June 26 is World Drug Day
DIMAPUR, JUNE 25 (MExN): On the eve of World Drug Day, ARK Foundation has accused the Nagaland Government of “sitting idle” on “The Nagaland State Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Policy 2016” launched last year on June 26.
“It is disheartening to know that the Nagaland Government has not materialised any contents of policy and has not conducted any activities mentioned in the policy,” the ARK (Access to Rights and Knowledge Foundation (ARK) Foundation stated in a press note issued by its President Ketho Angami.
Among others, the policy talks about sensitization for mass awareness, educating the youth, availability and easy accessibility of treatment, strengthening of health care system, intensified awareness campaign at the village level, set up infrastructure, effort to provide de addiction and rehab facilities in all districts, establishing mid way home etc, it said.
The policy has just become another file to be kept in the office cupboard; the Foundation lamented while urging the State Government to formulate relevant action plans and strategies based on the policy.
Drug abuse scenario in Nagaland
While stating that drug use in Nagaland has existed for more than past two decades, at present there are a number of drugs being used and reported cases of new entry into it, it informed.
According to the Foundation, one major prevailing concern is the rampant use of cough syrups with Codeine content, mostly among the youth populations. Usages of Heroin are also coming back in some districts while pharmaceuticals drugs continue to be used widely, it further maintained.
Lack of recreational avenues, unemployment, poor upbringing, lack of awareness and series of other Nagaland specific reasons could be some possible reason why people are getting introduced to Gateway drugs, it said. Besides, ideally, people resort to use of drugs due to curiosity, experimental, recreational, frustration.
Neither the response through primary prevention has been aggressive enough nor it has reached the group of populations who needs to be made aware of the harmful effects of drugs use, the Foundation stated while listing the same as the causative reasons for its increase.
Multiple Challenges
While challenges have to be dealt at a situation when things can be controlled up to some extent, the Foundation pointed out that the road to recovery is laden with many obstacles.
Professional help is a must for users who at one point of time or the other put effort to quitting their habit, but there are many challenges in seeking such help in the form of drug detoxification and rehabilitations, it said with the primary concern being the lack of a functional detox and established rehab centre in all districts.
It lamented that most users from other district have to come to either Kohima or Dimapur for their rehabilitation, adding, there is a need to establish more such centre urgently across the state.
Another major barrier is the treatment cost; the Foundation noted while informing that many drug users lost the support of their family due to their addiction while many others are not in financial position to support the treatment course.
Though Opiod substitution Therapy as a maintenance treatment is helpful, many opt out as most cannot avail the treatment facilities and thereby put them at a crossroad. As a result, they continue on with their behaviour in spite of wanting to quit, the Foundation said.
The government needs to formulate a strategy with planned budget to tackle this social challenge, it stressed.
The foundation further advised the policy makers to make budgetary allocations to all the concerned departments to start implementing the contents of the policy.
