Doda addicts take oath to turn new leaf

JODHPUR: Villagers of Baytu block of Barmer district who are addicted to poppy-husk (doda) are taking "oath on the Ganges" not to consume the item ever during culmination of a 7-day doda de-addiction camp here. Both the elderly and the youth have been attending the doda de-addiction camps in Baytu with a determination to get rid of the addiction.
"We have so far organized 15 camps and have de-addicted about 2,000 addicts in these camps," informed Baytoo block chief medical officer Sunil Kumar Singh Bist, adding that apart from the camps, several addicts have been benefited through OPDs.The success rate of these efforts has so far come to around 90%.
With approximately 40,000 poppy-husk consumers, Baytoo has earned a dubious distinction of "Doda Nagari" of the state. The spurt in the number of addicts is largely attributable to youth, who drifted to doda consumption believing it to be a power-full aphrodisiac. "It has become a very big problem here with ill effects on the socio-economic and political milieu of the region spoiling our youth," a villager, Rupa Ram Godara, said.
"Though there are no medical evidences to this theory, this myth (doda being an aphrodisiac) pushed a large number of youth to consume it to such an extent that out of the total number doda addicts in Baytu, 60-70% are youngsters", Bist said. Mostly, the elderly users are the registered users and they have been consuming the drug in small quantity but the same has shot up to 6-7 kg per month per youth, which is very dangerous and they are buying it at an exorbitant price.
Inspired by launching of such camps in Kawas and surrounding villages by a local police officer posted in Tamil Nadu as ADG (Vigilance) S R Jangid, in June, this series of doda de-addiction camps was planned for Baytoo with help from the administration and the crude oil exploration giant Cairn, wherein, the addicts could be kept for seven days.
"We not only gave them medicines but provided counseling also by motivating them in a highly amicable atmosphere in these camps,", Bist said adding that all these camps culminated with an ?oath on Ganges', which is highly revered by these villagers. Initially, hesitant youth has also started coming in hordes with a resolution to shun the addiction, albeit, in OPDs.
Godara said spurt in the demand and scant availability of doda leading to long queues at the government shops has proved a boon for this de-addiction drive and this scenario coupled with the motivation from leaders, administration officials, including Bist, has drawn the addicts to these camps and OPDs in hordes.
To ensure the success of these efforts, a follow up mechanism has also been put in place so that the treated addicts do not return back to the drug. Local people have been working on it reminding them of its ill effects both on their health and society as well.