Shillong, Dec 5: The use of tobacco is highest at 96.4 percent among school children in Meghalaya, followed by Nagaland at 95.8% and Sikkim at 93.1%, as mentioned by Dr. Sandi Syiem, in his presentation at the Drug Abuse Awareness Programme which was organised by the Shillong All Faith Forum in collaboration with SAN-KER, on Tuesday.
Dr. Syiem, in a presentation talked elaborately about Addiction, intervention methods and breaking through the feelings of denial and helping the patient recognise the adverse consequences of the disorder.
He also drew attention to the contradiction in the state government’s stance on addiction, pointing out the promotion of alcohol despite addressing substance abuse.
Establishing the importance of a the family and psychological intervention, two recovering addicts also spoke of their experiences in battling substance and alcohol addiction, at SAN-KER stating that the first step to getting better is to realising that there is a problem in the first place.