KOHIMA, JULY 19 (MExN): The ARK Foundation conducted series of webinars on ‘Substance Abuse and Prevention’ with the Youth Departments of City Church, Chakesang Baptist Church Kitsubozou, and ACYA-SFS, Kohima on July 10 and 18.
In the programme, a presentation was delivered by Ketho who shared the history of addiction in the state, which started almost four decades back. He shared a major concern where youngsters are experimenting with some substances which are termed as “gateway drugs” such as sniffing of dendrites, use of tobacco and nicotine products, and other inhalant substance. Such introduction to these gateway drugs results into forming a chronic dependency habit into harder drugs.
One of the drugs in concern to which people are getting introduced is a drug called Yaba, and its consumption has been reported in Kohima, Dimapur, Mon and Tuensang.
On the management and prevention perspective, he mentioned that primary prevention is the key. People should be made aware of the harmful effects of drug use and not to ever get introduced into substance use, he said and called for treatment through rehabilitation for those who are already in the addictive stage.
Renbonthung, shared his struggle with substance abuse and how he was able to recover. According to him, he was lucky enough to have survived many horrifying years of addiction, and thanked God for keeping him healthy and alive.
He shared his journey of undergoing a treatment of rehabilitation program and announced that he has been clean and free from drugs and alcohol for more than 18 years.
Gwabinlo Seb, Secretary, ARK foundation also shared about his experience with substance use for more than a decade.
During his school days, he was put in a hostel and he got introduced to various substance “gateway drugs” like tobacco.
Initially drugs were easily available but once he was hooked into the substance, he started to lie, steal, con in other to support his addiction. Seb shared how his health and life degraded and ruled his life for more than a decade.
