PESHAWAR: Health experts have expressed concern over the growing abuse of drugs in the society and called upon students, society and community elders to play their role and safeguard the people against the menace of heroin, opium and hashish.

“There should be open dialogues about addiction, de-stigmatisation, effective treatment approaches and the pivotal role of community support to address the issue,” Prof Amin Jan Gandapur, the principal of Pak International Medical College (PIMC), told a seminar here on Thursday.

The one-day event entitled “International Drug Overdose Day” was organised by the health and education wing of Social Welfare Society of PIMC and Anti-Narcotic Force. It was attended by students, faculty and civil society members.

Dr Amin Jan said that fostering strong connection among individuals, families and healthcare professionals could collectively contribute to a robust safety net for those, who were vulnerable to the perils of drug abuse.

“The profound impact of this event is anticipated to extend beyond the immediate day, resonating in the continuous efforts to prevent drug abuse and curtail the devastating consequences of drug overdoses,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Pukraj Khan said that an estimated 187,100 people died of drug overdose every year in the country that could be prevented by playing active role by people. About seven million Pakistanis are involved in taking drugs and four million used cannabis and 2.7 million use opioid.

“The day is observed globally to remember those, who have lost their lives to drug overdoses, raise awareness about the issue by spreading information about its prevention and treatment,” he said. Worldwide, about 0.5 million deaths are attributable to drug abuse and over 70 per cent of these deaths are related to opioid and 30 per cent to overdose.

The vice-principal of PIMC, Dr Sheraz Khan, said that the programme was meant to spotlight the inherent risks of drug abuse and the grave threat of drug overdose. “We need to scale up level of awareness about the risks of drug overdose, remember those, who have lost their lives due to overdoses, and support those, who have been affected by the tragic consequences of drug misuse,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2023