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| We find that her veins have collapsed from abuse and she finds it hard to find one to shoot up the heroin. (video below) |
If you want to grasp the epidemic of drug addiction in Punjab, this video may help.
A young woman is shown on a terrace cooking heroin - that is, she is trying to dissolve powdered heroin in water while heating it in a container to speed up the process.
She is perhaps aware that she is being filmed. There are a few other men, including the person who is recording the act and asking questions.
She tells him she has been married for two years and has even miscarried because of her addiction.
After preparing the mix, she injects it in one syringe to one of the men, who pumps up his arm to expose the vein.
Then she sets out to inject herself, but struggles to find a vein. There are black marks on her arms - spots where she usually injects. We find that her veins have collapsed from abuse and she finds it hard to find one to shoot up the heroin.
She inserts the needle into her forearms, then tries the knuckle, but fails to find a vein. She then sits down and starts dabbing her leg with the needle.
She tries the ankle in vain and then goes for the knee, where she finally manages to inject the drug.
The real shocker follows. We learn that the site of the drug mixing and injection is the terrace of her own home. Her mother comes up, has a casual conversation and goes back.
It is scary when heroin finds social acceptance and becomes routine, like say having a paan.
The girl is asked, why is she not able to kick the habit. She rambles...
The video has been shared by Baltej Pannu, a journalist from Patiala.