ISLAMABAD, April 26: Contrary to what people perceive, Sheesha smoking causes serious communicable diseases and affects lungs.

This was stated by Mohammad Shahid, director general, planning and monitoring unit (PMU), Ministry of Narcotics Control, at an awareness lecture held Air University, Islamabad on Thursday. He said Sheesha puffing for 40 minutes was equal to smoking 200 cigarettes.

He said the use of drug among youth had increased alarmingly as 50 per cent of total drug addicts in Pakistan were between 15 to 30 years of age group.

Earlier, Secretary, Narcotics Control Division, Zaffar Abbas Lak shared with the audience some key initiatives taken by his ministry to check use control of drugs.

He said that the ministry had started a programme to reach out to drug addicts through community leaders to exert social checks on them.

He also said that Ministry of Narcotics Control was giving importance to drug demand reduction which would ultimately uproot the drug menace from the society.— A Reporter