A DECADE ago, during one of the ‘Growing Up’ sessions I was holding in Karachi schools, I talked to seventh graders about drugs and addiction. Their interest and giggling prompted me to ask whether they knew where drugs could be obtained. They named several locations. Later, I realised that drug availability among the youth is far more common than we may believe. Perhaps the most alarming evidence is found in rehabilitation centres where children as young as eight years are being treated for substance abuse. News of teenagers dying of overdose in the country has become increasingly common. Seemingly healthy teenagers are succumbing to substance abuse — accidentally or intentionally — as they seek to escape from life’s difficulties and take refuge in the world of temporary pleasure that drugs provide.

Substance abuse refers to drug use, which causes significant problems at school, work or home — and continues despite the consequences. Dependence may develop, requiring larger amounts of the drug and causing withdrawal symptoms when use stops. Addiction begins with experimentation, especially during adolescence, with cigarettes, alcohol or drugs out of curiosity or peer influence. The adolescent brain is still developing, especially the........

© Dawn