The Baptist Youth Fellowship Kiphire Town (BYFKT) in collaboration with District Child Protection Unit, Kiphire initiated a combined youth fellowship on Sunday to observe International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking at Kiphire Town Baptist Lithro (KTBL).
Around 400-500 youths from different churches in and around Kiphire Town participated in the fellowship.
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The theme of this year International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is “Stop Stigma and Discrimination, Strengthen Prevention” and speaking on it, Dr Manwen Konyak, MD, DM, District Hospital Kiphire explained that young people get into addiction for the following reasons: bad company, physical abuse and negligence and stress.
Konyak further spoke on adolescent drugs/substance abuse and its effects on health, stating that drug abuse is a humanitarian crisis.
“Your addiction to drugs is not just your problem, it also risks the lives of your close and dear ones,” he said. Stop it before it is too late, Dr Konyak urged.
Narrating the suffering his family went through years back when his father was an addict, the doctor said, “My family today is a blessed family because we are free from drug abuse, and the joy it brings to my heart, I wish all of you who are bound by the chain of addiction be freed in the name of Jesus and experience the happiness of life together.”
Giving the keynote address, N.S. Khaikho, District Child Protection Officer, Kiphire mentioned that the International Day Against Drug Trafficking and Illicit Trafficking honours Lin Zexu’s eradication of the opium trade in Guangdong, China. On 26 June 1989, the United Nations first observed the day inspired by Lin Zexu’s efforts to combat the drug abuse trap.
The drug/substance abuse problem is not a singular society problem but rather a major issues and challenge for every society in the country especially the NE states and the world, Khaikho said and added many young people go into drugs because they want to try something new and later fall addicted to them.
When half of the young people in our society is engaged with drugs abuse, he stated, one cannot expect to see development and progress as his/her time, energy and human resources are wasted.
The programme was chaired by Thrijungba, Programme Secretary, KTBL while invocation was said by Lemtsü, President, BYFKT and benediction by KTBL worship team.
