Maintaining healthy relationships between parents and children is one of the best measures to prevent children from substance and drug abuse, said director of Social Welfare Ngangom Uttam.
Uttam was addressing the gathering during an awareness programme on “Prevention of Substance and Drug Abuse” held on Tuesday at Luwangsangbam Makha Leikai Community Hall, Imphal East.
The programme was organised by the District Administration, Imphal East and District Social Welfare Office, Imphal East as a part of the “Nasha Mukt Bharat Campaign.”
The Social Welfare director said that in order to overcome the war on drugs, people need to study the root causes of drug abuse and how to combat it successfully.
According to the ‘gateway/step-up theory’, a person does not directly start taking psychotropic drugs; one always starts from abusive substances like tobacco, liquor and others, pointed out the director.
Asserting that children below 15 years get easily addicted to abusive substances, he said, “There is a need for parents to strictly monitor their children and give proper guidance regarding the ill effects of becoming a drug abuser.
Uttam said that use of drugs is not the key to release tension, it only stimulates certain hormones and worsens the health condition of the individual.
Developing work culture and discouraging drug smugglers or drug lords who want easy money is also a step to eradicate drugs from the society, he added.
The director asked the youths of the society to make a firm commitment to “never taste drugs in their life” and make Manipur a drug free society.
The Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry has selected a total of 272 districts for “Nasha Mukt Bharat Annual Action Plan, 2020-21” considering it as most affected by drugs, out of which nine districts from Manipur were included in the list, said district social welfare officer, Imphal East W Thamapati Devi.
In Manipur, the “Nasha Mukt Bharat Campaign” was launched on August 15, 2020, in all its districts. Since then many awareness campaigns have been taken up in different parts of the Imphal East district, she added.
Pointing out that local clubs and meira paibis also played a vital role in eradicating drugs from the society, the officer appealed the members of local clubs and meira paibi organisation to support the “war on drugs” mission introduced by the chief minister and save the future generation from substance and drug abuse.
The function was attended by Adhyaksha of Imphal East Pungsungbam Bimola Devi as chief guest and deputy commissioner of Imphal East Khumanthem Daina Devi as president.
