More women, youth addicted to ice drug

PESHAWAR: A young female addict was taken into custody by police in Hayatabad the other day who was later handed over to the Social Welfare Department officials for rehabilitation and treatment.

The woman is one of the many female addicts seen in different streets and public places in the provincial capital. This speaks volumes about the increase in use of ice, heroin, hashish and other drugs by the women, not only in Peshawar but many parts of the province and country.

Besides, more young men including students of universities, colleges and those living in hostels are becoming drug addicts.

There would be very few women using heroin or other drugs until recently. However, the use among the females increased in the last few years. A couple of years back, a young girl in her early 20s was found dead in the fields of the Pawaka village in suburban Peshawar. While probing the incident, police found the young girl was an ice (meth or methamphetamine) addict who was seen by many in the city streets while looking for the drug.

Some women can be seen on Jamrud Road near Hayatabad and other public places in the city consuming drugs.

A source informed that the use of ice is believed to have reached an alarming level, especially among the youth, students and women. There are many instances of deaths caused by its abuse.

A source informed that a Peshawar resident allegedly killed his wife under the influence of ice when she was asleep in her room a couple of years ago.

The source said that the availability of ice, heroin and hashish in Peshawar and other districts of KP has become extremely easy.

He added that one gram of ice costs anywhere between Rs2,000 and Rs10,000, depending on the quality and other factors but the youth is becoming more addictive to the drug for the last many years.

Experts believed that a dose of ice may trigger more than 1,200 units of dopamine which is 600 per cent more than what the body can do on its own. Continuous use of ice affects the body and shortens life by many years.

Ice can be easily manufactured and can be consumed orally, through injections or inhaled. One dose of ice is 3.5 times more intense than cocaine. An official of the Peshawar police said an aggressive operation has been launched against the drug dealers, particularly those involved in sale and trafficking of ice and heroin.

The official said a large number of dealers were arrested while many addicts were sent to the rehabilitation centres in the last couple of weeks. Actions were also taken in vicinity of various educational institutions and hostels.

He, however, said the date is being updated to provide an exact figure of how many dealers were held and how many operations carried out.

Officials said awareness as well as aggressive operations were also carried out in other parts of KP in the last few years but the menace is yet to be eradicated.

Apart from cutting the supply route and identifying the dens, the government and its forces need to create awareness among the public through lectures, seminars and by involving religious scholars, prayer leaders, elected representatives, elders and PLC members.