By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, July 24: With statistics showing that the most vulnerable age for drug abuse lies between 15 and 25 years, when most youths are in school or college, teachers in Shillong have been urged to play a frontline role in early detection and prevention.
At the RNDM teachers’ gathering-cum-workshop held at St Mary’s Higher Secondary School, one session was dedicated to identifying early symptoms of drug abuse among students and discussing the way forward.
Organised by the Sisters of Our Lady of the Mission under the theme ‘Empowering Educators for Holistic Student Development’, the session highlighted signs such as inattentiveness, sudden aggression and delinquency as early red flags.
Former top cop and BJP leader Mariahom Kharkrang, who was part of the programme, spoke about the importance of early parental awareness.
“It is true that the most vulnerable age is 15 to 25 years and it is important for parents to be educated about drugs, its early symptoms and how to handle it,” he said.
Noting that parents often realise too late, thereby making de-addiction more difficult, he said, “Early response is the best option and knowing the early symptoms will save the child.”
During the programme, participants described the session as crucial, given the growing threat of drug abuse in schools and colleges. On the other hand, teachers described the session as not just informative but essential, especially at a time when peer pressure, social media and wider exposure are pulling students in multiple directions.
