In common parlance, Cochinbiru means marijuana, Chawal and Ajinomoto are stimulants, Dandruff means cocaine, Pikachu means hallucinogens, Hello Kitty means MDMA, and Jungle Boy means hydroponic weed. Emoji also opened up a new language, with maple leaves meaning weeds. Toffee is an ecstasy pill. And the snowman is cocaine. And young people are using them to secretly talk about recreational drugs to avoid getting into trouble with the law at school or at home.
Despite the controversial arrests of star kids by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) making headlines last week, the reality is that among teenagers, young adults and even 12-year-olds, Drug use is on the rise. A powerful combination of smartphone technology, social media networking, and e-commerce platforms allows young people to discuss their drug habits, go window shopping, engage in virtual transactions, and more in non-traditional ways right to their doorstep. Getting drugs delivered has become much easier. That would have been impossible even 10 years ago.
Aryan Khan was selected by NCB during a rave party on a luxury cruise ship
Sameer Wankhede, director-general of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), who led the raid on the cruise ship that led to Aryan Khan's arrest, says this is a dangerous trend. “Snapchat, Instagram, WhatsApp, Signal and Wickr (with end-to-end encryption and self-destruct capabilities) are increasingly used by young people to network and organize illegal drugs, but Drug trafficking on the dark web is a new war we're fighting,'' Wankhede said, adding that most buyers prefer to live on the edge or want to make an impression with cash. He added that they are young people with a wealth of knowledge. “These are wealthy, tech-savvy kids between the ages of 15 and 30 who are procuring substances and distributing them to their friends in order to be cool and accepted.”
EDM and drugs: a powerful cocktail
The cruise party arrests have put “rave” back in the spotlight. But what started as a small, underground, drug-fueled party in the 1980s is no longer a low-key affair where a few guests spend the night in a farmhouse.
Rave emerged as a dance party for techno, psychedelic rock, and acid house. It's a legal, ticketed event held at a sports stadium, open field, or local nightclub. Frequent raves say the word “rave” is often mistaken for a drug party. “Rave is now a colloquial term for an EDM dance party,” claims Aisha. At first glance, there is little to suggest that it is actually unsightly. But their faces change when some of the words and phrases on the invitation match street slang. “Sometimes he is encrypted with the DJ's name or the party is named after a drug substance. So we will be closely monitored,” says Wankhede. .
Vir claims that the security channels have become more stringent ever since the NDPS Act was amended in 2014 with stricter provisions for small-quantity offences. But secretly promoted products such as pen holders and pouches with secret compartments, shoes with fake soles, and sunglasses with removable arms can appear on private online stores, making it easier to hide your stash. , allowing for a variety of ways to dodge Friskers or sneak contraband into a music festival. “The choice of drug depends on the music, which allows you to keep listening to music all night long,” Aisha added.
D-commerce and shopping in well-hidden digital playgrounds have eliminated the risk of hanging out with drug dealers in dark alleys. “Drugs such as MDMA, cocaine and hydroponic weed are sourced from other countries, payments are made in cryptocurrencies, coronavirus test kits hidden in envelopes containing food and documents, and thermocols on sofas. It arrives by courier or post in a concealed form,” Wankhede said.
DIY tutorials on using cryptocurrencies abound online. “It takes about two months to learn the skills to build a cryptocurrency wallet and explore hidden web browsers from video tutorials,” says Vir*, a 30-year-old recovering addict. However, you don't necessarily have to explore the dark web to find your stash of choice. Go to Google Maps and type in 'Score Adda' and it will instantly show you where you can score (and buy drugs) in Mumbai and Pune.
Type “Score Ada” into Google Maps to see where you can get marijuana from drug dealers.
“Also, there are social media sellers operating in secret using hashtags and emojis to display their inventory,” says Neil, a 25-year-old man from Mumbai who witnessed this scene from his school days until two years ago when he left India. * says. Before. “You just send a DM and place your order,” adds Ayesha*, 29, a Lucknow-based software professional.
If a shopping site cleverly designed as an online pharmacy sells cannabis-infused anti-anxiety medications and opioid painkillers for recreational use and without a prescription, Chillum or You can get tools from oil burner pipes to cannabutter kits. Supports drug habits.
Posts on a Reddit forum called “Indian Ents” provide a glimpse into a thriving community of more than 28,000 followers consuming drug-related content. Find out more about inducing psychoactive effects, what it's like to stumble on mushrooms and LSD, techniques to reduce bad odors, tips for passing a cannabis blood test in a week, how to make cannabis edibles, and more soon. It can be calculated as follows.
Earlier this year, the NCB raided a bakery in Malad and arrested two college students for selling marijuana-infused brownies. But brownies are outdated. Edible cannabis is now appearing in pizza, cookies, potato chips, and even “cannabutter'' or “ganja ka halwa'' made with cannabis-infused butter, a discreet way to get high. “Some people do it to avoid getting caught, some do it to enjoy the taste, and some do it to cut down on smoking,” says Aisha, while Neel holds pakodas fried in cannabis oil. I remember attending an afternoon concert in Pune.
Personal online store sells items such as sunglasses, shoes and pen holders with secret storage compartments
The model for drug abuse among school children is quite strict, with many students doubling up as peddlers for older students at school and in their neighborhoods in exchange for pocket money and free stash. “Hacking and selling social media accounts is a common way for students to earn money, apart from stealing for IPL gambling or drug purchases,” he writes in his book Stoned, Author Jyotsna Mohan Bhargava, who has researched the lives of teenagers and their drug addictions, reveals: I'm embarrassed and depressed. ”
Cyberpsychologist Nirali Bhatia says peer pressure influences the choices teenagers make. “They do it to adapt to the environment or to feel better, as a stimulus for studying, to cope with boredom, or just to experiment.” A project at Muktangan Rehabilitation Center in Pune Director Mukta Puntambekar is particularly concerned about the declining age group of addicts. “Previously the average age was over 30 years old, now it is 17-18 years old. We treat 100 cases a month, of which he treats 20% less than that,” says Puntambekar.
Bhargava tells how 15-year-old boys were smoking marijuana hidden inside mobile phone covers on the football field of a prestigious school (in Delhi) during school hours. “Parents are trying to be friends and give their children space.” And smartphones never forget their parenting role or lose sight of the telltale signs. And drug laws need to center on integrity and compassion, not incarceration and harsh penalties. ”
*Change name upon request
Illustration: Ram
