Drug abuse leads to suicide among youth: DMHO

Anantapur-Puttaparthi: For ganja trade, Visakhapatnam appears to be the hub from where supplies are even coming to Rayalaseema districts including undivided Anantapur district.

A visit to the Sathya Sai district into the mandals of Nallamada, Kothacheruvu and even Puttaparthi revealed that gullible youth were enticed into ganja smoking addiction. Being a new experience, the youth’s strange behaviour is drawing the attention of parents. The youth experiencing a new high is enticing others into the ganja dragnet. Idle youth according to local journalists can be seen dancing their way into village square and public places with strange behaviour and has become talk of the villages. Local police are turning a blind eye to the fact as the general public is openly talking about ganja supplies from Visakhapatnam. Ramana Reddy of Kothacheruvu is concerned about this new drug addiction which is catching up in villages. His son has become enslaved to it. He never behaved in such ugly fashion before, he sobbed. The ganja and Visakhapatnam are the buzz words in parts of Anantapur and Sathya Sai districts. The general public says, there is an urgent need for the police to wake up before the situation goes out of control. There had been many instances of police in the twin districts seizing ganja and unearthing links to Vizag. Meanwhile, the National AIDS Control Council local units have observed the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking here on Monday.

A rally also has been organised by the District Medical and Health department on the occasion.

DMHO Dr Veerabbai said that due to addiction to drugs, mental and physical health of youth is being adversely affected. One Tetra hydrocanobinoid (THC) chemical in drugs deeply affects the brain resulting in mental illness and loss of memory. They experience hallucinations and imaginations play a key role in their behaviour. They even have suicidal tendencies.

Dr Manoj, district leprosy, AIDS and TB officer, said that every one out of 6 persons are habituated to alcohol while 26 percent of the population are addicted either to alcohol or drugs.