Consultation meet on drug menace concludes
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, June 21 2022: The two-day 'Second Multi-Stakeholder Consultation on The Drug Menace in Manipur' organised by 3.5 Collective at Hotel Imphal Classic, Sangai hall, North AOC concluded on Tuesday.

In a release, 3.5 Collective convenor Babloo Loitongbam informed that the objective of the consultation was to make Manipur strengthen prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotics drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol.

To this end, the Collective has been vigorously sensitising the grassroots communities, conducting multi-stakeholder consultations, policy engagements and filing strategic litigation in the High Court and the Supreme Court of India on the issue of justice and accountability, he added.

On the second day of the consultation, two panel discussions were held on the topics 'Drug User: Victim or Criminal of Drug Menace' and 'Role of Society ,in Responding to Menace of Drugs' and a group to develop state indicators for SDG number 3 target 5, to strengthen enforcement of NDPS Act, defining "victims" of drug menace and developing road map to eradicate poppy plantation as formed.

The discussion were participated by legal experts, social activists and concerned stakeholders.

Some of the key issues of final day of the consultation were the need to change the traditional perspective towards drug users as criminal to "victims", to address the drug menace in Manipur as public health issue instead of criminal justice issue, sensitization and involvement of local authorities for effective response to drug related cases, identify factors contributing to drug abuse in Manipur and relentlessly campaign to curb drug menace from the state.

It also highlighted the astronomical increase in poppy cultivations in the hills of Manipur and the negative consequences on public health, environment and demographic challenges due to illegal influx of alien populations and further resolved to take urgent action in specific areas witnessing increase in cultivation of poppy, commercial production and consumption.

The two-day consultation ended with the consensus on the need for better coordination and cooperation from all the stakeholders in making prevention and treatment of drug abuse effective, Babloo informed.

Comment