World Anti-Narcotics Day is celebrated on June 26 across the world to fight with the menace of drug addiction. For last few years drug addition has emerged as a serious threat to the world and its roots have entered deep into the society. Indian subcontinent is badly affected by the drug menace and it has become a stronghold of drug traffickers. Drug dependents include school going children, youths - males and females, rickshaw pullers and hardworking labourers.

The rapid increase in the number of drug dependents has become a boom for the drug traffickers. In fact, drug trafficking has its tentacles spread in financing terrorist organisations and a number of criminal activities. Despite the strict international drug laws, the number of drug dependents and drug traffickers are steadily increasing. Drug dependents all over the world mainly use heroin, ganja (cannabis) and synthetic drugs.

Heroin is the most preferred narcotic drug and usually drug dependents use the inhaling method. Mercifully, still now the drug dependents have not preferred the method of intravenous injection of liquid heroin. If this method was being used it could have led to a more serious situation through dependents falling victims of HIV/AIDS.

Ganja or cannabis is second most preferred drug mostly used by the youths and hardworking labourers. Ganja is popular among the rich students of most of the leading schools, colleges and universities. Youths take Ganja with cigarettes as a form of relaxation of mind and body daily or in special occasion like college functions, get-togethers etc. While labourers take ganja to get relief from their hard work through ’hookah’ (earthen pipes).

Synthetic drugs such as Amphetamine, Ecstasy etc are also used by drug dependents. Children of affluent parents, both males and females, who have got used to clubbing out during weekends, public holidays or other occasion, use synthetic drugs.

Enforcement agencies have been set up in various countries to wipe out the drug menace. However, the statistics available and the information gathered from various sources indicate that most of the countries have not given sufficient attention to anti-narcotic law enforcement. Very few people have been arrested and prosecuted for drug offences during past years.

In India drug addiction is a serious problem and the number of drug dependents is rapidly increasing. The law enforcement authorities of the country have not educated the young generation sufficiently about the dangers of consumption of narcotic drugs.

Most importantly, by organising seminars and special programmes only on the Anti-Drugs Day we can’t curb the menace from the country and the world. Need of the hour is that regular campaign and educational programmes should be organised to create the awareness among the children and youths. Fact is that, by strong anti-narcotic law enforcement, reasonable success can be achieved in the reduction in both the demand for, and supply of narcotic drugs. Hence, law enforcement agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the education department should work together to chalk out special drug prevention programmes to prevent the younger generation from falling victims of drug traffickers.