‘Like me, there’re many into drugs, but they don’t come to camp’: Camp goer

The most common form of drugs used in the area are opioids (opium, smack) and alcohol. They also consume marijuana derived from cannabis plant, which is widely spread in the area.

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“The youth of the colony has been devastated because of drugs. As a parent, I feel helpless for I could not stop my children from falling into this mess. I am not alone, there are hundreds like me, who have lost their children to drugs,” said Ramdas, a resident of the colony.

He added that after 9 pm, one can see hundreds of youngsters sitting in groups and consuming drugs at vacant plots alongside the road or in the forest area.

For the help of substance-users and persons suffering from psychological problems, the Psychiatry Department of GMCH-32, runs a community outreach clinic every Tuesday at Dhanas.

“We identified about 100 substance-users from the area who wanted help. In this regard, we also had a word with the sarpanch of Dhanas, who informed us about the problem of drug addiction in society. Hence, we decided to conduct a de-addiction camp in the area,” said Dr Ajeet Sidana, a psychiatrist from GMCH-32.

However, four days after the camp, only 50-60 people have registered themselves at the OPDs and only 11 were admitted.
Dr Ajay Kaushal, the one holding the camp, said that substance-users stayed away from drug de-addiction camp because of the stigma attached with the treatment for drug de-addiction.

“There are many like me in the colony who are into drugs, but they did not come to the camp for treatment. They feel ashamed and do not want to be recognised in society as addicts,” said one of the patients who was forcibly brought to the camp by his family.

Dr Sidana said that the people were poorly motivated in the colony. “Substance-users are not motivated enough to take treatment. They do not understand that it is a medical disorder which needs to be treated.”

“The way Dhanas sarpanch has come forward for help, we need more social workers and leaders to spread awareness about the drug abuse in the colony,” the doctor added.