Glimpses of a Drug Sick Society

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Alia Bhatt in Udta Punjab, a movie on drug addiction

NK SINGH

One of the maladies of affluent nations has reached India -- the menace of drug addiction. A large number of young men, particularly university students in Punjab, are said to be taking barbiturates, palmed off as sex stimulants by unscrupulous chemists.

The disease is confined not only to men, but also the women have fallen prey. Young people find it cheaper than taking hard liquor. Some barbiturates have the same effect as whiskey. Some of the hardened addicts, who were not satisfied with the kick obtained from barbiturates, take a pinch of opium with it.

Excerpts from The Searchlight 21 March 1970




Former Resident Editor, Hindustan Times, Indian Express; Editor, Dainik Bhaskar, Peoples Samachar; Associate Editor, India Today; Sub-editor, Nai Dunia, The Hitavada, Pratipaksha, Secular Democracy

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