FATAL ATTRACTION

The restrictions and implementation of SOPs meant that the mixed underground dance party was off for the night. However, one of the friends invited them over for a BBQ dinner. The night was young and the three of them had already spent a fortune on something. They told the host that they would use their purchase on his roof and would try to stay away from his other colleagues and friends. A few hours later, the otherwise reticent group of three seemed super-charged. Their bodies were floating with the music coming from the woofer and stereo placed on the roof especially for the night. They started winning card games, floating in innovative ideas for start-ups and all this while twisting their bodies to the exact beats and sometimes even while fanning the steak being prepared. The heat in the coal started to give way as many headed home, but for them the current still continued to flow, somewhat!

Pakistan has become a transit country for methamphetamines, which are primarily produced in Afghanistan. This means that Pakistan is on the cusp of an epidemic that may well be worse than the heroin addiction epidemic that swept the country, following the Afghan war. Bordering Afghanistan, KP is the most vulnerable provinces of Pakistan being directly exposed to the influx of the unwanted. One wonders why it is easy to become addicted to methamphetamine and so hard to beat the fatal attraction and why the user wants it ‘more and more’.

The liberation, the ecstasy, the energy and the clarity of mind that is associated with ‘ice’ propels many youngsters to forget their pains and misfortunes by using it. Ice or the crystalline form of methamphetamine is manufactured illegally and is a relatively new addition to substance abuse as compared to heroin, cocaine, hashish or marijuana which are easily available in the market. Regardless of the basic variety being sold steeply in the range of Rs.4,000 per gram and the best quality at almost double the price, it is one of the most sought-after addiction sources especially among teens.

While the product itself helps the user with being alert and at the top of their routine for a short while, in long-term use, it is highly toxic for the body. It not only has severe side-effects but also has equally painful withdrawal symptoms which are almost opposite to its usage, including poor decision-making and lack of concentration. Many people on night jobs use it in limited quantities to ‘stay awake’.

Like most other abuse substances, methamphetamine is a drug used to make your mind and body active. It is a very potent CNS stimulant. Therefore, it is sometimes the drug of choice when dealing with patients of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), mostly children. The common official practice in Pakistan is that the medicine is not sold over the counter and only after a signed and stamped prescription of a registered consultant pediatrician is provided, and even then in limited quantity; sometimes directly from the company. Some may even promote it in the treatment protocol against obesity. However, like globally, it is significantly abused and primarily sold and used as a recreational drug only.