Mushrooming drug shops, male bravado turning boys into addicts

The Delhi Police was busy conducting awareness programmes on International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June 26.

For 14-year-old Baba, however, it was just another day in his life, as he managed to get his hands on a few grams of smack (heroin), and looked for some shade in a nondescript corner in Connaught Place.

After finding a safe spot, he takes out an aluminium foil, while keeping an eye out for other addicts. "You can't be sure these days. A few days ago, police picked up some (addicts) and took them somewhere. There are days when other addicts steal my smack and picking a fight with a group is of no use," said Baba, who takes a hit out of the brown substance on the aluminium foil.

The prime reason for many chidren getting addicted to drugs like solvents – and in some cases pharmaceutical drugs – is because of mushrooming sundry medical shops in North Delhi.

Many have told this paper that in Azadpur area, it is very easy to purchase a few ampules of Buprenorphine for Rs 150-200.

Street children like Baba, after reaching the age of 13, increasingly get addicted to narcotics substances like solvents and cannabis.

Though the prevalence of cannabis use is lower, increasing dependence on hard drugs like smack is an issue of concern for several child rights activists.

Rashid, who works at a local mechanic's shop, told Millennium Post: "The first time I got my drugs was from the local chemist. The police does not disturb them and they give us the drugs without asking any questions. We just have to approach them in the afternoon, when a lot of people are not around".

Many street children have reported using drugs when they were in high school and later dropping out as they are unable to continue studies.

They claim that one of the reasons they inject smack is because it acts as a display of their machismo.

"The first time I saw a guy shoot smack I thought that he was a man. He really did not have a care in the world and I was just smoking marijuana. I really wanted to know what it feels like to be a man. The group who helped me buy smack also told me that it helps in sex," said Gulu, who sells balloons for a living near Hanuman Mandir.

The Delhi Police had recently rescued 24 children from Hanuman Mandir area and sent them to rehabilitation and counselling after a medical check up, under the community policing programme 'YUVA'.

In the past five months alone, police have seized 16 kg of smack – compared to seven kg for the entire year in 2016.