Thousands of Pakistani Street Children Addicted to Glue

LAHORE, June 29 (OneWorld) – They may not have access to drugs like heroin and marijuana, but that doesn’t stop thousands of street children in Pakistan from getting high — with easily available glue that often destroys addicts’ health.

A study by the nongovernmental organization (NGO) Pakistan Society in the bustling southern city of Karachi found that 83 percent of 10,000 impoverished minors sniff glue to get high, mainly because of its trouble-free accessibility and low cost.

There are thousands of such glue addicts in cities like Lahore, Rawalpindi and Peshawar as well but the exact number of addicts is unknown because there have been no detailed studies on the extent of the problem.

Glue is usually bought from hardware and stationery stores, reveals the study, "Glue Sniffing Problem in Karachi."

The favorite of addicts — aged between 8 and 19 years — is a brand known as Samad Bond, used to bind items like leather, rubber, wood, textiles and glass.

They spread glue on a thick paper or piece of cloth, roll it and then light up, or pour the sticky substance into a shopping bag and hold it near their faces. Some addicts simply eat the glue to get high.

These children, called sniffers, also use substances like paint, petrol, varnish and benzene for intoxication. Glue sniffing is considered the most popular form of addiction after tobacco and alcohol.

The children who were profiled lived in places like footpaths, public parks, railway stations, shrines and shopping centers.

At least 40 percent of the 10,000 solvent abusers earn their living through odd jobs, begging and car washing, while 30 percent are engaged in criminal activities and 25 percent are garbage scavengers, according to the study.

Around 45 percent of the children say they are keen to kick the addiction while 40 percent show little interest in doing so and 10 percent are indecisive.

Aslam, a runaway 13-year-old boy, says he sniffs glue to fight off hunger and memories of his family. Aslam, who lives at a popular shrine in Lahore, adds that glue is easily available and nobody questions its frequent purchase.

Agrees advocate and member of the Lahore High Court Bar Association Suhail Raza Aarbi, who points out that there are no laws to check the abuse of substances like glue, petrol and paint. He suggests the government amend the Hadd Order governing prohibition to include addictives like glue, petrol and paints.

Doctors caution that the effects of inhaling these substances can be as damaging if not more than alcohol and tobacco.

Says Dr Zulfiqar Shah, a psychiatrist at a government hospital in the eastern city of Lahore, "Such substances are highly injurious to the health and can cause mental illness and serious respiratory disorders within six months of regular usage. An exceptionally high single dose can cause brain damage and memory loss."

He explains, "Inhaling glue by covering the face causes the displacement of oxygen in the lungs and subsequently the central nervous system, causing breathing to cease."

The immediate effects of inhaling are euphoria, after which tension is released and the user feels relaxed, Shah says.

With the passage of time, addicts develop problems like stammering and constant hallucinations. Prolonged addiction affects the heart, kidneys, liver and body movement.

Government efforts to stop the growing abuse do not seem to be making much headway. Health official Mohammad Saeed says glue addicts are treated at state detoxification centers and then released but they often resume the habit in the company of friends.

A shopkeeper in a red light area in the city of Lahore where there are several addicts, Shabbir Hussain, charges that the administration has turned a deaf ear to pleas for measures to help such people. He says there is urgent need to check the growing trend with adequate medical treatment, education and preventive measures.

Social activist Faizul Hasan feels the main problem is that there are no rehabilitation centers that will encourage children to completely kick the deadly habit. He suggests the government include glue sniffing in its campaign against drug addiction.

Hasan adds that the government should establish rehabilitation centers where cured addicts can stay for a while after their treatment is complete, and that awareness campaigns should be launched to help people realize the enormity of the situation.