Prescription drugs the new fix for youth in Gujarat
Slug: International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking
Ahmedabad: Worried parents of a Class 12 student recently approached Kanoria Centre for Deaddiction as the teen was popping pills such as alprazolam and pregabalin — both used to treat anxiety and other disorders — indiscriminately.
Dr Rajendra Anand, CEO of the centre and psychiatrist, said that when counselled, the teen confessed to taking about 50 pills a day.
"While we have seen addiction to prescription medicines, some of the drugs that youngsters mention are new for us. Patients below 30 years are primarily hooked to charas-stuffed cigarettes, cannabis and MD. In the past few years, the cases of synthetic drug dependence has increased. But prescription drug abuse is worrisome," said Dr Anand.
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June 26 is observed as the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking to spread awareness about deaddiction and breaking the chain of organised crime. Deaddiction specialists in the city said that the emerging trends point towards polysubstance abuse and prescription drug addiction.
"Polysubstance abuse can be understood as a person using multiple ways to get the kick. When the desired kick is not obtained from charas or cannabis, they shift to brown sugar, then to MD, and so on.
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Some people also consume tobacco and alcohol along with drugs. In such cases, health deteriorates faster and treatment period is also longer," said Dr Vishal Damani, a psychiatrist and deaddiction specialist with the Government Hospital for Mental Health.
He added that substance abuse is linked to socioeconomic status as it is an expensive activity that consumes thousands. "Thus, we see the onset of substance abuse at an age where a person starts earning.
When it starts hindering their daily activities, they seek help," he said.
Dr Ramashankar Yadav, a psychiatrist, said that they regularly see cases involving students of professional courses hooked to synthetic drugs. "The addiction often starts by taking a pill to stay awake at night to cope with study pressure, or be part of a group. But it often leads to heavy addiction. We have several cases of prescription drug abuse where the majority are into painkillers and muscle relaxants in tablet and syringe forms," he said.
He added that awareness about the long-term effects of substance abuse should be created at all levels and early signs should not be ignored.
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