Those who experienced and witnessed the harrowing time of the 1980s and 90s due to the drug addiction, which affected hundreds of families as lives of many young people were cut short and cases of theft, killing and other criminal activities spiked, will be disturbed by the recent reports of contraband consumption resurgence in Nagaland, especially among the youth and students. Officials said that even school-going children are taking adulterated heroin called sunflower. Lawmakers, police, teachers and those aware of the trend have expressed concern. The involvement of police personnel, who are supposed to control such menace, in drug peddling and consumption has also surfaced. It reveals the extent to which banned substances have penetrated into our society and the absence of effective mechanism to address the issue. So, the pledge for a drug-free Nagaland, which was administered by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio during the 77th Independence Day celebration, was an important undertaking; such a step is needed to take the fight beyond the talking points. He said the state is committed towards the fight against drugs and would strictly enforce preventive measures jointly with the government departments, churches, village councils and various other stakeholders. However, it won’t be easy to translate words into action owing to the existence of the menace for decades and the porous borders the state shares with the neighbouring states and Myanmar. The government alone cannot curb the issue; a multidimensional approach is required.
Easy availability is one of the major reasons for banned substances to fall into the hands of teenagers. Many innocent school-going children are falling into the trap laid by drug peddlers who are everywhere. The law enforcing agencies should cut the supply by enhancing vigilance especially at check gates and transit points. In the meantime, there are several instances where drug traffickers get
bail easily, thus emboldening those involved in such criminal activities. On top of that, only pawns are arrested while the drug lords remain unaffected and are on the prowl. These loopholes should be closed. The police need to dig deeper, investigate and catch the big fish. To initiate such a move, strong political will and backing is required. It is also necessary for the state government to come up with a framework for prevention and treatment of substance users. The drug menace should be nipped in the bud through collective effort, considering the grave repercussions it can have on the society, jeopardising the present and future generations. We should prevent youth from falling prey to drug mafia, or else history will repeat itself, or even worse.
