Awareness on the menace of drug abuse and illicit trafficking has been raised for years now. The government of Nagaland conducts awareness programmes at regular intervals, and so too the NGOs. Media too has been playing its part on this issue. But have these efforts brought about any positive results in the state? Sadly, officials have claimed that the state is witnessing a surge in drug use despite trying to curb the menace for years. Report of resurgence in drug use among the youth, after witnessing a slight decline in the early 2000s, is a matter of grave concern. The tragedy that befell the state in the 1990s, when the drug menace was at its peak, is still fresh in the minds of the people. Hundreds of families were torn apart with deaths of young people leaving indelible scars on the lives of thousands. There was chaos as cases of theft, shooting, and other criminal activities rose. It was a forgettable period for the state and nobody will want to face such a humanitarian crisis again, but the ghost of 1990s could return if the current surge in drug use is not stopped.
The penetration of the menace into rural areas has posed a new challenge in tackling drug addiction. People living in eastern districts of the state continue to grapple the issue. Student organisations from the region have been waging war against drugs but it seems to have not made much impact, thanks to easy availability of banned substances through the porous unfenced borders with neighbouring Myanmar and other northeastern states. The state government, civil society organisations, churches, and individuals should introspect and formulate strategies to arrest the high prevalence of drug abuse in the state. Nagaland may not be a drug producing state but it has become a transit point for supplying to other parts of the country. This calls for the government agencies to take exemplary action against traffickers. Petty drug peddlers are arrested from time to time but the kingpins are on the loose, making it difficult to cut the flow of drugs. Besides cutting supplies, collective effort is needed to create awareness about the ill-effects of drug abuse. The social stigma and discrimination associated with drug use disorders remains one of the most significant impediments to the treatment of drug dependency, so it has be done away with to effectively tackle the problem. It also needs humane approach to help the addicts return to normal life. Dearth of de-addiction and rehabilitation centres, especially in the remote areas is also not helping in combating the drug problem. Providing facilities in some pockets won’t help.
