Times of India
05 March 2011
By Dipti.Barve

After the recent death of a medical student due to overdosing on whitener, psychologists and de–addiction activists are saying it’s time to introduce a course on the ills of addiction in school syllabi. According to them, this is essential as drug abuse, especially of the easily available whitener, is not only rampant but also spreading among school–going children. The experts point out that abuse of painkiller injections, sleeping pills and cough syrups is also on the rise. They have stressed the need of parents updating their children, aged as young as eight to 12, about the evils of addiction.

Mukta Puntambekar, deputy director of Muktangan De–addiction Centre, said, "The government should include a topic on addiction in school syllabi so that students will get the right information about this issue at the right age. Earlier, addiction to whiteners was restricted to the upper class and street children, but surprisingly, it is now spreading among the middle class. Schoolkids aged 9–10 years are the latest to fall prey to this addiction. This is because whitener is easily available at stationery shops for Rs 25–30 per bottle."

Whitener abuse is difficult to detect as it is easily available over the counter. It appears so harmless that people do not even suspect that it can be addictive, Puntambekar added.

Peer pressure also creates misconception that such substances relieve tension, improve health, boost confidence, cures kidney stones, and so on.

Alka Gijare, counsellor, said, "On being asked about whitener addiction, school students told us that they either tried it out of curiosity or to break away from parental restrictions. It is inhaled in a group as one bottle of whitener is not sufficient. It keeps them on a high for four to eight hours. They dump the whitener from the bottles in a plastic bag and inhale the solution fumes one by one. To control such addiction, parents should first explain to their children about the exact use of the whitener and its side–effects."

Whitener fume overdose can kill a person. They increase mood swings, aggression and aloofness among addicts, Gijare added.