Urgent collective action – from employment opportunities to religious and governmental efforts – are needed to safeguard our future
By Syed Mustafa Ahmad
Drugs are proving to be the final nail in the coffin of destruction. Minor boys and girls, along with the youth, are neck-deep in this filthy addiction. There is no place left untouched by the marks of those afflicted by drugs or drug dealers. From homes to markets, no place is safe from their influence. The situation has now reached a point where even educational institutions have fallen prey to this epidemic. The media publishes and broadcasts news about drugs that is utterly mind-boggling. Sometimes a drug dealer’s property is confiscated, other times those smuggling drugs illegally are caught red-handed.
Our days here begin with the dark deeds of drug dealers and often end with the arrest of these anti-social elements or the seizure of their assets. This cycle continues, and society as a whole reaches the brink of ruin. People’s memories are also very short. They quickly forget these enemies of society, while they subject socially-minded individuals to the harshest of punishments. Thus, society begins to tread a disastrous path, and gradually, like termites, drugs hollow out its very foundations.
Essentially, when unemployment raises its ugly head, people try to earn a living through illegitimate means, especially the drug trade, in an attempt to quench the fires of hunger and ego. Minors, trapped in a corrupt environment, fall victim to drugs. Juveniles, lost in the state of unemployment, find themselves drawn towards narcotics. To meet their own needs beyond household expenses, they resort to selling intoxicants to make ends meet. Furthermore, seeing their parents’ hard-earned money being wasted, they themselves start partaking in drugs. The chemicals in the drugs block the electrical signals in the body from reaching the brain, providing artificial peace for a short while. However, once this effect wears off, restlessness and uneasiness take over again.
Youth fall into the trap of drugs when, besides domestic disputes, economic hardships become overwhelming. Additionally, getting involved in illicit relationships also leads a young person to mental distress, which often culminates in drug addiction.
The harms of drugs are pervasive. There is a loss of both wealth and lives. Beautiful youths are being destroyed by this vile addiction. Homes are being destroyed one after another. Young people addicted to drugs do not hesitate to even harm their own parents. Some drug-addicted youths do not shy away from raiding their siblings’ money and jewellery. Gambling away savings is a primary pastime for drug addicts. Is spending one’s youth in drug rehabilitation centres any way to live? Is the life of those addicted to drugs, who are shunned by their own and looked down upon by society, any life at all?
It is better to make every possible effort to control the drug epidemic before it is too late. Employment opportunities should be created as much as possible. Those afflicted by drugs should be treated humanely. Religious leaders must also play their full part. To sensitise society, these religious leaders will have to work hard because the influence of religious guardians is significant in our society. Their words are listened to attentively. Through them, many families can be saved from ruin.
The government must also perform its due role so that decay does not set into the roots of society. Government supervision can bring the rapidly spreading drug addiction under control. We must all resolve to fight against drugs. We should start with ourselves and prioritise living a dignified life. Life is a priceless gift. Wasting it like this is tantamount to betrayal. It is better to come to our senses before it is too late. May Allah have mercy on our condition.
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