Nagaland’s ‘War on Drugs’: Just an empty rhetoric?

Morung Express News
Kohima | February 16

Amid growing concerns over substance abuse in Nagaland, the State Government declared a ‘War on Drugs’ nearly two years ago. 

Meanwhile, at the launch of an ‘Online Competition on Substance Abuse Prevention’ in 2024, the Deputy Director of the Social Welfare Department (SWD) citing a 2021 survey by the Union Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, revealed that there were 6.24 lakh substance users in Nagaland, including 1.11 lakh children and 26,000 women.

Against this backdrop, efforts to amend the Nagaland State Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Policy are also stalled.

Beyond the rhetoric, thus, question remains—was the declaration backed by a concrete action plan, or merely symbolic?

To find out, The Morung Express spoke with two key stakeholders to assess whether any meaningful action has followed the government’s declaration.

Lacking political action
The declaration seems to have been made without any proper groundwork, stated Abou Mere, Director of Kripa Foundation, citing the lack of a concrete plan for primary prevention, awareness programmes, treatment or detox camps etc.

There are also no provisions for establishing rehabilitation centres, assisting existing rehab centres, or any budgetary allocations, he said.

Since the declaration, “Are we capitalising on our strengths? he posed.

“We don’t know where the file for the amendment of the Nagaland State Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Policy is,” Mere noted, contending that declaring a ‘War on Drugs’ without any guidelines, coordination, or collaboration with civil society organisations (CSOs) and faith-based organisations (FBOs) will remain ineffective.

However, he acknowledged the efforts of the churches and tribal councils for setting up rehab centres despite limitations, as well as the Police Department for doing its job, but questioned the State Government and the Social Welfare Department.

At enforcement level, Nagaland Police recently informed drugs and other narcotic substances worth over Rs118 crore were seized in 2024.

Hence, wondering whether the declaration was merely for ‘political credit,’ the Director pointed out that drug usage is continuing  just as it has for the past 20 years.

While the types of drugs may have changed, the crisis remains, he held. 

“To tackle this crisis, we need to assess our strengths and weaknesses, identify gaps, and determine how the government, departments, churches, and civil society can work together,” he maintained.

To this end, Mere sharply criticised the government for failing to develop a state-specific action plan, merely implementing national schemes like Nasha Mukt Bharat and taking ownership of events like International Day Against Drug Abuse with no follow-up.

If the government is serious about the ‘War on Drugs,’ it must conduct thorough research, gather accurate data, and realistically assess the number of substance users, including those who are occasional users, dependent, or in need of rehabilitation or detoxification, he added.

“They (the government) have shown their political will by declaring a war on drugs, but now we want to see political action – proper budget allocation, a clear action plan, and a well-coordinated effort across departments,” stated Mere.

“Until then, this will remain just another empty declaration.”

Most commonly used drug
With substance abuse on the rise, ARK Foundation President Ketholelie Angami maintained that the Sunflower (Shan Flower) drug is the most commonly used today, though pharmaceutical drugs and alcohol are also prevalent.

Nicotine and tobacco products often serve as ‘gateway drugs,’ he observed.

Ketholelie also expressed concern that some as young as 14 and 15 years, including girls, are using drugs, attributing it to various reason including peer pressure, fear of rejection, stress, failures etc. 

He highlighted major challenges such as the lack of rehab centres, the high cost of rehabilitation, the absence of exclusive facilities for women, and the lack of counselling and referral centres for both users and their families.

There is almost no early intervention for those under 18 years of age, he added.

Consequently, Ketholelie pointed out that some families, ‘in desperation,’ turn to prayer centres where fasting is used as a form of treatment.

Approaches like this raise serious concerns, he added.

In this context, while acknowledging that completely eliminating drug use may not be possible, the President of the ARK (Access to Rights and Knowledge) Foundation stressed the need for awareness programmes in schools and colleges, counselling and referral units in every district, detox centres in district hospitals, and at least one well-equipped rehabilitation centre per district.
CSOs and communities must focus on supporting and rehabilitating users instead of punishing them, he asserted.

Families also have a crucial role in prevention and early intervention at home, while churches can go beyond just preaching and prayers by investing in infrastructure and human resources, Ketholelie added.

Lifting liquor prohibition would open doors for more holistic discussions, reduce stigma around substance use, and encourage more people to come forward and seek help, he maintained.

This is the first of a two-part series on Nagaland's 'War on Drugs'