‘Unemployment remains major cause for youths turning to drugs’

Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service

Patiala, February 10

Unemployment remains one of the main reasons for the spread of drug abuse among the youths in the district, according to the data provided by Punjab Red Cross Saket Hospital, a drug-de-addiction centre, here.

Of the total 996 drug addicts, who underwent treatment at the hospital in 2018, more than 79 per cent were either unemployed or partially employed.

According to information given by the hospital, as many as 286 drug addicts were never employed, while 100 had to quit their jobs when they underwent treatment at the hospital. Moreover, 409 drug addicts were partially employed.

However, experts said drug abuse was a complex problem and had multiple contributory factors. 

Project director Parminder Kaur said, “Unemployment leads to frustration and family pressure. Bad company and easy availability of intoxicants are considered to be the major factors for the increasing menace.” 

She further claimed, “Youths fall prey to drugs when they don’t get jobs despite having good educational qualification.”

Parminder Singh, a nursing staff, said, “Youths get attracted towards drugs majorly due to unemployment. So, it is important to involve them in some or the other activity.” 

The state government, if serious, should chalk out a plan to overcome the problem of unemployment, he added.

Lack of family support

Due to lack of family support, many drug addicts dropped out of the Red Cross Integrated Rehabilitation Centre for Addicts at the hospital even before completing the treatment. As many as 34 of the total 111 patients, who left the treatment in between, were due to lack of family support. Parminder Kaur said sometimes youngsters cannot cope with family pressure and stop treatment. “Still the stigma of getting admitted to drug de-addiction centre prevails in society,” she said.