Farewell, India’s anti-drug campaigner

He was one of the most respected names for drug deaddiction and rehabilitation not only in the country but globally Dr Yusuf Merchantrsquos demise is a big loss as he was the lsquoantidrug campaignerrsquo of Indiardquo said Dr Suleman Merchant a radiologist and former dean of Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital and elder brother of Dr Merchant Dr Merchant passed away due to cardiac arrest at the age of 66 at Bombay Hospital on Thursday nightAdvocate Shabnam Latiwala a family friend said ldquoOn Thursday around 8 pm Dr Merchant complained of restlessness and breathing difficulties His wife Sanaa rushed him to Bombay Hospital After getting admitted he was talking but had a sudden cardiac arrest The doctors tried to revive him by giving Cardiopulmonary resuscitation CPR for nearly half an hour but could not succeedrdquoAlso read Now inflation hits druggiesHis body has been kept at the hospital mortuary where it will remain until Saturday The funeral will take place on Saturday evening at Bada Qabrastan Charni Road after the arrival of his daughter Sanskriti who is pursuing higher studies in Toronto Canada The family has kept a prayer meeting on Monday at KC College Auditorium from 5 pm to 630 pm Advocate Shabnam said ldquoI will miss his impish smile the most I lost a wonderful friend May Allah grant him the highest place in Jannatrdquo said a heartbroken ShabnamFamily and friends recallldquoHis untimely demise has created an indescribable void not just for the family but for the world of drug deaddiction and rehabilitation He had shared his thoughts at the UN and other international organisations on multiple occasions and authored many books His unique interventions helped so many families get a new lease of life for their loved ones He genuinely felt for his patients and that helped him heal them better not just physically but emotionally and spiritually toordquo said his brother Dr SulemanDr Merchant with his daughter SanskritiHe told midday ldquoRight from childhood he was an outofthebox thinker Both of us studied at a boarding school in Pune We were five siblings and now with Yusuf gone only our younger sister and I are left We will keep working to keep his legacy and his mantra lsquoreplace addiction with connectionrsquo aliverdquo When asked about Dr Merchantrsquos last days Dr Suleman said ldquoI had told him that he needed to slow down for some months I was also concerned about his travel from south Mumbai to Kalyan where his drug rehabilitation centre called lsquoLandrsquo is located He was to undergo a heart valve replacement surgery soonrdquoA recovered addict who came out of addiction with Dr Merchantrsquos help told midday ldquoI met Dr Merchant 22 years ago He transformed my life in all ways He was a friend a brother and a father figure He was also my guide and mentor I hope he is fine wherever he is He is the best human being I have ever met He sincerely cared for and worried about the youths getting addicted to drugs and became their friend for liferdquoA pioneerFounderpresident of one of the oldest narcotic drugs treatment centres in Mumbai named Drug Abuse Information Rehabilitation and Research Centre DAIRC he was also serving as a special advisor to the United Nations Economic and Social Council that deals with substance abuse DAIRC was involved in rehabilitation through community living of behavioural disorders like drug addiction alcoholism anxiety and depression since 1983 and has also been actively involved in the HIV awareness programme since 1988 Dr Merchant was honoured with the Indian Excellence Award for Best Anti Drug Campaigner of India Earlier on June 8 Dr Merchant was the special guest of honour for drug destruction day wherein over 40000 kg of illicit drugs seized by the customs and DRI were destroyed in over 13 centres all over India Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had lauded Dr Merchant for his relentless work and contributionFrom midday archivesDr Merchant was instrumental in getting Meow Meow or mephedrone banned in the country in 2014 by raising concern about its side effects A series of reports by midday in April and December of 2014 and a subsequent PIL filed by Dr Merchant before Bombay High Court helped pave the way for the banBefore the matter could come up for hearing on February 27 2015 the Ministry of Finance on February 5 2015 declared mephedrone as a psychotropic substance and made its production transportation storage and consumption illegal under Section 3 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985 Until then there was no provision under the statute to declare mephedrone as a psychotropic drugmidday in 2014 won Mumbai Press Clubrsquos Red Ink Award in the crime category for an article exposing the deadly drug and its side effects which had conversations with Meow Meow addicts who had come to Dr Merchant for rehabilitation