Addiction, the great leveller!

MUMBAI: “Drug addiction transcends class barriers. Drug addicts range from the filthy rich to the poorest of the poor. A majority of drug abusers are women too. In fact, in Mumbai there is one woman for every three men who are addicted to drugs,” says Yusuf Merchant, physician and president of Drug Abuse Information Rehabilitation and Research Centre (DAIRRC).

According to the Narcotics Control Bureau, commonly abused drugs fall into three categories- depressants (eg heroin, barbiturates), stimulants (eg charas (hashish) cocaine, crack, amphetamines) and hallucinogens (e.g. marijuana, Ecstasy, LSD), and are ingested, inhaled, smoked, injected or snorted.

“Drugs are easily available, if you know where to look. There is also a lot of choice, not only as far as a drug is concerned, but there are also different drugs to suit different pockets,” said Bipin Das (name changed), a reformed drug addict. While one gram of cocaine costs Rs4700 per gram, a cheaper alternative, charas,  costs Rs500 for one gram.

Government hospitals, which have wards for drug addicts, can afford to keep patients for a maximum period of about four weeks. During this time, the patient undergoes a process of detoxification. However, a regular follow-up is absolutely necessary. Without follow up checks, the addict is likely to return to his old habit, say social activists. It takes anywhere between nine months to one-and-half-years to completely rehabilitate a substance abuser.

“Another problem is the fact that detoxification and rehabilitation cost between Rs3000-6,000 per month, which is unaffordable to many patients,” said Mini Tomy, project co-ordinator, Sankalp, which sees over 300 men seeking rehabilitation every year.

According to Leon John, counsellor, Kripa Counselling & Rehabilitation Centre, drug addiction is on the rise among college students, housewives and career women.

“A majority of street children try drugs and become addicted sooner or later,” said Bharati Kadam, administrator, Support, an NGO working towards de-addicting street children in Mumbai.

While the detoxification programme takes about a month, rehabilitation depends on the child’s personality. “We have a residential centre. It is absolutely essential for the child to stay with us to enable us to rehabilitate the child successfully,” she added.

“Our youngest boy is nine years old, he was given alcohol by his own father,” said Kadam.

EASY ACCESS

Low end drugs

• Solution, white ink, shoe polish mixed with charas called ‘Bombay Black’, ‘garg’ (brown sugar), Ganja (grass), iodine (applied on bread)
• Some of these are available for as low as Rs10 to Rs50

High end drugs

• Heroin: Best quality: Rs1500 per gram, lower quality: Rs800 - Rs1000 per gram
  Charas: Rs 500-Rs1200 up to Rs3,000 for 10 grams 
• Cocaine: Good quality -Rs4,700/gm, lower quality: Rs3,500 per gram 
• Ecstasy: Rs500-Rs800 per pill
• LSD: Rs250-Rs500 for one drop of liquid
• Magic Mushroom (which is taken with tea and sandwich): Rs 400-Rs500