UAF NEWS

Speakers at a seminar cautioned that usage of tobacco, the silent killer, had become an epidemic which takes the lives of over 0.15 million people annually in Pakistan due to smoking-related diseases.

An awareness session on drug abuse was held at the New Senate Hall, University of Agriculture Faisalabad. It was arranged by UAF Senior Tutor Office in collaboration with Rotary Club. Chairing the session UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Ashraf called for enhancing efforts to eliminate drug addiction menace from the society. He said that teachers and students should accept the responsibility of changing behaviour of drug addicts to keep them away from the life-taking intakes. He showed his concern that Shisha had become very popular in the youth as our youngsters were using it without knowing the dangers associated with it. In shisha, tobacco is served to people mixed with certain flavours and its smoke have hundreds of potentially dangerous substances, including nicotine, charcoal, arsenic, cobalt, chromium and others. He added that majority of addicts start drugs for the sake of recreation, which led to anti-social habit. Eventually, the body demanded frequent use. Senior Tutor Dr Athar Javed stressed upon the need to promote healthy activities in the youth to fight the challenge. He said that University had taken tangible steps to eradicate the menace from the campus . He said that smoking and sale of cigarette is strictly banned in the campus . Public Health Specialist Dr Noor Ul Zaman Rafiq said the drug addiction among of those social evils, that are sucking the blood of our society and not only the addicts but his entire family also suffers from severe mental and financial stress. He stressed upon the need to play vital role in sensitising addicts to the harmful effects of drug use. President Rotary Club Faisalabad Muhammad Aslam Butt said that the awareness about the effects of drugs addiction was essential to end the menace. He said that the culprits promoting the drugs activities must be brought to the book.