The hundred head vicious snake hissed fiercely at her on one hand and on the other she saw a door with radiance beaming very inviting.
She looked up and saw beautiful colors, colors she hadn’t seen on flowers when her dad used to take her to the tulip garden.
She tried to fight hard with a demon inside it had grown huge day after day and she felt more vulnerable than before.
She rolled her eyes in all corners before they fixed on the table in the dark corner; there exactly there she saw her peace.
Her weak body rolled, crawled to the table, set the powder in a straight line and snuffed it in a jiffy; her addiction and vulnerability gave up on a beautiful gift of life.
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Say no to drugs or any substance for that matter. We speak of dowry deaths or alcohol abuse deaths but you did be surprised to know if I shared some facts about drug abuse in our very country.
At least 25,426 people committed suicide due to drug and addiction related problems in the last 10 years across India. This comes down to an average 2,542 suicides every year, 211 per month and 7 per day.
Appalling truth is that suicides due to drug related problems exceed dowry, poverty and money related suicides in India in most of the last 10 years.
India is highly vulnerable because it is sandwiched between two infamous drug routes and poppy growing areas, namely the ‘Golden Crescent’ on the northwest and ‘Golden Triangle’ on the northeast, where drugs are easily available.
Now the sad part is even though there are 3.4 million drug abuse victims, the government has only 401 rehabilitation centres functioning at present. That is an average of overwhelming 8,478 victims per Integrated Rehabilitation Centre for Addicts (IRCA).
Out of these 3.4 million drug abuse victims, a mere 0.3 million have registered themselves in these de-addiction centres, which is just 10% of the total figure.
And of the 0.3 million registered members about 0.15 million (50%) are from Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha and Manipur.
We moved from vindictive to vulnerable and vulnerable I find people who want to quit addiction but are helpless. Read a very positive post on the same word on Shashank’s blog here.
It is alarming to see such high statistics of Drugs Shweta. Like you said, we have heard of the other evils so much that drugs somehow have taken the backstage. They are equally an alarming problem..
Rightly said Vinay, may be because it is no so shouted about, it is a silent killer.
The numbers are scary. I hope there is relief soon.
They are and unlike other problems the nexus is so strong that it requires a wider level of initiative to fight.
Wow. that was some narration… 🙂 Great way of explaining..
Thank you Uttpal 🙂
Great story! There needs to be more awareness on this menace as its one of the major killers of the youth all over the world.
So agree Sudha, the awareness is required as rightly pointed its the youth that are targeted and that will eradicate the society.
Some really shocking facts!
And the story is narrated beautifully 🙂
A social menace … needs support from the family to overcome the problem.
On a personal level yes, its the family who always stands by or else a nation level initiative is required to fight this.
Tragic facts wonderfully narrated, Shweta!
Thank you Amit ji 🙂
Good you wrote for a cause here.. Catching up with all the remaining A-Z posts now as I was on the move last week of april.. still managed to finish the challenge.. Hw about you?
Me too babe, I traveled after W 🙁 so will back date on Z post and complete it somehow 🙂 It was a good experience but quite challenging to write daily 🙂
Brilliant ! I was wondering what its going to be and I realized the meaning of ‘vulnerable’.. loved the line where you hinted at a happy childhood .. and Kudos you gave the stats on the drug abuse deaths .Horrible !
Its the memories pleasant that we hallucinate the most when we are vulnerable some seek help from God isn’t it babe! Happy you liked the post…hugs 🙂
Message conveyed nicely and with full impact Shweta.
Thank you Somali, happy you liked it 🙂
I read it a few times and got stuck!
oh is it….
My cousin’s son is addicted. It’s tough for the entire family. Thanks for writing this one, Shweta.
I can so understand, its very difficult as he must be hooked and unable ti quit…hope he finds his life back !
it is really a horrible scene of our society. Tragic figures but are reality. nice message conveyed shweta ji
Thank you Yogi ji, it is a menace and the nexus is strong!
Drugs are abominable killers. You’ve described the conflict of the mind and its vulnerability wonderfully babe… kudos… 🙂
Thanks Maniparna, wanted to show the helplessness of an addict…happy you liked it 🙂
The facts are shocking but your writing is addictive, Shweta. 🙂
and am happy you are addicted to my writing makes me write more 🙂
Killing others or self has become a sport these days. Truly vulnerable!
Informative post Shweta.
Thank you Fayaz you liked the post…
You won’t believe some are happy taking them. I know of guys who smoke too much everyday and they don’t mind a bit…they think it is a ‘cool’ factor. Such a pity for them!
they are giving up their life for being cool which they will realize much later…sad but true Alok 🙂
Correct
yep
Kids in college, or even teens, seem to think it’s “cool” or something. It’s appalling, really. Even when we were in college, I must say my cowardice saved me. I was literally scared of drugs! The stats you’ve mentioned here alone are enough to scare someone off from ever trying drugs, and I was a very, very scared college kid!
Well I knew of the menace and was aware in school itself, so agree teens who do not know of its after effects do find it cool….a very sad state!
? nice
thank you!
Insightful post Shweta. I like the structure of content where you first relate the topic with your fiction work and then addressed the problem backed with data. Different post this time & I liked it.
The rising drug menace is a grave concern. I remember PM Modi addressed this problem in one of his radio program few months back and assured to create a healthy environment to overcome this. I believe State & Center authorities are the ones who has to tackle this problem because it starts from the point when these drugs enter our country. Punjab & some northeastern states are amongst this list. Since most youths are not directly forced into it, creating awareness program is also very important.
Well the programs from center and state can help but the problem is of supply not demand, the nexus is so strong that the supply never stops. thank you for liking the post Vishal 🙂
it is such a shame that drugs is such a menance these day inspite of knowing how bad they are still people are taking it .. Really sad
Bikram’s
wish it was that easy for the addicts to give it up….once addicted its very difficult.
I like how you built the curiosity in this piece.
It’s kinda hits you hard at the end but your heart goes out for the girl in the story.
thanks babe, I wanted to pen this with the addict’s point of view, happy you liked it 🙂
You are an expert on ultrashort stories. Great message.
thats such a huge compliment Abhijit ji 🙂 thank you.
keren, saya sangat suka tulisan anda
You have touched upon a very important yet not so discussed topic here. The states you have mentioned in the write up, I belong to one of them. Real good work indeed.
http://drsushreedash.blogspot.in/
thank you Sushree, rightly said since we do not see many cases around we feel its not a big issue however the stats speak…its serious. thank you for liking it 🙂
Glad that you have written on such a sensitive topic. Gosh, cannot believe that even Karnataka is a part of such foolishness.
Bhatkal is quite a notorious place Ajay, vay ki na? Karnataka aaso ki aani khanchay problem tari serious aahe, happy you liked it…
I know someone really close, who has been badly gripped by drugs and seeing him suffer everyday is a pain beyond words.
Great you wrote on this Shweta,
Thanks,
so agree its the family, the loved ones who are as helpless Jiggyasa and thats what impacts the most.
That was some data…
I loved the narration….
Thank you Amita, happy you liked it 🙂
Well written piece with some detailed info.. Loved it..
Thank you Meera 🙂
It’s sad when people embrace death due to drugs … your post elaborates a serious issue quite well.
it is a serious menace Amrit…thanks!
Short but a good story. It’s a shocking statistics.
Thanks Anoop…yeh the stats are really startling!