Pubdate: Sun, 13 Apr 2008
Source: Daily Etala'at (India)
Copyright: 2008 Daily Etala'at
Contact:  http://www.etalaat.net/english/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4744
Author: Jehangir Rashid

KU CAMPUS SAFE HAVEN FOR DRUG ADDICTS, SAYS SURVEY

Srinagar - Given the vastness and hugeness of its campus,
University of Kashmir has turned to be a safe haven for the drug
addicts and more so for the female drug addicts, according to a survey
carried out by HNSS, De-addiction and Rehabilitation Centre, Khanyar
here.

Talking to etala'at, Dr Ghulam Nabi Wani, founder HNSS said that the
girls receiving their education at the university hide themselves
behind the bushes and shrubs and take drugs being supplied to them.

"As the campus of Kashmir University is very vast, many a things
taking place in respect of drug addiction go unnoticed. It has been
seen that the girls who are drug addicts would receive the drugs from
the peddlers and then take the same while sitting behind the bushes as
well as shrubs," he said.

"We have carried out a survey on the female drug addicts in the
Kashmir valley and it has come to the forefront that thousands of
graduate and post-graduate girls are involved with the drug
addiction," said Dr Wani.

"Usually a kid would come in a car and he would supply the drugs to
the girl students. These girls would receive the drugs as if they have
acquired some eatable and then take the same at an isolated place.
This is an alarming situation and there is a need to check it. In case
this does not happen then I am afraid to say the situation would turn
out to be disastrous and nobody can control it," said Dr Wani.

The HNSS has carried out the survey under the United Nations (UN) Drug
Control Programme and they have taken the help of the psychologists in
order to know the extent as well as nature of the female drug users.

Based on this survey it has come to light that 3,000-4,000 females are
involved in drug addiction across the Kashmir valley.

The situation is alarming as the girls receiving higher education at
the university or college level have fallen in the dragnet of drug
addiction.

Professionals including some of the medicos feeling frustrated after
unable to get a job take to drugs so as to relieve the tension through
which they are passing, the survey says.

"Drug addiction among females has turned out to be a fashion and those
who do not follow the suit are termed as backward. The significant
feature associated with the female drug addiction is that the sale
point gets changed and nobody believes that the females are involved
in the drug addiction. Same is happening with the University campus
and up to this moment of time there has been no change in the
situation," said the HNSS founder.

He said that glue has turned out to be the favourite among the
females. He said that cough syrups, proxyvon tablets and neuro-toxic
drugs are also used by the female drug users.

"It has been discovered by HNSS that glue is the most favoured drug
being used by the female drug users. Usually when a girl goes to a
stationery shop to get a glue stick, the same is provided without any
suspicion by the shop owner. The girl uses the glue as a drug and the
same has turned out to be a disturbing trend in the Kashmiri society
and it has to be arrested at the earliest," Dr Wani added.
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