Dimapur, June 27, 2019: International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking was observed here at Institute of Development & Leadership Hall, Don Bosco School Campus, with ‘Listen First-Listening to women and children is the first step to help them’ as the theme.

The programme was jointly organized by Miqlat Ministry, DAPCU and Prodigals’ Home in collaboration with Dimapur District Legal Services Authority (DDLSA) and NNAGA-DAO Dimapur.

Delivering the keynote address, chief judicial magistrate and secretary, DDLSA, Ajongba Imchen, said over the last few decades, consumption of drugs has become one of the biggest problems affecting millions of children and youth in the country.

Stating that the phenomenal rise in drug trafficking and drug abuse amongst the youth and children has serious implications, adversely affecting national health and economy, Imchen said curbing the menace of drug abuse and trafficking should be the highest priority of both the state government and society.

In the Nagaland scenario, the DDLSA secretary said illicit cultivation of drug plants in interior villages and women being used as couriers of contraband substances are major areas of concern. On women drug couriers, Imchen said either these women or mothers are unaware of the consequences of drug trafficking or just plain lazy and resort to the trade to make easy money.

The DDLSA secretary also informed that the 13th all India meet of state legal services at Ranchi had passed a resolution to curb the menace of drug abuse and trafficking.

He further said that though many agencies of the state as well as NGOs are working in the field to check drug abuse and trafficking, the desired result has not been achieved due to lack of coordination.

In the panel discussion on ‘Drugs, women & children’, the resource persons included Dr. C Kezo, senior specialist (Psychiatry) District Hospital Dimapur; Dr. Tiamen, ACP (D); Yanbemo Ngullie, panel lawyer DDLSA; Asha Sanchu, director, Miqlat Ministry, and K Ela, director, Prodigals’ Home and collab. Director, CHILDLINE Dimapur.

Two former female addicts, Kahuli Zhimomi, CAD Foundation FIDU-TI, and Ellen Konyak, Miqlat Ministry, shared their experiences as drug addicts and road to recovery.

After the interaction and discussion, Maong Jamir, assistant director, Prodigals’ Home, delivered the concluding remark.

(morungexpress)