The Department of Social Welfare and District Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan organised an awareness programme on drugs and substance abuse for public and community leaders including the Wokha Town Councilors, Colony Council Chairmen and GBs was held on 4th Oct 2024 at Lotha Hoho Conference hall.
Delivering the key note address, ADC Wokha, Renbomo Ezung, said drugs and substance abuse is one of the most serious problems faced by our society today which not destroys the mental and physical life of an individual but his entire family. He added that this issue is a matter of great concerned for all of us, where the community leaders need to come together and joint hands to take up serious steps and initiate to put a stop to the spread of drugs and substance abuse in our society before it is too late.
He appealed to the community leaders to spread awareness regarding the consequences of substance abuse and how it has an adverse effect on a person’s physical health and the society at large.
Addl. SP, Wokha, K. Soriso presenting the drugs scenario stated that, in recent times Wokha district have been observing an alarming increase in drugs user cases and has one of the highest number of users in the state, and to tackle the menace in the district. He highlighted some of the key strategies of the Wokha Police in contemplating to deal with drug problem, like supply reduction through community policing, bringing down demand, effective coordination amongst enforcement agencies and sharing of intelligence which is an urgent need to develop a system for sharing information which would help the enforcement agencies connect to the distributors to source of supply and for which Wokha police is in constant touch with the neighbouring counterparts.
Emphasising on the way forward in combating drugs menace, Soriso said, drug abuse is a social problem and it has taken generations away from us, where he said that public should not leave the responsibility to the police, but public should come forward and share information about any movement of drugs and peddlers. It is the responsibility of every section of societies to help enforcement agencies of the government to root out this menace, he added.
Short talks on various topics relating to drugs and substance abuse like, sensitizing the community by conducting awareness, giving information about the treatment, role of public leaders in combating substance abuse, community involvement, and collaboration with law enforcement, empowering public leaders were presented by District Welfare Officer, Wokha C. James Ezung, Dy. Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Zuchamo Patton and DAPCU (H&FW), Lichumo Odyuo.
