Mail News Service
Imphal, June 26 : The international day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking was held in different parts of the state.
The main function was held at Balbhaban Bidyalaya, Khuman Lampak, AMADA also organized the day at Manipur Press Club. Dr. L. Surchandra, director, family welfare services, M. Padmini Leima, president, AMADA graced the function as chief guest and president respectively.
The day was also held at the auditorium of New Public Higher Secondary School, Khangabok. Kh. Kumari, member Zilla Parishad Thoubal graced the occasion as chief guest. Prior to the function a rally was taken out in Thoubal. The NYK, Thoubal organized the function.
The CMO, Thoubal, Kh. RAdhesyam, Smt. Kh. Manitombi, Pradhan, Khangabok II and principal of the school, Kh. Rajmohon also attended as president and guest of honours respectively.
The dignitaries gave away prized to those students who stood positions in the essay and slogan competition which was held yesterday.
Public leaders, NGOs jointly and students took part in the function.
Narcotic Control Bureau, Police, Customs, Medical & Educational Institutions and NGOs joined hands with Assam Rifles on the occasion of “International Day against Drug abuse and Illicit Trafficking “ to raise the awareness on the key issue of drug abuse in the state of Manipur. HQ 26 Sector Assam Rifles under the aegis of IGAR(S) made a noble venture by organising a seminar with the theme “Think Health – Not Drugs”. The aim of organsing the seminar was to impress upon the youth the extremely detrimental effect that prolonged usage of substance has on the physical and mental well-being. The function was presided over by Major General U K Gurung, YSM, IGAR(S) who in his keynote address highlighted that Assam Rifles in collaboration with fellow anti-drug warriors’ remains committed to the well being of the people of the Manipur and through this effort hope to see a better drug free society. The seminar was attended by SP Vandana from Crime Branch, Prof Ch Priyoranjan and Prof Rajan from MU, medical institutes, educationalists and renowned NGOs working in the field of drug de-addiction and rehabilitation.
Eminent speakers brought to light the role of various agencies in combating the menace and curtailing its spread in younger generation and were unanimous about the complexities of drug addiction, engulfing our young generations. Gangadhar from Community in Network Empowerment (CONE), who earlier was drug dependent said he fought the menace in search for a brighter and drug free future. The most engrossing and interesting session was the panel discussion where the youth came out freely to interact with intelligentsia such as Mr Amar, Dr AK Brojen, Mr Bikramjeet.
Manipur one of the largest supplier and consumer of illicit opium products rank third in India based on the percentage of drug users and with 28 present of the population under the influence of drug has one of the highest cases of injecting drug users (IDU) in India. The trend of drug abuse is on the rise with IDU accounting for 80.7% HIV cases in the state of Manipur in 2007. Detrimental to physical and mental health of the society, drugs are the highest single cause of domestic violence and mortality rate amongst youth in the age bracket of 25 to 35 years as per a survey conducted in 2010.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/international-day-against-drug-abuse-observed/
