By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 21: Meghalaya is faced with one of the most daunting tasks of mitigating substance abuse cases in the state, which have become a cause of alarm in the society as youths continue to fall prey to drugs and its addiction.
According to the Director of Social Welfare department, CD Lyngwa, the increase in the percentage of school dropouts and lack of time dedicated by parents to their children are some major factors contributing to the rising cases of drug abuse, especially among the youth.
Lyngwa was speaking at an awareness programme organised by the Seng Samla Mawkhar as part of its silver jubilee celebrations along with the NRE Pageant India Private Ltd, at Mawkhar community hall on Saturday.
The official also drewpeople’s attention to an initiative of the government called ‘Drug Reduction, Elimination, and Action Mission’ or DREAM.
This project aims to eliminate substance abuse and the establishment of a society free from the grips of addiction.
“It is important as members of the society to be involved in helping our youth to come out of this menace,” Lyngwa said.
Meanwhile, Psychologist of District Mental Health Programme, East Khasi Hills, Truman E Basaiawmoit, spoke about the reasons behind many of the youth becoming addicted to substances and what could coerce or influence them into doing drugs. He pointed out that cases of drug addiction are on the higher side among the age group from 14 to 29. NRE Pageant India president, Ransom Sutnga, on the other hand, said that the organisation is providing treatment to youths to help them recover from drug addiction using ayurvedic methods at their centre Sound & Vision in Police Bazaar.
“Our effort is not restricted only to create awareness in the society about this problem. We will also try to come out of this addiction through treatment from ayurvedic medicines,” Sutnga said.
Others present on the occasion include Ayurveda Practitioner Naturopathy from New York, Tenzing Tsering, and Seng Samla Mawkhar president Daniel Syngai among others.
“We want to reach out to help those youth who are into drugs. We will be more than happy if our little efforts can make the difference,” Syngai said, while pointing out that was a need for the programme in view of the prevailing situation.