KARACHI: The city needs urgent measures, especially at all levels of the education system, involving the parents and the community at large, to curb the growing menace of drug addiction and substance abuse that now affects every fourth household in the city.

This was stated by officials representing the Sindh Task Force on Demand Reduction of Drugs and Harmful Substance Control while briefing caretaker Health Minister Dr Saad Khalid Niaz on Saturday at the Emergency Operation Centre.

The forum shared their concern over the rapidly growing trend of addiction, especially among students, easy availability of illicit drugs and the failure of parents and teachers in noticing visible changes in their children’s behaviour.

The attendees included task force chairman Prof Imran Bashir Chaudhary, director general health Sindh Dr Waqar Mehmood Memon, SSP Dr Farah Raza, Project Director Anti-Narcotics Force Lt Colonel, WHO representative Dr Sarah Salman, secretary Sindh Mental Health Authority Dr Zafar Mehdi and director narcotics, excise and taxation Riaz Hasan Khoso.

During the meeting, the participants debated measures to curb the demand and supply for illicit drugs and emphasised that the role of parents, teachers and the law enforcement agencies was crucial to tackle the challenge.

Parents, they said, should have a close relationship with their children so that they could share their problems with them instead of finding refuge in drugs.

Expressing his concern over the situation, the health minister said the menace of drug addiction had affected the whole society and all stakeholders needed to work jointly for the cause.

“The health department would soon formulate a policy in the light of recommendations shared by the experts today. We need to see how we can facilitate the efforts of the law enforcement agencies in this respect,” he said.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2023