Drugs available off the shelf, docs say youths at risk
Megha Mohan
Sudhar (Ludhiana), April 11: Drugs are becoming a big problem in Punjab. The issue has also found repeated mention in political speeches. Now, doctors, college principals and officials at deaddiction centres have thrown up a scary question: What are chemist shops doing in the vicinity of educational institutes?
Gursar Sudhar, where the only healthcare facility is a government primary health centre (PHC), a private practising MBBS doctor and five ayurveda doctors, is today teeming with chemist shops selling drugs such as morphine and fortwin injections off the shelf. These are prescribed drugs, to be administered under medical supervision and in case of acute or palliative pain.
Here, there are around 15 chemist shops in a 2-km stretch, around the campuses of a degree college, pharmacy college, college of education and a few secondary schools.
The situation is alarming, given that two-third of the rural youths are addicted to drugs. Of these, 74 per cent are into abuse of prescribed drugs containing chemicals such as codine and dextropropoxyphene, which are heavy sedatives. Cough syrups, to be sold only on prescription, are also easily available.
‘‘Of the 50 patients with chest congestion who come to me on an average every day, doctors prescribe cough syrup to only 2 or 3 per cent. Then why are drug stores flooded with frequently-abused cough syrups?’’ asks Senior Medical Officer at Government PHC, Dr Gurbachan Singh Gill.
Dr Amarjeet Singh Deol, who has been running the Gurmat Bhawan Deaddiction Centre for the last decade at Mullanpur, says first-year college students are heavily into drugs. ‘‘Educational institutes here cater to students from nearby villages. Once they move out of the social domain, they don’t hesitate to violate social norms. Peer pressure worsens the situation,’’ he adds.
Areas such as Sarabha Nagar, Salem Tabri, Jawahar Nagar Camp, bus stand, Abdullapur Basti and Shimlapuri too are packed with chemists. Villages like Daad, Kaalakh, Dhurkot near Ahmedgarh and those in the Bet area also have plenty of chemist shops, but not even a single doctor. ‘‘What does this tell? What do these chemists sell when there is no one to prescribe medicines?’’ asks principal Ram Singh, who is also the chief organiser of NGO Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle.
Dr Deol says while urban population is addicted to poppy husk, opium and medicines, ruralites prefers abuse of medicines. ‘‘Smack too is entering these zones. One of the most expensive drugs — costing Rs 2,500 to Rs 4,000 per 10 grams — it can leave the addict dead within five years,’’ Dr Deol says.
Director of GHG Khalsa College, Sudhar, Manjit Singh Khattra, says: ‘‘We are aware of the problem, but our students are not addicted.’’ He says the government should run a check before issuing licences for chemist shops to so many people.
Source: Express India News Website
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