Need for devising provincial drug policy stressed

A speaker at an event on Thursday called for devising a coordinated provincial drug policy by taking all relevant stakeholders in confidence since there is no strong mechanism to control increasing trend of consumption of drugs which is also spreading chronic viruses, like AIDS, among the people by and large.
This was stated by consultant anti-narcotics Syed Zulfiqar Hussain while marking the World AIDS Day 2017 here on Thursday. He said people are becoming Injection Drug Users (IDUs) in the society due to easy availability of drugs. "The government must ensure that all prohibited drugs are being sold at medical stores and given to the consumers only on the prescription of a registered doctor," he demanded, adding that the Provincial Health Department must check the drug abuse through proper inspection.
He expressed it is very unfortunate that thousands of people are consuming hard and soft drugs without any hesitation. The major thoroughfares and public places including Roshani Gate, Taxali Gate, Davis Road, Ali Park, Data Darbar Road, Lari Adda, Royal Park, Ravi Road, Lohari Gate, Bhatti Gate, Nasir Bagh, Shahra-e-Fatimah Jinnah, Railway Station, Chauburji Park, Nisbat Road, Lakshmi Chowk and Bund Road have become lucrative spots for the Injection Drugs Users (IDUs), he added.
He said the free syringe programme is a major cause of promoting addiction in the society and the government should pay its due attention towards this issue. After Karachi, he said, Lahore is still ranked second where drug addiction was at alarming pace. "In recent years, the numbers of IDUs have increased significantly in the city because there is no mechanism for disposal of hospital wastage," he said.