical changes, the changing behavior of parents and society towards them creates mental stress. Unfortunately, our social structure does not provide adequate solutions to these mental conflicts. As a result, young people try to find solutions to their problems through drugs.
A drug is a substance that initially gives a person a sense of pleasure or intoxication, making them unaware of themselves and their surroundings. This state creates an illusion of relief from pain and problems. However, once the effect wears off, the problems return. To escape them again, the person uses drugs repeatedly, eventually becoming addicted. They then cannot live even a moment without drugs, and their health and money are wasted like sand slipping away.
There is no single cause of drug addiction. There are many misconceptions among youth regarding drug use. Some of the main causes are:
•Children deprived of parental love and care turn to drugs to overcome loneliness and feelings of inferiority.
•Youth with weak mental resilience use drugs to escape problems and stress. For example, unemployed young people, after repeated failures in finding a job, may turn to drugs to forget their disappointment.
•Students use drugs believing it will help them stay awake longer for studies. Some also believe drugs reduce fatigue. Employers sometimes give drugs to laborers to increase productivity, which later becomes an addiction.
•Wealthy youth use drugs to show off their status and influence others. Drug dealers also lure new users by initially supplying drugs for free.
•Many children become addicted by imitating parents or elders. Even teachers who use drugs can negatively influence students.
After taking drugs, a person becomes mentally numb or unconscious. In this state, they live in a different world, detached from family and society. Everything feels pleasant, but once the effect fades, the illusion breaks. When addicted, the absence of drugs causes physical distress—restlessness, weakness, fatigue, stiffness, and discomfort—forcing them to take drugs again. Over time, the quantity of drugs consumed also increases.
The toxic substances in drugs spread throughout the body, affecting every organ such as the heart, brain, liver, kidneys, and lungs. Most drugs cause burning, swelling, and ulcers in the stomach. The liver and kidneys get damaged. Digestion weakens, and memory and thinking ability decline. Life-threatening diseases such as cancer become more likely. Medical research shows that alcohol can cause stomach cancer, while smoking can lead to lung cancer. Heart and respiratory diseases also develop. Drugs like cannabis and opium can cause mental disorders and even blindness. In short, a drug addict becomes physically and mentally disabled.
Additionally, addicts often suffer from inferiority complexes. Lying, stealing, cheating, and fraud become part of their behavior. Their relationships with family, friends, and relatives break down. They become financially ruined, leading to the destruction of family life. In such conditions, involvement in crimes such as theft, smuggling, robbery, and black-marketing becomes common. Students lose the ability to study due to weakened memory and thinking skills. Driving under the influence of drugs leads to accidents and many deaths.
Now society must reflect on how to protect itself from such deadly drugs, the solution to which is outlined in this tract.
– Dr. Chamkaur Singh
