Observance of 'International Day against Drug Abuse & Illicit trafficking, 2015' for Imphal West

June 27, 2015

The Imphal West District Level of The observance of International day against drug abuse and Illicit trafficking was observed at the Conference Hall of New Life ,IRCA (Integrated Rehabilitation Centre for Addicts) located at the Campus of Centre for Mental Hygiene, Changangei, Airport Road, Imphal.

The observation was jointly organised by DSWO (District Social Welfare Officer), Imphal west District , FINGODAP Manipur Chapter and RRTC NE-1. The observation was presided by KH. Ahanjao Singh, DSWO, I/W, KH. Sunil Singh, Member of Changangei, Gram Panchayat and Ch. Pishakmacha Devi, Secretary of Centre for Mental Hygiene.

Director of RRTC NE-1 Dr. Jayenta, Padmashree Awardee along with the presiding Members spoke on the function. Speaking on the occasion, Ch. Pishakmacha Devi Secretary, Centre for Mental Hygiene, stressed on the need to curb the menace of drug abuse and Illicit trafickking, even though the awareness are widespread in the society but there has been no decrease in the numbers of youths that are affected by Drug abuse.

She also advocated the need of parents and family members to identity and intervene at an early stage so as to prevent them from addiction. No single entity whether they be NGO’s,Social Welfare Department or various civil societies is enough to fight the menace of drug abuse until and unless there are collective efforts from all angles. Padmashree awardee and Director, RRTC, NE-1, Dr.Jayenta during his speech said that youths and adolescence periods are the most prone to drug abuse.

According to a survey, it was found that majority of them start using drugs amongst their friends and at schools. He also advocated the need to put the subject of drug abuse in schools curriculum so as to make them more knowledgeable about the ill effects of drug abuse since it is very different in Manipur state as compared to other states. In Manipur’s context the majority of new cases of drug abusers are school going children as compared to other states where they are mainly elders who are mostly 60 years or above and are engaged as labours or other means. Therefore, the burden of losses are much more on our state as these young students are all educated and they make up the pillar of our future generation.

Member of Changangei, Gram Panchayat ,Kh.Sunil Singh also stressed the need to create more awareness and he also appealed to all the NGO’s and various civil society members that the time has come to renew the efforts to put a stop to the menace of drug abuse. He mentioned that even thSough Manipur is a dry state but all kinds of foreign liquor are easily available at places like Kangjeibung and there has been increasing number of cases of shops selling locally produced alcohol in the recent times.

Therefore there needs to be an effort from all segments of the society to look into this problem newly. Meanwhile DSWO,Imphal West District, KH. Ahanjao Singh also appealed to all the likeminded people working in the field drug addiction to put in more efforts to eradicate the problem and he also applauded the NGO’s who have particularly worked tirelessly to make lives better.