PESHAWAR, June 14: Teenagers are fast becoming addict to glue inhalation, which according to doctors is causing serious health problems.

A Peshawar-based doctor, who carried out a survey regarding glue sniffing by young people, said that the low-priced glue commonly used to join wood and metallic items has become a favourite commodity for teenaged boys, who used it as narco- agent.

"The glue sniffing among youths is adversely affecting their health. Intoxicated boys could be seen lying on the footpaths. They do not know about the drastic health hazards associated with it, but seek some moments of leisure and entertainment," said the survey.

Even these addicts remain deeply asleep during the relentless heat waves, it said and added that they have become permanent addicts to the stuff, which has also deprived them of their capacity to earn for themselves and their families.

A sizable number of the addicts could be found in some of the localities in the city, such as Saddar Bazaar, Ashraf Road, GT Road, Jinnah Park and Hashtnagri area, where they remain indulged in scrap and paper collection from the garbage dumps or cleaning the wind screens of cars at the busy junctions.

"These boys earn approximately Rs30-60, an amount enough to make up for the meal and purchase of a jar of the glue," the doctor said and added that it was enough for their two-day consumption.

Regular glue sniffing, badly affects lungs and kidneys of the users, the survey said, adding that it contains different types of chemicals, which are dangerous for humans.

The doctor has attributed the rising stances of the glue sniffing to the increasing social injustice and carelessness on the part of parents. He said that city's footpaths, parks and streets serve as home for these homeless and abandoned boys, whose parents have either deserted them or had died.

Kashif Shah, 15, a resident of Nauthia, said that he fell victim to the menace after the death of his mother. He said that his father married another woman, who used to treat him harshly.

The survey said that ultimately, the unfortunate guy left the home at the age of eight and since then had been doing petty jobs, such as collecting papers and scraps from the garbage sites the whole day, which pitched him hardly an amount between Rs40 and Rs60, but was enough to buy food and pay for the glue.

The boy said that some criminals remain in pursuit of the abandoned children and try to lure them to start glue sniffing. They then use them for criminal activities.

"Hundreds of youths, like me have become the victims of these criminals, who happened to be the permanent users of the glue now. There is no way for return to normal life for them, because of lack of family support.

"These addicts are then used by the criminals for illegal activities, besides sexually abusing them." The survey has noted with concern about the role of the government as well as the NGOs, who it says were making hollow claiming for working towards the rehabilitation of the drug addicts, but practically doing nothing. Consequentially, the number of these addicts has risen with every passing day.

The present MMA-led provincial government is no exception, given its failer to take steps for the welfare of the addicts, despite its announcement to establish drug rehabilitation centre for the addicts a year ago, said the survey.