Heroin used to be once a favourite narcotics of drug addicts a couple of years back and poppy was cultivated on a large scale in our tribal belt as it was converted into heroin powder through a chemical process in places billed as heroin laboratories in some places in the erstwhile FATA. Smuggling heroin to Europe used to fetch a big margin in profit unimaginable in human mind. Small wonder the political administration of erstwhile FATA had to undertake umpteen clean up operation from time to time to cleanse the area from them. Heroin has been lately replaced by a new powder known as ice which is lately fancied by drug addicts. It is inhaled through puffs of smoking by mixing it in the tobacco powder of cigarettes. It is also injected by them in their blood through jabs. What is more disturbing is the fact that is spreading like a wild fire among the students of our colleges and universities as it is readily available in the tuck shops and canteens of the educational institutions. This menace which is playing with the health of our new generation has hitherto escaped the attention of the authorities. It is believed that if effective legislation is passed against cigarette smoking by laying ban on it in public places like parks, offices, in the public and private sectors, during travel in buses and prohibiting sale of cigarettes to underage persons the use of ice can be controlled to a great extent. Besides a strong media campaign in all languages of the country pinpointing the ill effects of smoking are spotlighted can also achieve the desired results.
POST SCRIPT
More than half of the country stands submerged under flood water. India has now diverted water of River Jhelum also to Pakistan after using the same water aggression against us through river Sutlej a few days back. As if these calamities weren’t enough dengue fever is taking the shape of an epidemic in the country.
Shakespeare wasn’t far wrong when he said when misfortune comes it comes in battalions.
