ISLAMABAD, April 25: Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) in collaboration with Pakistan Post has issued a commemorative postage stamp with an anti-drug message to create awareness among the general masses.

The Rs2 denomination stamp has received a positive response from the public which has appreciated the unique way of putting across the message of a drug-free Pakistan, an ANF official said on Friday.

He said the ANF had utilized various methods of creating awareness like publicity through electronic as well as print media, essay-writing contest, anti-drug poster painting competition and exhibition and declamation contest in school/colleges.

The problem of drug abuse, he said, was affecting the very fabric of the socio-economic structure of Pakistan.

“According to a recent estimate, there are about four million drug addicts in the country out of which half a million are hardcore heroin addicts and 60,000 are drug injectors,” he said.

The ANF official said eradication of the drug menace needed a collective mechanism involving different segments of the society. He said concerted action need to be taken at different areas in an integrated manner.

Public awareness campaign precedes all other efforts to change the attitude and behaviour of the people towards drug abuse, he said.

“It is not possible to fight the drug menace without building public pressure against it,” he added.