A few weeks back, I found myself standing at the funeral service of an over dosed drug addict - Traci. The gathering for this particular funeral was quite less in the Churachandpur's (Lamka) standard. In a close knit society like Lamka (Ccpur) funerals are important events conducted in the most solemnized and respectful manner.

When someone dies it is considered the sole responsibility of the 'Locality Authority' and the Home Church of the deceased to ensure that the dead man or woman receives a decent and a proper burial. Unlike the West, the dead are respected, and one doesn't have to run helter-skelter to the under-taker when their love one dies. Here in Churachandpur, the philanthropic young able bodied men of the locality where the deceased resides take it as their solemn duty to dig the grave and do all other things essential for the funeral service.

I stood there at the funeral, as one amongst the scattered gathering, watching the Pastor performing the last rites on Traci, a 28 year old woman who had more than her usual dose on that fateful morning, with one question apparent on my mind 'Would there have been more people at this funeral if the person who died was someone else and not a mere drug addict?'. I could see the Elders of the Church which Traci attends, performing their obligatory role, performing their duty and their role not out of love but as a matter of duty and obligation, feeling unsure if they should be here at this funeral in the first place -The Holier than thou - the Watch-Dogs of the Society with self lit halos over their heads.

I realized that day, as the philanthropic young men piled back the earth into the open grave, how judgmental the society that we live in is, and the Church and all other religious organization are no exception. What do Churches and other religious institutions care about saving a lost soul today?? Some Churches all they ever care about is 'a Little Donations', the Churches have become too holy, too ritualistic, and have no place for the addicts but only for the rich with a huge bank account. They are like the 'Fake-Preachers' on the Television, preaching about the Promised Land, asking us to believe in Jesus while they steal the money from our hands.

The most touching moment in the funeral service was when Traci's eight year old daughter from her broken marriage, walked up slowly and as a mark of respect to her departed mother placed a bouquet on her mother's grave. Looking at her from a distance, I wonder if the little girl knows the significance of it all but no matter what she has played her part. And as time passes by I am sure she will understand the value and significance of what she did at her mother's funeral on the day her mother died, and she will be proud of herself.

Traci's life represents many other lives in this god-forsaken town who have surrendered to the Dragon of Drugs, and many others who are in its captivity, and who are just bidding their time, and who are helplessly Chasing the Dragon.

The use of Drugs and its related products by the youngsters for getting 'High' or what the Cock-tail generation calls 'getting kicked' is indeed one of the major problems facing the world today. Governments around the World have been trying hard to fight this menace that has claimed the life of many promising youngsters around the world. Even the World-Body the UNO has joined the 'war against drugs' creating awareness around the world and aiding and funding like minded organizations and NGOS in the fight against contagious and deadly menace - DRUGS. The risk of drug users getting AIDS or contracting any other STD's is higher than a non drug user.

The use of Drugs among the youngsters in the North East India is alarmingly high, with the drugs flowing in freely from 'the golden triangle' through Myanmar to the different states of the North East. Many youngsters have got hooked and are now solely dependent on drugs in order to feel good or to feel confident .The Churachandpur town - the town of the guns, the drugs and the damages done, also has more than its fair share of junkies and day time zombies. The other day, I passed by a frail looking young man with long black hair, wearing a black t-shirt which reads 'I don't like drugs, but the drugs like me'. I guess his attitude says it all; he is one of the few who has the courage to admit that they are hooked.

I think the addicts that loiter in and around the town of Churachandpur today, all have their reasons for taking drugs. Some sought solace in drugs because of a not so happy family life, a broken home, a broken relationship, other did so because it was the 'coolest thing to do', while some other just wanted to have 'a try' and are hooked and till today they are 'just having a try', some were sick with the real world for different reasons and wanted to dive into 'illusion world' where they feel that they could be anything or anyone they wanted to be. But the irony here is that 'the effect does not last long; it is just momentary'. First, they were the one taking the drugs, but after they became truly addicted, the drugs started taking them bit-by-bit and dictating their lives to an extent that they were willing to do anything to have ' a shot or whatever'. And as a result, many rehab-centers have sprung up in this town just like it did in many towns and cities of north-east India and even the mainland India.

And the attitudes of the society toward the addicts is very discouraging, the watch-dogs of the society and the society as a whole have a strong tendency to treat the addicts, the junkies and their ilk as out-casts, as if they were a lesser being or children of a lesser god. We live in a society that stereotype people, and crucify a person again and again for his sin; we don't give them a chance to be new beings again even if they wanted to.

An Yale Graduate who came and conducted a research on public health and drug related problems in Churachandpur a few years back, found the attitudes of the Society towards the addicts ' very very discouraging'. In many if the interviews that he had with the drug users the answers and the feedbacks that he received was the same 'The Society does not really care for us, neither the church, they all look down on us. Why should we go and worship in the Church when they don't welcome us?' From this we can learn that the Drug-Addicts feels that they have no place in the society, that the Society, the Church and other Religious Institutions have forsaken them, they feel unwanted and neglected. That is why the addicts feel that 'It is too high to pay the price; I am going to stay this way. Even though I am a Junkie; I am afraid to change'

Going to the root of the problem, I once asked a Public Health worker about the possibility of uprooting the whole and dirty lucrative drug trade. He shook his head in desperation and said to me 'You cannot uproot it, there is no way you can do that, the whole drug trade is firmly entrenched. You won't believe who who are involved in this, they are people who have the right connections, and who have a say in the society. How are you going to topple that?" May be the persons who are involved in this 'get-rich quick' drug trade, don't care or don't want to care about the very fact that they are playing with people's life. Life - A Life, who cares for a life anyway, as long as they keep raking in the 'moolah', as long as the money keeps flowing in.

I think the society should change their outlook towards the addicts and the junkies, and should adopt a positive attitude towards them. We should not look down upon them, instead we should try and understand their problems, and what makes them think that they have no way out from the clutches of drug addiction. We should lend them a hand be their friend, give them the support thy need, listen to their problems and pains, make them feel wanted again. Let us give the junkies and the addicts a second chance 'Give them the love they need and be their friend they can lean on'

Try as we might, there are still many who are still 'Chasing the Dragon'; soon to be the Dragon (Drug) next victim. And those people who are involved in this drug trade don't care a bit as long as they get rich……No wonder they say 'Another man's nightmare is another one's dream'. Unless and until the Lucrative Drug Trade is rooted out from its core, many more Tracis and her ilk would go down the drain, and many young kids would be orphaned. But like mentioned earlier, the drug trade and the drug business is firmly entrenched so looks like there is nothing the Government and the Society can do about it, so all these 'main-liners' and pharmaceutical drug users will keep 'Chasing the Dragon' right into the grave, and their addiction will stop only when they are buried six foot deep. I know there are some who have kicked drug addiction, but only one a in a ten drug users can come out really clean and remain 'sober' for life.

Kudos and all the applause to the various NGOs and Rehab Centers who are taking good care of the addicts who have the courage to check in to a Rehab Centers. Special mention must be made of SHALOM (Society for Hiv Aids and Life Line Operations in Manipur), Gilead Balm, Gamnuam, etc. And also a big applause to Miss. May Rose, the Women Director of SHALOM, who is working tirelessly to ensure that the addicts especially the female ones, and women who are 'living in the fast lane' are getting a fair deal, and even if the worst happened their bodies are laid to rest with respect and dignity. We need more Miss. May Rose in this town of Lamka where drug addiction and its related vices are in full play.

In the end to all the junkies out there I would just like to say 'It's high time you quit it; you may think you have lot of time, but the sands of time are running out on you. Even if one of you junkies quit this addiction thing you will be affecting the lucrative business of one prosperous dealer, so be a cool gun and quit the god-damned thing'. And I do hope that the society will change their attitude towards the addicts.

* For Traci who died just a little too soon!