Sir: Drug addiction is basically a chronic disease affecting the brain, heart and other parts of the body. Youngsters start taking drugs in their teenage years and the first step of addiction to drugs is smoking. Drugs affect different people in different ways. One person can take and abuse drugs, yet never become addicted, while another merely has one experience and is immediately hooked. It can be said that dugs addiction is just a state of mind. Drug addiction is often overshadowed by many of the country’s other human development problems, such as poverty, illiteracy, and lack of awareness and basic health care centre. But the fact is that drug addiction is rapidly growing among the youth of Pakistan. I chose this topic because I think it is necessary for today’s society which is taken over by the curse of drugs, mostly High School and university students are involved in it. It is the main reason that the youth today is distracted from their ambitions, and Pakistan, even after 63 years of independence, is a 3rd world country. One of the reasons is that some people who want to quit cannot, due to the lack of health care centres in the country. Some people also involved in illegal activities to take drugs because they are not financially strong. This study will help us analyze the effects of drug addiction and will help us find better alternatives. Unless serious measures are taken now, the very future of a large chunk of today’s youth will be severely compromised. The problem of drug addiction is too real and serious to be ignored. The governments need to involve communities and media in highlighting the perils associated with drug addiction. Media has a responsibility to highlight such issues with a view to educating people and building a consensus among them to forge a united stand against such scourges. MAHEEN YOUSUF Karachi Published in Daily Times, September 23rd 2018.