Combating drug abuse in Manipur

Oinam Nabakishore Singh *

WIY Tablets apprehended by Assam Rifles at Khudengthabi on April 02 2018

A few days back, I was interacting with trainees on their return after a visit to a drug rehabilitation centre as a part of a course in State Academy of Training. One of the participants said, “‘Tablets’, which are drugs, are included among the items of delicacies presented to the would-be bride and her friends in Heijingpot.”.

On another occasion, while discussing the seizure of a huge quantity of ‘WY’ tablets by the Customs officials in Manipur, someone said that these tablets were offered to the guests during celebration of Swasthi Puja. These instances point to the tacit acceptance of drug abuse in the society of Manipur. It has been quite a while to see almost every girl and woman in the state consuming tobacco in Zarda Pan across the valley areas as a fashion, which has serious health implications.

However, in order to fully appreciate the gravity of the extent of drug abuse in Manipur, we need hard data, which is hardly available in public domain.Lack of data is a handicap in planning. There has been, perhaps, no serious effort on the part of authority concerned to carry out a survey to arrive at a figure of drug abusers across gender, types, origin, age, area, etc. The website of Director of Social Welfare, Manipur lists 18 drug deaddiction and counselling centres and 12 deaddiction centres. By visiting these centres, it is possible to understand some of the parameters related to drug abuse.

In Manipur, the scourge of drug abuse was realized around 1989-90, when a few cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus(HIV) infection were detected among injecting(intravenous) drug(IDU) users. Quickly, Manipur was on the top of HIV infection among states in the country with almost 23 percent of the total HIV infections. As much as 90 percent of HIV infections in Manipur was accounted for by sharing of syringe among IDUs, whereas in other states about 75 percent of infection was due to sexual transmission.

Root cause of HIV infection and subsequent progression to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome(AIDS) stage and assured death in about ten years after infection was widespread injection of heroin No.4, which is more than 90 percent pure opium by youths. It was a pathetic sight to see all youths in a locality, who shared syringes in heroin injection, dying one after another.

The reversal of quick death among HIV infected persons began after the medication of Antiretroviral Therapy(ART), free of cost, in Manipur in 2004. Further, due to concerted efforts by Manipur State AIDS Control Society(MACS) and partner NGOs, using a multi-pronged intervention of harm reductions, information, education and communication(IEC), the HIV infection due to IDU came down, while other routes of transmission, namely, mother to child, sexual-heterosexual, male having sex with male(MSM), blood transfusion, etc. increased.

Why and how do people especially youths take to drugs? The most common and established reasonbehind initiation to drugs is peer pressure, which is very difficult to resist.Every adolescent wants to be identified with his/her peer group, and he/she does not want to be left out. Once some members of the peer group become addicted, they start persuading other members for various reasons-finding new source of cash to buy drugs, company while taking drugs, justification of their habits, etc.

A study done by Columbia University found that a child is six times more likely to have an alcoholic drink if they have friends who drink. In many cases, children and teens feel an intense pressure to fit in. They will behave and make decisions based on what they think their peers want them to do. If your child thinks that taking drugs or drinking alcohol will raise the respect their peers have for them, there’s a good chance she or he will try it at least once(Source: https://novarecoverycenter.com/addiction/peer-pressure-and-drug-abuse-2/).

Some youths like to experiment drugs or alcohols out of curiosity and for the sake of experiencing an entirely new feelings and perception. Such experiments when continued over time lead to addiction. Some children from poor families also take to alcohols and drugs mainly on grounds of frustration and lack of hope of a better future. Families, where parents do not pay adequate attention to children or they quarrel all the time creating an unconducive environment also tend to make children seek recourse to drugs. Poverty is another cause for drug abuse. Out of frustration and hopelessness, many people take to drugs. Another reason is imitating celebrities like rock stars, film stars, etc. who are seen as famous and role models.

Easy availability of drug is also a main cause for drug abuse and addiction in Manipur. Golden Triangle in neighboring Myanmar, Lao and Thailand is an international source of illicit drug, heroin, etc. Manipur, having a porous border of 398 km. international border with Myanmar, is on the route of illegal drug trafficking between Myanmar and other parts of India and outside. Drugs flow in both directions-refined heroin or brown sugar come from Myanmar to Manipur via Moreh and other entry points and chemical required for refining drugs in Myanmar move from Manipur to Myanmar.

Some quantity of drugs in the trafficking meets the demand for it in local market of Manipur leading to easy availability at cheaper price. Traditionally, cannabis have been grown extensively in Manipur. There are reports of large scale export of it from Manipur to other states. Consumption of cannabis as ganja for smoking purpose has also been quite common in the villages and during the worshipping of Shiva in Shivaratri. Cannabis in Japan has been illegal since 1948. Use and possession are punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment and a fine. Cultivation, sale, and transport are punishable by up to 7 to 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_in_Japan)

There are several other tablets, namely, mandrake, Spasmo Proxyvon(SP), tranquilizers such as Diazepam, Valium, Nitrosun(N10) and cough syrups, which are also consumed by many young people for the sake of euphoria, etc. After taking the drug a few times, the abusers are hooked to them and become addicted. The effects of drug abuse may be analyzed under broad headings of physical, psychological, social and economic effects.Once a person is addicted to a drug, he/she becomes dependent on it physically and psychologically.

When drug is not taken as per the frequency habituated, he/she suffers from withdrawal symptoms. During withdrawal symptom, the addict experiences discomfort, uneasiness, sweating, restlessness, etc. It is said to be a pathetic sight. We hear that mother of drug addicts make efforts to get the drug to her son/daughter unable to bear the sight of pain and suffering. Drug addiction also leads to serious health issues and psychological problems.

The addict forgets other normal activities and his mind is focused only on continued availability of next dose. Studies in schools and colleges suffer. If married, he/she pays little attention to family affairs. Besides, the drug addict affects the harmony in the family and sometimes it leads to breakup of family. In terms of economic output, drug addicts cannot perform normal activities at work place. Worst scenario is when a large number of youths are addicted to drugs and they are not fit physically and mentally to take up the responsibilities of family and workplace, the output from such addicts would be far less than that from a normal person. It implies a serious economic problem for the state.

To combat the menace of drug addiction, management of supply and demand of drug is generally adopted. State Government of Manipur have adopted multi-pronged approach to reduce supply of drugs. Extensive cutting down of opium and cannabis plants have been carried out by state security personnel. Further, plantation of Agar trees to provide alternative income to the growers of opium has also been started. However, the need for income before harvest of agar plants needs to be considered as the gestation period is quite long.

Manipur Police and Narcotics and Border Affairs(NAB)of the state have done an excellent job in the last few years by seizing huge quantities of drugs in Manipur. The value of drugs seized and destroyed in 2016 was Rs.32.87 crore, Rs.36.87 crore in 2017 and Rs.149.32 crores during January to October, 2018. In spite of the best efforts of Manipur Police and NAB, drug trafficking in some form or other must be happening as traffickers would find innovative ways of avoiding seizure on account of huge incentives of profit in the trade. It was reported that some localities in Manipur set up refining facilities for drugs. Supply side of drug also needs to be curbed by deterrent punishments like death penalties as in countries like Malaysia, Singapore, etc.

On demand side management, the most important intervention should be awareness and education among the most vulnerable groups. Drug abuse and its harms should be included in the school curriculum early. Further, adolescents should be taught the coping mechanisms to say “No” to drugs when temptations and pressures are brought on them. Moral values and games and sports in daily life of youths must be promoted so that they are spiritually strong.

Frequent discussions and sharing of stories of drug addicts and their sufferings may also be given priority. Parents should be forthcoming to solve the problems without thinking of stigma and in the larger interest of youths. If all stakeholders are determined to combat drug abuse through supply and demand reduction, it will not be too difficult to combat drug menace. Unless we wake up today and act, it may be too late.


Views expressed are personal