Awareness campaigns on drug abuse among children held in Kohima, Dimapur

DIMAPUR — The North Eastern Regional Youth Commission (NERYC), in collaboration with Indian Catholic Youth Movement North East (ICYM NE) and Nagaland Catholic Youth Movement (NCYM), organised two awareness campaigns on ‘Reducing Drug Among Children and Adolescents’ at Baptist High in Kohima and Livingstone Foundation International School in Dimapur.

An update from NCYM stated that the basics of drug abuse and harmful effects, preventive measures and life skills education to deal with the demands and challenges of life were discussed during the sessions.

The resource person, Veronica Nriame, Psychiatric Social Worker of District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) Kohima, who is also the joint secretary NCYM, spoke on drug abuse and the detrimental consequences of illicit drugs.

Maintaining that children and adolescents are the most vulnerable groups to drug addiction, she said spreading awareness about the same would enable Gen Z to refrain from the sorcery influence of drugs in society.

She said that prevention is the most suitable method to curb the drug menace and also discussed the significance of core life skills cited by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Life skills are “abilities for adaptive and positive behaviour that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life”, according to the organisation.

Stressing the importance of regulating emotions in a healthy way, she said intense emotions like anger or sorrow, which are integral parts of life, can have negative effects on health if one does not react appropriately.

Meanwhile, NCYM lauded Baptist High Kohima and Livingstone Foundation International School for enabling it to organise the programme in the schools.

The sessions were attended by the managing directors, principals, teachers and students.

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