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City turns hub for drug addicts
According to Andhra Pradesh State AIDS Control Society (APSACS) report, thousands of drug addicts are there in the city and most of them are Injected Drug Users (IDU). As the city is spreading with vibrant culture with capital base, the availability of drugs is also rampant and many youth are getting addicted to them.
Vijayawada: The city is predominant with huge number of drug addicts. Of total drug addicts in the city, 60 per cent are youth who are addicted to narcotic drugs. Ironically, the city also lacks in Rehab and De-addiction centers. The psychiatrists are flooded with many such cases and the doctors are also appealing the State government to take necessary action to restrain the drug addicts.
According to Andhra Pradesh State AIDS Control Society (APSACS) report, thousands of drug addicts are there in the city and most of them are Injected Drug Users (IDU). As the city is spreading with vibrant culture with capital base, the availability of drugs is also rampant and many youth are getting addicted to them.
The IDUs are always on mental stress with constant impact of drugs and usually take strong narcotics like Heroin, Cocaine, Whiteners and many other dangerous drugs. As they intake with syringe exchange, most of them might be contacted with HIV positive. Apart from HIV they also have serious medical disorders. Most of them want to go with rehab programmes but sadly there are no rehabilitation centers available in the city,” said S Bhanu, project director of an NGO.
It seems the government is completely unaware of these drug addiction cases and failed in bringing de-addiction centers. There is also prevalent availability of oral intake drugs like Ganja and whitener, sedative drugs like Fortwin, Pentwin and they are spreading with high intensity due to the lack of strict measures. The cost of Fortwin in the city would be Rs 250 to Rs 500. The psychiatrists in the city are spending a huge time in dealing with the drug addicts and almost 25-40 per cent of the total cases constitute drug addicts.
Most of the drug users in the city are extensively using Whiteners, Marijuna and Ganja which are prevalent in the city and several parts of Krishna district. Almost each doctor witness a minimum of 15 such cases in a day. Many of the students in the age group of 20 to 28 years are highly under the effect of Ganja and Marijuna while most of the people like railways porters, auto drivers, some daily wage workers go for Whiteners and Injective drugs,” said Dr Indla Ramasubba Reddy, a senior psychiatrist in the city.
A thorough medication and treatment is required for the drug users. A simple medication as counseling and day to day medication is not sufficient for the addicted. They need constant attention and a special rehab center for making them normal. There are 496 IDUs in the city and 400 of them were affected with HIV. At least now the government should realise and focus in establishing rehab centers and implement target intervention programmes for the drug users,” said B Keerthi, a volunteer at LEADS NGO.
Initially I started with Ganja when I was 20, as my friends forced to. The addiction got increased day after day and at certain point I even left my parents and went to streets for begging and also attempted for robbery to buy drugs. Now I am repenting for my actions as I lost most valuable time, career and health,” said a drug addict who is being treated at a clinic in the city.
By:Kiranmai Tutika
