Users prefer cheaper pharmaceutical drugs over heroin, say Experts
Srinagar, Dec 17: A shift is being witnessed among drug abusers in Kashmir as they prefer to use pharmaceutical drugs over heroin, which they procure through illegal routes, the health experts said.
A top psychiatrist at GMC Srinagar said that the trend of drug abuse continues to rise and every day new patients are being brought to the hospital for treatment. He said that the majority of the drug abusers are the heroin users and over 50 per cent of them are being tested positive for Hepatitis C.
The psychiatrist said that around 1200 drug abusers were registered at the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS) Kashmir in the last 8-9 months and 90 per cent of them are heroin addicts and injectable drug users. He, however, said that a shift has been witnessed amongst the drug addicts as the heroin abusers are using pharmaceutical drugs that include Pregabalin, Topentadol and Tramadol.
The psychiatrist added that Pregabalin, a medication commonly prescribed for epilepsy, neuropathic pain, and anxiety, has seen a significant increase in misuse, particularly among individuals using opioids like heroin.
He added that heroin users are turning to prescription medications like pregabalin to enhance or modulate the effects of opioids.
Meanwhile, the officials said shift is being witnessed due to the high cost and scarcity of heroin, and the abusers find it easy to procure the pharmaceutical drugs by using illegal ways.
They said that Tramadol is a painkiller and a good drug while doctors prescribe it for their patients but it is being misused, adding that there is a need to focus on mental health support for youngsters in the valley to combat the root causes of substance abuse.
“The shift from illicit drugs like heroin to prescription medications poses new challenges for public health and law enforcement. These pharmaceutical drugs, while legal when prescribed appropriately, can lead to serious health complications when misused. The combination of these medications with other substances, intentional or accidental, further elevates the risk of overdose and death,” they added.
Officials said that the parents need to play their role effectively by keeping more vigil on their children to combat this challenge.
