The fight against yaba

The government’s avowed declaration that a zero tolerance policy against narcotic substances in general and yaba in particular is apparently not being very successful. Almost every day there are media reports about yaba tablets in huge numbers being seized by law enforcement authorities. And there are reasons to believe that the seized tablets constitute a minor proportion of the deadly drug being smuggled into the country. The surrender of a number of yaba traders has also failed to stem the flow of the drug. More alarmingly, there are reports that yaba tablet is now manufactured inside the capital as well. The fact that the volume of confiscated narcotic drugs, is hardly surprising. Drug addiction has now spread to almost all strata of the society.

Yaba is entering Bangladesh through 42 points located mostly in hill districts along the border of Myanmar. Besides land routes the smugglers are bringing the tablet through sea routes also. However, it will be difficult to control yaba addiction without the help of the Myanmar government. It has become a diplomatic challenge for Bangladesh to convince the Myanmar government so that they actually take steps to destroy yaba making factories near the border of Bangladesh.  

Yaba has already destroyed many families. There are also noted serious cases when yaba addicted teenagers are even murdering their own parents and other near and dear ones when the latter stand in the way of their addiction. Thus, yaba’s degenerative effects are far worse than other addictive substances. Experts are of the opinion the increase of murder, rape, robbery and abduction in society has something to do with the increase of yaba use in the country.

Stopping the menace of yaba requires political will across the South Asian belt to set up a coordinating agency that will include all the narcotics departments in different countries. A fight against this cheap but hugely addictive and damaging drug also requires strengthening of monitoring as regards our own pharmaceutical industry, which could also be a source for ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. The problem of drug addiction is enormous but it needs to be resolved at any cost at the earliest. Unless something is done to combat the trade in this illicit drug, we will be putting millions, particularly the youth, at risk.

 

 

The fight against yaba

The governments avowed declaration that a zero tolerance policy against narcotic substances in general and yaba in particular is apparently not being very successful.Almost every day there are media reports about yaba tablets in huge numbers being seized by law enforcement authorities. And there are reasons to believe that the seized tablets constitute a minor proportion of the deadly drug being smuggled into the country. The surrender of a number of yaba traders has also failed to stem the flow of the drug. More alarmingly, there are reports that yaba tablet is now manufactured inside the capital as well. The fact that the volume of confiscated narcotic drugs, is hardly surprising. Drug addiction has now spread to almost all strata of the society. Yaba is entering Bangladesh through 42 points located mostly in hill districts along the border of Myanmar. Besides land routes the smugglers are bringing the tablet through sea routes also. However, it will be difficult to control yaba addiction without the help of the Myanmar government. It has become a diplomatic challenge for Bangladesh to convince the Myanmar government so that they actually take steps to destroy yaba making factories near the border of Bangladesh. Yaba has already destroyed many families. There are also noted serious cases when yaba addicted teenagers are even murdering their own parents and other near and dear ones when the latter stand in the way of their addiction. Thus, yabas degenerative effects are far worse than other addictive substances. Experts are of the opinion the increase of murder, rape, robbery and abduction in society has something to do with the increase of yaba use in the country. Stopping the menace of yaba requires political will across the South Asian belt to set up a coordinating agency that will include all the narcotics departments in different countries. A fight against this cheap but hugely addictive and damaging drug also requires strengthening of monitoring as regards our own pharmaceutical industry, which could also be a source for ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. The problem of drug addiction is enormous but it needs to be resolved at any cost at the earliest. Unless something is done to combat the trade in this illicit drug, we will be putting millions, particularly the youth, at risk.