Youth into peddling

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Recently, the Railway Protection Force in Thiruvananthapuram arrested two persons aged 24 and 28 with 48kg of ganja. They are engineers. The anti-narcotic squad of RPF that investigates the transportation of narcotic substances by train, point out that most of the accused in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act-related cases are between 19 and 35 years of age. 

“There has been an increase in the use of ganja in the state. Youngsters are increasingly getting addicted to weed. Many of them end up peddling it for money to support their flamboyant lifestyle. It is even more disturbing that educated professionals like engineers and graduates are turning to ganja peddling out of peer pressure,” a source said. The RPF officials also pointed out that there is a growing trend of users turning dealers of LSD, MDMA and other synthetic drugs.

Not just grass
Highlighting the new types of drugs available among youngsters, sources quoted a recent case in which a youngster was arrested with 6gm of MDMA. “One gram of MDMA costs up to `15,000. Anyone possessing it will be charged under the NDPS Act. If the accused possesses above 6gm, it is a non-bailable offence,” said the official. 

As per official data, so far this year, the RPF Trivandrum division has seized 59kg of ganja worth `60 lakh. In 2019, the team seized ganja worth `1.55 crore. “Ernakulam district contributes more than 60 per cent of the cases registered under the NDPS Act, followed by Thiruvananthapuram. Peddlers keep the bags containing narcotic products away from their seats while travelling on the train. When the peddlers realise that the RPF has intensified searching, they abandon the bags in the train,” said the source.

The functioning of the RPF anti-narcotic squad was strengthened due to elections. As per the official data, `68 lakh worth of drugs and `38 lakh worth of liquor were seized before the assembly elections in Kerala. Of these, the accused around 60 per cent of cases were below the age of 35.  According to psychiatrists, more youngsters are falling prey to drug abuse and have been using synthetic drugs, marijuana and psychotropic drugs. 

“The 19-25 age group is being found to be increasingly addicted to drugs. Besides, cannabis and nicotine substances like LSD also has many takers now. Since the non-psychotropic drugs are available online, youngsters tend to use them frequently, leading to addiction,” said Sheena G Soman, consultant psychiatrist, Mental Health Centre, Thiruvananthapuram.

GANJA TURNS UP IN TRAINS
A few weeks back, the anti-narcotic squad RPF seized 42kg of dry ganja worth H10.62 lakh
Railway police arrested a 49-year-old from Karnataka and a 26-year-old from Kerala at the Aluva railway station 

Awareness campaigns to be rolled out
Meanwhile, RPF officials are planning to conduct more awareness programmes among school and college students against the use of illegal drugs and psychotropic substances. The officials also highlighted that lack of proper attention from parents could make youngsters more vulnerable to  addictions

HOT BIZ
As per official data, this year, the RPF Trivandrum division has seized 59kg of ganja worth H60 lakh. In 2019, the team seized ganja worth HRs 1.55 crore.