Sheesha smoking leads to noxious drugs

Islamabad : Even with a ban on Sheesha smoking, its tendency is distributing in an entire country like noxious bugs, ensnaring young women and teenagers in the addiction.

This is harshly believed that E-11 has been established as Sheesha Market falling in the jurisdiction of Golra Police Station where a number of Sheesha Centres are being run in various plazas and commercial houses by the authoritative and powerful people for a long time without any impediment or resistance.

The ruthless drug mafia is not sparing even our children. Teenagers are falling prey to drugs faster than ever before.

It is astonishing to come to know that the boys and girls, as young as those attending the under matriculation classes in schools and colleges, have started smoking cigarettes. Even more frightening is the information being received from various quarters that the students in higher classes (11th, 12th) have been indulging in hard-core drugs.

The worst shock is that drugs do not mean hash (charas) or ‘heroin’ anymore. Now, ‘coke’ (cocaine) and the latest and the most lethal one, ‘Ice’ (Crystal Methamphetamine) is taking our youth almost by storm.

From the elite social circles, these drugs, (heroin and now ice) are spreading tentacles to the universities, colleges, and even schools. The drug mafia, apparently, is targeting the young students in the elite private schools because the students there have more buying power as compared to the students attending the public schools.

The worst situation erupted when it was revealed that the young students in educational institutions, colleges, and universities, were fast falling prey to these drugs. Now things were not restricted to smoking cigarettes or hash. But heroin was becoming more and more popular among young people.

The drug dealers found the educational institutions much more lucrative ‘hunting grounds’ where they found it easy to operate. They started using the poor students, who are already hooked on the drug as their agents, not only to trap others in their circles but to work as ‘careers’ for them at the same time.

The worrying factor is that these drug monsters, infusing this poison in the blood vessels of our children are using methods one can hardly suspect. Mixing a mild dose in a drink, selling special cookies or candies contaminated with one of these drugs so lightly that it would keep the consumer coming back for more. And as the frequency of the visit of such children increase they know the boy or the girl is ‘hooked’. And they start shamelessly selling the hard drug to them for a much higher cost.

The bathrooms of these educational institutions remain littered with cigarette packet foils and excessive amounts of burn-up match sticks used for snorting the heroin fumes. The situation in the hostels was not any better. And even worst, the female students were fast falling prey to this addiction.

The women smoking cigarettes were widely looked down upon in society but at the same time, they found admirers as well, who declared them as ‘bold’, ‘stylish’, ‘fearless’ and ‘independent’ ladies! And then ‘sheesha smoking’ struck society. This was widely taken as a ‘classy thing’ to smoke ‘sheesha’ by the girls and we saw ‘sheesha Joints’ popping up all over the country, especially in the province of Punjab. Young girls and boys openly smoked ‘sheesha’ till the time the government was compelled to launch a crackdown on these ‘Sheesha Bars’. But by that time a lot of damage was already done.

As had been in society, we first tried to cast our glances away from the problem. But when things became too obvious to ignore, all kinds of efforts to retrieve the situation were initiated. But it was already too late. The drug dealers, supported by too powerful drug barons, were openly challenging the authority of law enforcers.

And now this ‘Ice’ or ‘Crystal Meth’ has taken the youth by storm. It has become popular among young men and women so fast that the impact has left us flabbergasted. Absolutely in awe! The crystalline drug has become the ‘in-thing’ and after early introduction in the elite social circles ‘Ice’ has made its way to the colleges and universities, where students, both male and female are fast falling prey to this menace. And is much deadlier than any drug seen in the past.

Like ‘heroin’, ‘Ice’ is also being inhaled, snorted, smoked, injected, or even taken orally. And the impact is so powerful that just one dose can make a person an addict. It usually starts with the same old coaxing manner, especially among the students. “Hey! You are finding it hard to focus on your studies? Take this and just try. You will see the difference!” is usually the starting line and once taken there is no return!

The effects completely overwhelm the user. Life suddenly turns so much brighter, livelier, exciting, and enjoyable when one is under the influence. And once it starts fading away, the craving to get the next dose becomes so powerful that the young man or woman can go to any limits, crashing all barriers, breaking all norms, ready to commit most heinous crimes, or indulge in the worst immoral activities.

The problem is so serious and the impact is so devastating that it calls for the state to take immediate steps to save our children.

And the fact that it is targeting the brightest of our children, targeting the young men and women attending colleges and universities, who are the future of our country, an immediate.

A responsible officer of the anti-narcotics force when contacted, expressing his concern over the situation, said that matter has been taken up seriously by the high-ups and said that it will be overcome soon.