Former female drug users form NA group
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 31 2022: Giving themselves a new lease of life, a group of women who have kicked drug habits and alcoholism have formed a Narcotics Anonymous (NA) group.

In this connection, a press meet was held at the office of the Imphal Area Service Committee of Narcotics Anonymous, Sagolband Ingudam Leirak.

During the meet, some NA members of Imphal area announced the establishment of a NA group exclusively for women.

They also informed that the women NA group has been named Amazing Group.

They claimed that NA programme is a spiritual programme which helps drug addicts and alcoholics kick their habits and lead a productive life.

Recovering addicts who have adopted NA programme not only live without drugs but also make efforts to give a new purpose to their life, they said.

NA is a non-profit fellowship which was established by drug addicts in 1953.Now with the help of NA programme, many former drug addicts are now able to lead normal lives, they claimed.

As heroin (No 4) overwhelmed Manipuri society in the 1980s, the number of drug addicts grew dramatically in the State.

At that time, there was no drug de-addiction or rehabilitation centre in the State.

As such, many of the drug addicts were arrested and sent to jail.

One NA member who came to the State from a drug rehab centre of Kolkata in 1987 introduced the NA programme to the drug addicts who were then lodged in jail.

One former IGP who too kicked the habit of alcoholism with the help of AA programme took active roles in introducing NA programme in the State, said the NA members.

After the introduction of NA in the State, a large number of drug addicts and alcoholics had kicked their habits.

The only requirement to join NA Fellowship or NA programme is the intention to give up drugs, they said.

As NA members were drug addicts at one point of time, they are not fully trusted by their famil ies and the society even after they have recovered.

The NA meetings are basically sharing experiences and taking care of each other so that none of the members ever go back to their past drug habits but many people see these meetings as gatherings of drug addicts to plan some anti-social activities.

The society's false notion about former drug addicts is felt more acutely by females.

In the absence of any women exclusive NA group, the female former drug addicts were compelled to join NA meetings together with their male colleagues but such mingling with males created a negative image of themselves in the society, they said.

Considering this problem, a women exclusive NA group has been formed.

Saying that the exclusive NA group set up today would go a long way in enabling former drug addicts, particularly females, find a new lease of life, the NA members said that anyone who wishes to join NA meetings or know about NA programme may contact 9366120877 .

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