Panel of speakers at ‘International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking’ event held at the Capital Convention Centre, Kohima on June 26. (Morung Photo)
‘NLTP Act has not prevented alcohol flooding even in a small paan shop’
Morung Express News
Kohima | June 26
With high prevalence of drug addiction among the young generation today, there are concerns that the State of Nagaland might face a scenario like the 1990s when the society was facing the twin challenges of substance abuse and spread of HIV.
Sharing this concern during the observance of the ‘International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking’ at the Capital Convention Centre, Kohima, Dr Joyce Angami, Medical Officer, Kripa Foundation said, “We are not in a war situation, but we, definitely have human crises of chemical abuse.”
She further termed the NLTP (Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition) Act, 1989 as ‘laughable,’ while rhetorically asking, Has it worked? and maintained that the Act has not prevented alcohol from ‘coming in and flooding the Nagaland even in a small paan shop.’
Dr Angami also pointed that many lives have been lost prematurely due to alcohol.
Despite the law enforcing agency making huge quantities of seizures in a bid to curb inflow of drugs into the state, she wondered how many more might have gone undetected.
Expressing grave concern on the increasing number of substance abuse in the state, she maintained that observing June 26 once a year is not enough to curb the menace.
‘We are facing human crises of chemical abuse, Dr Angami reiterated, while strongly propagating for the need for the government agencies and all stakeholders to meet regularly and plan strategies to prevent new entrants into drug abuse.
“A healthy community is a community free of stigma and discrimination against drug abuse, alcoholism and against anybody. When the community is healthy, we will be able to encourage the users to direct them to access whatever services are available to lead a healthy life,” she concluded.
Presenting the supply reduction scenario in the State, Superintendent of Police, Narcotic Cell, Police Headquarters (PHQ), Bendang Jamir informed that in just one year since June 2021, Nagaland Police has seized assorted illegal drugs worth Rs 117.28 crore in the illicit global market.
More rehab centres in offing
Meanwhile, the Commissioner & Secretary, Social Welfare, Martha R Ritse said the “rampant” prevalence of drugs in every nook and corner of the state has affected all sections regardless of their gender, age or background.
Due to its geographical location, Nagaland is put in a vulnerable position with access to all sorts of illegal drugs trafficking through porous domestic and international borders, she maintained, adding that this is resulting in irreparable losses.
As the nodal department, Ritse informed that social welfare acts as a facilitator between the Ministry and various stakeholders in the state for the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan campaign, and three districts- Kohima, Dimapur and Mon have been covered so far by carrying various awareness programmes have been carried out.
The department is also pursuing with the Union Ministry to set up more rehabilitation and de-addiction centres to expand our need-based intervention strategies in other districts, she added.
Role of Church
Pastor Arep Tzudir Pastor, AG Fellowship, Kohima Ao Baptist Church and Meme Metha from Central Baptist Church, Kohima, meanwhile, highlighted the initiative undertaken by churches to confront substance abuse.
The churches are trying to do their bit by setting up Alcoholics Anonymous Ministry and de-tox camps, they informed.
Explaining such initiatives and articulating why churches play a vital role in combating substance abuse, Tzudir opined that “the scientific method and the spirituality ought to come together.”
“If the churches just focus on the spirituality of those persons, I think we are going to fight a losing battle,” he said, adding that they need to combine ‘spirituality and the medical help.’
Likewise, Metha maintained that while ‘we (the churches) don’t expect them(substance abuser) to change or become saint overnight or bombarding them with too many expectations, we apply Jesus way of embracing the ostracised people, regardless of what they did.’
Despite the efforts and support, she also noted there were instances of untimely death as well as relapses. “However, it still does have a good bunch of committed ones too,” she added.
To this end, she also challenged all the churches to take a leap of faith and invest in this ministry saying, “You will never regret bringing these souls into the Kingdom of God.”
Under the theme, ‘Addressing Drugs Challenges in Health and Humanitarian Crisis,’ the programme was jointly organised by the Social Welfare Department, Narcotic Cell (PHQ), Kripa Foundation, Nagaland Users Network (NUN), Kohima Ao Baptist Church and Central Baptist Church.
