Pubdate: Sun, 19 Aug 2012
Source: DNA (India)
Copyright: 2012 Diligent Media Corporation Ltd
Contact:  http://www.dnaindia.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4442
Author: Kishore Rathod

STUDENTS BLOW DOUGH ON DOPE

The consumption of drugs like marijuana and hashish (charas) has risen
sharply among city students in the past couple of years, with regulars
blowing up thousands of rupees on the habit every month and risking
their young lives in the bargain.

The easy availability of these drugs has seen a spurt in their
consumption. From the neighbourhood paanwala to the bhelwala outside
colleges, nondescript vendors are shelling out pudis to students at
seemingly affordable rates.

A student of a south Mumbai college, who has been consuming marijuana
for four years, says that the police are only strict about dangerous
drugs like heroin and cocaine, but lax when it comes to less potent
drugs like weed.

He adds that some newcomers are palmed off weed mixed with ordinary
grass and given the money that can be made, some students stock
supplies to cater to their peers' needs.

Ankit Agarwal (name changed), a 16-year-old student of a Matunga
college, smokes two joints a day. "It calms the body, sharpens the
mind and gives an overall sense of well-being," he says. Introduced to
the drug in his first year of junior college,he believes it is
non-addictive and has no side-effects.

Clinical psychologist Salma Prabhu says she has seen a spurt in drug
addiction cases among students in recent times, the prime reasons
being a drop in awareness campaigns, boredom and loneliness among
teenagers and peer pressure.

"It's become as common as smoking. Even 13-14 year-olds are consuming
them," she says adding that this behaviour leads to juvenile
delinquency and violent behaviour.

Prabhu believes that consumption of drugs is much more common than we
think and advises parents to closely interact with their children and
spot the danger signs before it's too late.
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MAP posted-by: Matt