Use of shoe polish, frog sweat as drugs worrisome: MLAs

DHARAMSHALA: While debating the issue of drugs among youth in the state, BJP MLAs informed the House that apart from other drugs, even sweat of frog and shoe polish is being used by the addicts. Discussions took place in the absence of Congress leaders, who had walked out of the House on other issue.
Moving a resolution on the issue on the third day of the winter session of the assembly, the ruling party members demanded deployment of extra police force and dope tests at educational institutions as some measures to check the menace.
Nurpur MLA Rakesh Pathania said new types of drugs have come into use. Citing an example, he said some senior secondary students in his area had thrashed their school principal when he asked them not to play with a frog. Pathania said inquiries had revealed that students make frogs sweat while playing with them and then lick the sweat to get a high. He said that addicts claim that single lick gives them a kick equivalent to one bottle of liquor.
Pathania demanded that police district be set up in his area and sniffer dogs used to deal with the problem.
“Some boys were caught in my area hiding drugs in rectum,” he told the House.
Chamba MLA Bikram Jaryal added that boys are even known to use shoe polish as an intoxicant. Indora MLA Rita Dhiman said used injections and empty liquor bottles were often found near isolated areas in her constituency. Chitta (heroin) is the most popular drug among the youth in the region, she added.
While Sirmour MLA Balbir Singh blamed the Congress for drug menace in the state, CPI(M) MLA from Theog, Rajesh Singha suggested that female groups in villages be roped in the fight against drugs.
Chief minister Jairam Thakur said his government has been fighting drugs since the past one year. A detailed report presented in the House revealed that police had seized 443kg charas, 7kg opium, 1,097 injections and 1021 syrups in state after the BJP came to power last year.