Karachi is the biggest city in Pakistan and the city has a famous saying that, “barey barey shehron me choti choti baten hoti rehti hain” and this big city has a many problems including the problem of drug addiction, which is not highlighted much.
Karachi ranks second highest in the world in the consumption of cannabis and drugs like hashish. 50% of students are highly addicted to drugs. There are many reasons for these addictions. Many of the reasons are due to the society we live in that compels youngsters to start drugs. Karachi is larger than life city where no efforts have been made to get young students out of this drug epidemic.
It was reported that students of Karachi universities are highly addicted to drugs. This addiction is mostly among elite and upper class students. Laws are there to stop the trade and punish drug addicts but whenever such students are caught, the payoff to the authorities and get immediately free. Law enforcement is also complicit and drugs keep on destroying peoples future.
There are many other reasons behind drug addiction among students. Firstly, Karachi is a very populous city where the hustle-bustle is part of living. In a survey, it was noticed that people of such cities stay depressed and they are always struggling with anxiety in their lives. Divorce and not happy married life is also keeping people depressed. The separation of parents leads to their kids falling into the trap of drug addiction. Such students consider the drugs as their savior which escapes them from the stress in their tense life.
The most common drugs students get addicted to are morpheme, hashish, opium, cocaine, and cannabis. Society’s pressure to make a better life for yourself also makes people stressed and in many cases, close friends are the one in university who introduces them to this addiction. They start with a simple cigarette, chaalia, gutka and start trying every type of drug they get their hands on and become drug addicts. Drug addiction destroys their families and lives completely.
Another reason for university student’s drug addiction is unemployment. When middle-class or lower-class students graduate from university and get hit by joblessness and unemployment, all their dreams and ambitions to support their families and have a better life shatters. They face real-life challenges and when they fail to cope with the situation they fall into drugs menace.
Karachi is a large city and the commercial hub of the country. Employment opportunities are way more in the city than in other smaller cities. But still, due to a lack of enabling environment, students graduated from universities are facing unemployment. Every year many campaigns are started and many conferences are organized to spread awareness of the harms of drugs but all goes in vain. When people do not find employment and feel insecure due to social pressure, they start taking drugs knowingly for short term relaxation and relief.
No government will and NGOs are there for the rehabilitation and the counseling of drug addiction among students to get them out of their miserable condition.
