Ilam, Aug 21: A boy considered an excellent student was sitting for last year’s Secondary Education Examination (SEE). But he could not sit for one of the subjects. The reason was simple but alarming: he could not get his “dose” of drugs that day.
He appeared for the rest of the exams, but missing one paper did more than affect his results. It exposed how deeply drug use is spreading among children. A student being unable to go to school for an exam because he did not get drugs is far from normal.
Near Ilam Bazaar, another boy dropped out of school before completing the basic level. From a financially modest family, he began stealing from homes after his family stopped being able to provide money for drugs. He would steal whatever he could find, sell it cheaply and use the money to buy drugs.
Another boy from Ilam Municipality initially showed no unusual behaviour in class. Gradually, however, his conduct changed. He began breaking school rules, preferred staying alone and became fearful. Within weeks, he stopped attending school. His family later discovered that he had become a drug user and was also involved in theft.
A local boy had to be placed in a rehabilitation centre several years ago after dropping out of school because of drug addiction. The school arranged for him to sit his examinations from the rehabilitation centre, according to the principal. A girl from a private school in the district headquarters also dropped out because of drug use.
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Drug use is affecting not only boys and young men in Ilam Bazaar and other market areas, but also girls and young women. Local community leaders say the number of drug users has been rising to a worrying level in most market areas and some villages.
The problem extends beyond users. Drug dealers are also active, while school students are increasingly being caught in the network. Some children and teenagers have dropped out before reaching secondary level. Those from poor families have reportedly turned to theft to raise money for drugs.
“Chickens disappear from sheds in villages, metal plates are stolen, and some children even steal household items,” said a community leader from Barbote, Ilam Municipality. “It may not be obvious from outside, but children and teenagers are increasingly falling into drug addiction.”
He said many drug related incidents never reach the police because families fear getting themselves and their children entangled in legal problems.
“Parents do not report such cases because they fear legal complications,” he said. “As families hide these incidents, drug use among children and teenagers is spreading like a fire beneath the surface.”
The problem has reached students in both community and private schools. A teacher at a private school in the district headquarters said some schools have witnessed visible incidents, while the impact remains hidden in others.
“Smoking has almost become normal among students, and drug use is directly affecting them,” the teacher said. “If this fire spreading quietly is not contained in time, it will affect everyone.”
Drug users are now reportedly found in dozens of places, including Ilam Bazaar, areas around Tundikhel and Pokhari School, Chiyabari, Biblyante, Fikkal, Mai Municipality, Chulachuli and Suryodaya.
Police periodically detain drug users, but locals say efforts have not kept pace with the spread of drugs from urban areas to villages.
“Students from community schools are also caught in addiction,” said a principal in Ilam. “We often hear about drug related incidents around schools. It is unrealistic to expect students to remain unaffected. If the problem is not addressed soon, it could become much worse.”
Residents regard the growing network of users and dealers as a serious challenge. Police, meanwhile, say they are making efforts to control the problem by making arrests based on available information.
District police data shows that young people account for a large share of those involved in drug use and trafficking. However, Deputy Superintendent of Police Laxmi Bhandari said the police do not have a complete picture because they only maintain records of those arrested.
“The number of drug users detained this year appears slightly lower than last year, but we do not have an exact figure for the total number of users,” Bhandari said. “Police take action whenever they receive information, but the police alone cannot solve this problem. Individuals, families and society must also play a role.”
Bhandari, who also serves as the district police information officer, said police have been conducting awareness programmes in schools as part of their efforts to control drug use.
