Activists call for ban on addictive substances

The call for awareness and action follows the letter, written by the Karnataka Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KCPCR) to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, seeking to ban the Over the Counter sale (OTC) of substances like relief balm, thinner, etc, in all states.

Supporting the initiative, child rights activists in Tamil Nadu are urging shopkeepers to refrain from selling these products to youngsters and are campaigning for preventive measures to be undertaken.

Stressing on the need for the Children’s Commission in Tamil Nadu to take up the same, child rights activist Andrew Sesuraj said, “Right now, substance abuse has become rampant in all states, especially in rural Tamil Nadu.”

Stating that it is mostly seen among children growing up in unsupervised settings, Dr Lakshmi Vijayakumar, a well-known psychiatrist, said, “In most families, parents are working and the children are left at home with no supervision. As substances like nail polish remover and the permanent marker are easily available, it is not difficult for children to get their hands on the products.

Normally, their relationship with the substance starts out as a kind of a curiosity, but, as they are very addictive, the children tend to get addicted within a few days, eventually leading to problems in their nervous system.”

As prevention is a complex process, she said that interventions are required at all levels. “Schools need to be educated about the harmful effects of the daily substances. Teachers tend to think that these products are harmless, as opposed to alcohol and cigarettes, and thus, refrain from looking deeper into the issue. It is therefore important for activists and counsellors to visit schools and create awareness on the same,” she added.

While banning OTC sale of these substances is not the ideal step, it is the only way to contain the menace. “One of the main reasons for the abuse is easy accessibility.

It is very cheap and easily available. Children find it easy to buy and therefore addiction in that age group is growing. It is important to prevent easy accessibility, before educating the children as once they gain access to such products, it is difficult to educate them,” added Sesuraj.