COVID – 19:- THE LOCKDOWN, THE DRUG MAFIA AND THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION

COVID – 19:- ALCOHOL ADDICTS, DRUG ADDICTS AND THE DRUG MAFIA

There were some news headlines in the recent past from Kerala, the God’s Own Country. It was about the story of many alcohol addicts in the State. They are all badly affected persons due to the present lockdown declared by the Government in connection with the Corona Virus/COVID-19 epidemic. Because of the lockdown, all wine shops are closed and those who are addicted to alcohol are all in a bad shape without alcohol. The problem went to the extent that some people were died related to this issue, as reported in some public media. There were also some suicide attempts and many other complications as withdrawal symptoms. The issue touched to such a level that the Government had to give direction to provide alcohol on doctor's prescription. Later, the Kerala High Court stayed the order on a petition.

These things are already known to many of us. But my concern is not about this story. It is about a much more important issue which is invisible. It is all about the case of drugs, drug addicts and drug mafia. In the above paragraph, we have already seen the plight of the alcohol addicts.  Compared to this, the difficulties of the drug addicts during the withdrawal period are much more violent and visible than an alcohol addict. Hence, in the present long lockdown period when almost all chains of supply are broken, there cannot be any supply of drugs also. This is what we are believing. But I do not think our belief is a reality. If it is really broken, then there would be much more hue and cry from the drug addicts than the alcohol addicts. It is also a naked truth that there are drug addicts all over the world. But so far I have not come across any such a drug withdrawal problems highlighted by any public media, whether print or online, as happened only on the ground that these banned drugs are not available during the lockdown.

In this situation, there are two probabilities coming into my mind. First of all, there is no drug addicts anywhere in the world. Therefore, there is no drug withdrawal problems. But this probability I cannot digest properly. The second probability is that the problems of the drug addicts are taken care of by the drug mafia with or without the knowledge of the respective Governments and/or silenced the public media. If this second possibility is true, it would defeat the mission to eradicate the Corona Virus / COVID - 19. Apart from that, Governments of all the countries are going to miss a golden chance to curb the menace of drug and drug mafia along with the war against the Corona Virus / COVID – 19. If they are really interested in the welfare of the people, this aspect also to be kept in mind when fighting against the COVID – 19.

M.P. JOSEPH. www.manjaly.net