The recently observed International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on 26 June (Sunday), and the release of the UN World Drug Report 2011 again highlighted the menace of drug abuse. The facts revealed in the UN report magnify the staggering nature of the problem Pakistan faces in terms of drug trafficking and usage.
The UN report shows an alarming increase in the cultivation of opium production in Pakistan in the last 15 years. The cultivation of opium poppy has increased in Pakistan from 873 hectares in 1996 to more than double, at 1721 hectares in 2010. Pakistan, however, still does not feature in the world's top producers of drugs. Its biggest problem remains in controlling the drugs, which are trafficked from across the porous Pak-Afghan border. According to the report, the two largest opium-producing countries in Asia are Afghanistan and Myanmar. Though it is encouraging to note that the Asian share of the global percentage of opium production has declined from 98 percent in 2007, it still remains at a staggering 87 percent in 2010.
The western nations have been battling the overwhelming poppy production in Afghanistan for years, which many experts believe, is being used as a source to fund militant activities in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. However, due to the poor economic situation of the local farmers, and the margins of profit such crops yield, officials have struggled with its control. When the Afghan officials clamped down on opium production, many desperate farmers quickly switched to cannabis production, which is a more acceptable crop for officials and society. In fact, in 2007 alone, the UN estimated there was a 40 percent increase in the production of cannabis in Afghanistan. And as expected, virtually all of cannabis resins seized in Pakistan could be traced back to Afghanistan.
While focusing on the actual use and abuse of drugs in Pakistan, the situation seems alarming. According to local reports, the number of drug users in Pakistan has gone up from 50,000 in 1980 to 8.1 million in 2011. In addition, newer studies have finally started addressing the increasing number of female drug users - an area largely unexplored. There are still no reliable statistics on female drug users but unofficial estimates put the figure somewhere around five million users.
The social stigma attached to drug use and abuse has made it more difficult for drug users to seek help. However, thankfully, in the last decades, numerous government and private drug rehabilitation centres have opened up across the country. These centres provide a much-needed hope for drug users who previously had very limited avenues of recovery. They also lend support to the family of the users, provide therapy for their suffering and offer help in assessing the role they play in the recovery of the addicts.
Pakistan's drug problem cannot be solved by merely focusing on the users alone. Two-pronged pre-emptive measures need to be taken to stop the rampant availability of drugs in the country. Pakistan has a high number of impressionable youth who can easily be targeted by the drug mafia. It is imperative that the government, through the Anti-Narcotic Force teams and community service groups spread awareness and launch anti-drug campaigns while highlighting the grave risks associated with drug usage. In this, the cross-border arteries of drug smuggling must also be choked. The initiative taken by Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran last year to strengthen regional co-operation in combating drug trafficking is an encouraging development. Multilateral strategies can help South Asia cut this disease at its source. But the practical and most effective way to deal with this menace is not only to stop the supply, but also create enough awareness among the masses to discourage the use of drugs.
Source: Business Recorder
The western nations have been battling the overwhelming poppy production in Afghanistan for years, which many experts believe, is being used as a source to fund militant activities in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. However, due to the poor economic situation of the local farmers, and the margins of profit such crops yield, officials have struggled with its control. When the Afghan officials clamped down on opium production, many desperate farmers quickly switched to cannabis production, which is a more acceptable crop for officials and society. In fact, in 2007 alone, the UN estimated there was a 40 percent increase in the production of cannabis in Afghanistan. And as expected, virtually all of cannabis resins seized in Pakistan could be traced back to Afghanistan.
While focusing on the actual use and abuse of drugs in Pakistan, the situation seems alarming. According to local reports, the number of drug users in Pakistan has gone up from 50,000 in 1980 to 8.1 million in 2011. In addition, newer studies have finally started addressing the increasing number of female drug users - an area largely unexplored. There are still no reliable statistics on female drug users but unofficial estimates put the figure somewhere around five million users.
The social stigma attached to drug use and abuse has made it more difficult for drug users to seek help. However, thankfully, in the last decades, numerous government and private drug rehabilitation centres have opened up across the country. These centres provide a much-needed hope for drug users who previously had very limited avenues of recovery. They also lend support to the family of the users, provide therapy for their suffering and offer help in assessing the role they play in the recovery of the addicts.
Pakistan's drug problem cannot be solved by merely focusing on the users alone. Two-pronged pre-emptive measures need to be taken to stop the rampant availability of drugs in the country. Pakistan has a high number of impressionable youth who can easily be targeted by the drug mafia. It is imperative that the government, through the Anti-Narcotic Force teams and community service groups spread awareness and launch anti-drug campaigns while highlighting the grave risks associated with drug usage. In this, the cross-border arteries of drug smuggling must also be choked. The initiative taken by Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran last year to strengthen regional co-operation in combating drug trafficking is an encouraging development. Multilateral strategies can help South Asia cut this disease at its source. But the practical and most effective way to deal with this menace is not only to stop the supply, but also create enough awareness among the masses to discourage the use of drugs.
Source: Business Recorder
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