Drugs' new avatar: Beauty-boost pills

THALASERRY: The drug mafia is targeting school students with unique selling tactics like promising to enhance the beauty of girls and the muscles of boys. Recently, a  few parents of a well-known educational institution here complained to a top excise official that many girl students were reportedly using drugs. The  investigations revealed that the drug mafia  was distributing psychotropic drugs among girl students in the form of pills  named as ‘Monju koottanulla gulika’ (beauty-enhancing pill).  The  boys were given the same pills with the name ‘muscle peruppikanulla gulika’ (pill for enhancing muscles).

The department couldn’t pursue many cases due to  lack of complaint and co-operation from the institution concerned or the parents. “Filing complaints would tamper the reputation of the institution and, therefore, it  closed the matter by issuing  a warning to the students involved in it,” said a top official. The sources of such pills are Bangalore, according to the official. Girls  have become victims of drug abuse in recent years as it is easy to trap them,  according to the excise department.    “I have received many complaints from parents of girls  who have no idea how to deal with the addiction.

During a recent hotel raid for another purpose, we  found a 19-year- old girl with a boy in a room, both in an inebriated state,” Kozhikode excise deputy commissioner P.K. Suresh said. The lack of stringent rules prevents the  department from taking strong steps against drug dealers. “Earlier, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act was effective in tackling such issues. But after amendments, those who keep less than one kilogram substance can  get bail and  be a free bird. Such loopholes should be fixed for effective action,”  he added.