tiol policy against drug abuse on the anvil

A Correspondent

Shillong, June 15: The country will soon have a tiol policy on drug demand reduction as a measure to curb substance abuse and help those who are dependent on drugs.

“We are in the process of filizing the first tiol Policy on Drug Demand Reduction which involves the government, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders,” Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot said during the iuguration of the three-day First Regiol Workshop on Prevention of Substance (Drug) Abuse held in the city on Monday.

Gehlot also informed that his Ministry, apart from filizing the “tiol Policy on Drug Demand Reduction” has also undertaken other measures like setting up a tiol toll free helpline which was launched in January this year to help the victims of drug abuse.

According to Gehlot, drug addiction is dangerous for the whole family because consumption of drugs increases tendency for violence leading to break up of family bonding and sometimes it results in breakup of family itself.

Gehlot also said that India’s proximity to two major opium cultivating areas Golden Crescent counties (Iran-Afghanistan-Pakistan) in the West and the Golden Triangle countries (Myanmar-Laos-Thailand) on the East which makes it a region of transit as well as destition for Illicit drugs.

“This has only added to the mece. This mece needs to be tackled urgently and holistically so that different sections of the society, especially the youth do not fall prey to it,” he said.

“There are also reports of illicit cultivation of opium in some of northern, eastern and north-eastern states of India,” Gehlot added.

In his speech Gehlot pointed out that Prime Minister rendra Modi had also expressed his concern about the mece of drug abuse among youth through his radio programme “Mann Ki Baat” in December, 2014.

He also emphasized the role of parents, family and community in combating this problem and maintain a healthy and supportive environment in the family for the persons affected by drug abuse.

The Union Minister also informed that the Ministry has desigted 12 non-governmental organizations having wide experience in the field of prevention of drug abuse as Regiol Resource and Training Centers (RRTCs) in different regions of the country.

Out of these, three RRTCs are presently working in the northeast in the states of galand, Mizoram and Manipur.

The de-addiction and rehabilitation centers are primarily run by NGOs. These NGOs are assisted by the Ministry under the Central Sector Scheme for Prevention of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. Gehlot urged the representatives of these states to look at this issue and identify the pockets of drug abuse and recommend the organizations genuinely working in this field to get assistance from the Ministry.

Gehlot also informed that at present the Ministry provides fincial assistance of approximately Rs 4 to Rs 5 crores to around 50 NGOs in North Eastern region.

Gehlot also directed the State governments to monitor the working of the Non Governmental Organizations on a regular basis to ensure that the funds are utilized properly and the benefit reaches to the drug dependent persons.