Why in the news ?

• A team from the City Task Force (CTF) apprehended a group of youngsters with ganja. While five of them were abusing the drug, two others were said to be peddlers.

More on news

• The city of Vishakhapatnam is primarily the hub of ganja, recorded first such instance of a psychedelic drug being seized. And at times the police have seized anaesthetic drugs such as Fortwin injections and Corex syrups.
• The two peddlers allegedly revealed that they had procured the LSD from Hyderabad in exchange for ganja.

• In the latest case, all those held were students of engineering and MBA from private colleges, shows  that more and more youngsters are getting hooked to drugs and are becoming part-time peddlers.
• In another recent case, the CTF and the Arilova police, in a joint special operation, arrested three youngsters, who reportedly were ganja addicts and were into the business of procuring and selling the contraband.
• Most the young peddlers who were arrested have confessed that initially they were addicts and later turned peddlers to fund their addiction.
• Ganja is freely available in the Agency area of Visakhapatnam and the big smugglers supply the stuff in small quantities to college students and dropouts.
• The students maintain their customer base through WhatsApp groups. “Most of their customers are classmates, friends and students from other colleges and there are specific code words to convey the stock position, variety of drugs or ganja, price list and meeting place.

LSD

• Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), also known as acid, is a psychedelic drug known for its psychological effects, which may include altered awareness of one's surroundings, perceptions, and feelings as well as sensations and images that seem real though they are not.
• LSD is one of the most potent, mood-changing chemicals. It is manufactured from lysergic acid, which is found in the ergot fungus that grows on rye and other grains.
• It is produced in crystal form in illegal laboratories, mainly in the United States. These crystals are converted to a liquid for distribution.
•  It is odorless, colorless, and has a slightly bitter taste.

Source

The Hindu, DrugsFreeWorld.