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By:

Dr. Kailash Atkare

24 June 2025 at 1:30:23 pm

From Dreams to Drugs: Silent Epidemic

Student drug addiction is real and rampant and needs more than blame—it calls for treatment, counselling, and compassion that restore...

From Dreams to Drugs: Silent Epidemic

Student drug addiction is real and rampant and needs more than blame—it calls for treatment, counselling, and compassion that restore belief in recovery. I recently attended a meeting convened by the Commissioner of Police, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, where he appealed to representatives of various institutes on the urgent issue of rising drug addiction among students. A student is typically associated with curiosity, energy, dreams, and ambition — a life dedicated to learning and building a bright future. Yet this foundation is being silently eroded by the grip of addiction. Drug addiction among students has become one of the most pressing social and educational challenges of our time. At a stage in life when young people should be concentrating on studies, personal growth, and shaping their future, many fall prey to the lure of drugs. Curiosity, peer pressure, academic stress, family issues, and the easy availability of narcotics often drive this problem. Once ensnared, students suffer not only physical and psychological harm but also setbacks in their academic performance, relationships, and overall well-being. This growing menace affects not just the individual but also weakens families, institutions, and society as a whole. It is therefore vital to understand the causes, consequences, and remedies of student drug addiction to safeguard their health, education, and future. Drug addiction is not merely a personal problem; it is a social disease, a national challenge, and a human tragedy. Addicts are not born but shaped by curiosity, bad company, peer pressure, ignorance, and despair. Tragically, students — who ought to be the torchbearers of progress — often fall into this dangerous trap. Studies show that drug use often begins with experimentation — a puff at a party, a pill from a friend, or the thrill of trying something new. Young people cite exam stress, fierce competition, family expectations, and loneliness as common reasons. In today’s world of constant pressure, they search for escape, and drugs offer only a fleeting illusion of relief. What starts as an escape soon becomes a prison without walls. The reality is harsh: once caught in addiction, breaking free is rarely easy. Drugs ruin health, drain finances, destroy families, and shatter dreams. A student who might have become a doctor, engineer, teacher, or leader instead wastes his potential — sometimes even his life. Behind every addict stands a heartbroken parent, a broken family, and a society robbed of another bright star. The dangers extend far beyond the individual. Drug addiction fuels crime, violence, and disorder. It weakens the moral fabric of society and drags nations backwards. When a country’s youth are at risk, so too is its future. Yet every dark tunnel still holds a light at the end. Remedies for students struggling with drug addiction lie not only in treatment but also in care, support, and an environment that encourages healthier choices. Professional counselling can help address the emotional pain, stress, anxiety, and competitive pressures that often lead to drug use. Families must provide a safe, non-judgemental space for open conversation and emotional support. Students, teachers, and citizens alike must become torchbearers of awareness. Many young people who experiment with drugs have little idea of the dangers they invite into their lives. Schools, colleges, and families must speak openly; silence only deepens the problem. In the end, a strong mind and will are the best shields, and students must learn to say no. Saying “no” means resisting peer pressure, unhealthy temptations, and shortcuts that promise pleasure but deliver pain. Society must offer positive alternatives—sports, art, music, and culture provide students with joy, excitement, and companionship. A person with a drug problem is not merely a criminal but also a patient, a victim, a fellow human being in need of help. Mockery, isolation, or punishment alone won’t resolve the issue. What’s required is treatment, rehabilitation, counselling, and support that instils the belief in recovery. Parents and teachers play a vital role in the education of children. Parents should stay watchful and compassionate; teachers must guide not just academic learning but also impart values, ethics, gratitude, and moral clarity. Society must also enforce strict action against drug peddlers, improve rehabilitation services, run awareness campaigns, and establish student-friendly helplines. Yet even the firmest laws fail if students don’t take responsibility for their choices. In the struggle against drugs, the pen is mightier than the syringe, knowledge stronger than intoxication, and hope more powerful than despair. We all can raise our voices, spread awareness, and support one another. Drug addiction is not merely the fight of a student, parent, or government—it’s the fight of all of us. We must build a world where no student feels compelled to escape through drugs; where everyone feels valued, supported, and inspired; where education leads to enlightenment, not entrapment. Our lives are precious, our dreams priceless, and our future worth safeguarding. Say no to drugs. (The writer is an assistant professor of English literature. Views personal)

Providing facilities in line with public needs is govt's duty: UP CM

  • PTI
  • Jun 6
  • 3 min read

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Gorakhpur: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said it is the responsibility of a popular government to provide infrastructure and facilities that align with the needs of a civilised society.


By tailoring services according to different income groups, the government can help make people's lives easier, he added.


The CM was speaking at the inauguration of the city's second Kalyan Mandapam in Surajkund Colony, constructed by the municipal corporation at a cost of Rs 4.52 crore in over 35,500 square feet of land.


Adityanath highlighted that Gorakhpur Municipal Corporation is the first in the state to initiate such community halls for weddings and other events, especially to serve people from lower and middle-income groups.


He said having access to a well-equipped venue like Kalyan Mandapam for Rs 11,000 to Rs ?25,000 makes ceremonial functions affordable and dignified. Five more Kalyan Mandapams are currently under construction in the city.


The CM informed that he had contributed the entire amount from his MLA fund for the construction of these halls and hoped that Gorakhpur Municipal Corporation would become a model for other civic bodies, according to an official statement.


Adityanath stressed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Smart City vision must also evolve into a "Safe City" model.


"We must build cities where women, traders, children, and every citizen feels safe. We need strong systems in place to ensure that those attempting to disrupt peace know the consequences," he said.


He encouraged citizens to install security cameras outside their homes to boost safety.


The Chief Minister also called for collective responsibility in maintaining cleanliness and protecting the environment urged councillors to form 'mohalla committees' in each ward, tasking them with overseeing sanitation and environmental efforts such as tree plantations.


He emphasised that Prime Minister Modi has made cleanliness a national priority, and it is everyone's duty to contribute.


On impact of climate change, CM Adityanath cited instances of extreme weather events and called for returning to nature to find solutions.


He supported PM Modi's appeal to plant a tree in the name of one's mother and proposed plantation drives along riverbanks to protect catchment areas.


"Rivers are like arteries of the nation's body. If they vanish, water crises arise," he said, recalling how the Gaurdhoiya stream, now being revived, was once a river but became a drain due to encroachments.


He announced that 50 crore saplings are ready for a 35-crore tree plantation drive this year.


CM Adityanath announced that the 75-bedded working women's hostel being built by Gorakhpur Municipal Corporation will be named after Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar, an icon of women empowerment and devotion to culture and religion.


The dedication coincides with Holkar's 300th birth anniversary and honours her contributions to empowering women, farmers, and artisans, as well as restoring several iconic temples across India, he noted.


Highlighting Gorakhpur's transformation, the CM spoke about improvements in road connectivity, including four-lane roads and inner-city ring roads.


He cited various projects undertaken by the municipal corporation -- integrated waste management at Suthni, multi-level parking at Bandhu Singh Park, a food street in Indira Bal Vihar, beautification of Ghantaghar and Laldiggi Park, a commercial complex in TP Nagar, and the Kanha Upvan shelter in Tal Nador -- as steps that are changing the urban experience.


He urged people to be both sensitive and vigilant in the process of development.


The CM also called on citizens to celebrate International Yoga Day on June 21 with grandeur, organising events in every ward and neighbourhood.


"Yoga is a guarantee of good health, and PM Modi has given it global recognition," he said. He also urged people to plant a tree in their mother's name on June 23, the death anniversary of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who advocated for 'One Nation, One Law'.


Earlier, the CM inaugurated the Kalyan Mandapam and toured the facility to inspect its infrastructure and services. On stage, he honoured 10 municipal employees with certificates and gifts for their outstanding work.

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