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Smoking leads to drug addiction: LGES chairman

* ‘60 percent of addicts are educated’

Staff Report

LAHORE: Smoking is considered the root cause of drug usage, as cigarettes tend to tempt youngsters towards trying out drugs, said Lahore Garrison Educational System (LGES) chairman Major General (r) Nazakat Ali Khan on Tuesday.

He was addressing a seminar on ‘Awareness campaign against drugs usage’ organised by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) at Garrison Boys School, Girja Chowk, Lahore Cantt.

The LGES chairman said the government had established different departments to curb the availability of illegal drugs. He said the youth could help government institutions wipe out drugs from society by avoiding drugs. He said smoking was one of the root causes of drug usage. “Drugs not only damage a person’s health, but also ruin the whole family,” he said. He stressed the need for arranging more seminars to help youngsters understand the harmful effect of drugs.

ANF director general Brig (r) Baber Adrees said about four million people in Pakistan were addicts. He said 71.5 percent of them were 30 to 35 years old. He said 60 percent of addicts were well educated and working with various organisations.

“About 68.6 percent of the people start using drugs after being persuaded by their friends, 15 percent are put on drugs by drugs peddlers, whereas 9 percent start using drugs after watching their elders use them (drugs),” he added. He briefed the participants about the adverse effects of various drugs like heroine, opium and hashish. He asked the public, especially youngsters, to come forward and help ANF officials eliminate drugs from society.

Dr Samia Rizwan, Dr Mehmood Raffique, Muhammad Zubair and Muazzam Ali Khan also addressed the seminar. They urged youngsters to stay away from drugs. A large number of teachers, students and parents were also present.

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