| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | Therefore awareness creation or preventive |
| Today, the problem of drug abuse among the youth | | | | education programme for youth is an imperative. In |
| has assumed a greater significance and heightened | | | | build up immunity amongst them, would promote |
| concern in various socio-cultural and economic strata. | | | | self-respect and determination, provide experiences |
| Though no accurate figures are available to measure | | | | which encourage self-respect and sense of dignity, |
| the actual extent of the problem, drug addicts | | | | enhances personal and social skill which are necessary |
| reporting to counseling in the country points out that | | | | for functioning in a rapidly transforming society and |
| the problem has spread among various age groups, | | | | provide for professional skills. |
| and much among youths aged 16 to 25 years. | | | | What is more important is that the leisure time |
| The age group in which a youth is, signifies the | | | | activities of both student and non-student youth are |
| transformation of an adolescent to a young person, | | | | so organised that they provide for healthy recreation |
| which usually is accompanied with the trials and | | | | and constructive work habits. As is evident, a youth |
| tribulations of a 'child' in becoming a 'grown-up'. A | | | | feels more at home within his age-group. Therefore, |
| bundle of exuberant but undirected energy, he | | | | to reach them, it is but natural to take the help of |
| derives pleasure in taking risks and experimenting | | | | more active groups among them. |
| with new things. He craves to taste the 'forbidden | | | | In Bangladesh, a strong emphasis has been placed on |
| fruits' in his quest for attaining recognition and status | | | | awareness building against drug-abuse among youth |
| amongst his peers. Such a behaviour often brings him | | | | as they are considered to be the most precious |
| in open or concealed conflict with his parents and | | | | asset for human resource development. Financial and |
| 'parent figures' which leads to the much discussed | | | | technical assistance is provided by the government |
| 'conflict of generations' and 'generation gap'. The | | | | and NGO's to help them undertake activities such as |
| situation has been further complicated due to the | | | | socio cultural programmes. Experience has shown |
| fast paced social transformation brought in the | | | | such programmes have a salutary impact, if backed |
| society by rapid industrialisation, urbanisation and | | | | by a good follow-up programme. |
| rural-urban migration. It has eroded the traditional, | | | | It has also been realised that youth power can be |
| informal, social control mechanisms and has even | | | | harnessed not only from preventing youths from the |
| brought in changes in the structure of the family, | | | | malady of addiction but also by improving the |
| from joint to nuclear, or at best an extended family. | | | | environment they live in. One such example is the |
| The 'media explosion' has shrunken the world, | | | | "Rainy Day" concert organised by Prothom Alo to |
| especially for the youth, and they are now more | | | | observe the International Day against Drug Abuse |
| aware of things around. This has also raised their level | | | | and Trafficking. Some 15000 youths saying 'No to |
| of aspiration and ambition. With materialism, | | | | drugs' vowed to launch a nationwide movement |
| consumerism and individualism gaining ascendancy, | | | | against drug. |
| modern youth is drifting away from his traditional | | | | I take my hats off to Anusheh who had the gut to |
| roots and finds it difficult to cope with ever | | | | narrate her once drug addicted life. Anusheh, you can |
| increasing social pressures. Further, the increasing | | | | be a good ambassador to help the drug addicts |
| economic pressures compel more and more parents | | | | return to their original track. Such activities |
| to take full time employment leaving a child, more so | | | | programmes help to identify addicts in their own peer |
| a youth, alone in the house or in the company of | | | | groups. Dare devils as the youth are, they prove to |
| friends. With no adequate programmes available to | | | | be an asset in reaching rather inaccessible areas of |
| keep them busy, they become easy prey to | | | | the community, such as, pockets of addiction. |
| anti-social activities including drug-abuse. | | | | Many a time, due to their connection with traffickers, |
| There may be various reasons for a youth to take | | | | pushers and pedlars, it becomes difficult to impress |
| to drug abuse, from just curiosity and a tendency to | | | | upon addicts to leave their habit. It is here that the |
| experiment with. It may be an expression of his | | | | youths, voluntary organisations have not only been |
| revolt against established authority, a way of gaining | | | | able to create awareness but also have been able to |
| recognition in his group or he may just not be able to | | | | muster support for combating trafficking, pushing and |
| say 'NO', when offered. | | | | peddling drug. |