Need for coordinated intervention by all stakeholders to curb drug menace: Official
Speaking at a function on International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Peren district, Principal Secretary of Law & Justice and Fisheries & Aquatic Resources, Y Kikheto Sema quoted a 2021 survey by the Union Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, which states there are 6.24 lakh substance users in Nagaland, including 1.11 lakh children and 26,000 women.
This figure accounts for nearly 31 per cent of the state's population, placing Nagaland among the top 10 states in India with the highest number of injecting drug users, he said.
Globally, over 30 crore people use drugs. In India, 7.21 crore are affected by substance abuse, with around 8.5 lakh injecting drug users. In Nagaland alone, 40,000 people are injecting drug users, with heroin being the most commonly abused substance, he said.
Sema said the state government is making earnest efforts, despite limited resources, to address this crisis through law enforcement, rehabilitation, and public awareness.
However, he called for a more comprehensive and collaborative strategy to prevent the flow of drugs, especially given Nagaland's porous borders with Myanmar and Manipur, both major drug trafficking routes.
Maintaining that border fencing is a sensitive issue due to the presence of Naga communities on both sides, Sema suggested a cross-border community initiative to address trafficking collectively.
Further, as a Christian-majority state, the bureaucrat urged the church to take a more proactive role in prevention and awareness. He noted that churches remain the most influential institutions in Naga society and should utilise their platforms like Sunday schools, youth groups, and general congregations to educate people about the dangers of drug abuse.
"There is a lack of awareness within church circles. The church must rise to the occasion and lead from the front," he said.
Sema proposed a model based on the 4 Cs: Coordination, Cooperation, Confidence, and Contribution among churches to combat the crisis.
He also called for early education, emotional support, meaningful engagement, and the creation of drug-free environment. He emphasised that prevention begins at home, through open dialogue and strong moral foundations.
He urged stakeholders—government bodies, churches, families, educators, and communities—to come together with urgency and resolve, to protect Nagaland's future from the chains of addiction.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
Nuns out on bail, contest begins in Kerala over who gets credit
The arrest of two nuns from Kerala in Chhattisgarh, and their release on bail after more than a week in judicial custody, has led to a massive display of solidarity with the Christian community in the state by the ruling CPI(M), the Opposition Congress, and the BJP. A long list of politicians from across party lines visited the homes of the nuns in Kerala, as well as the jail in Chhattisgarh's Durg, where the nuns were held before their release on bail Saturday. BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who had dismissed the allegations of forced conversion and human trafficking that had been levelled against the nuns in BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh, had sent party state general secretary Anoop Antony to meet Chhattisgarh Home Minister Vijay Sharma. On Saturday, Chandrasekhar himself joined Antony in front of the prison in Durg to receive the nuns after they got bail. Delegations from the CPI(M) and the Congress were also present at the spot. The BJP feared that the arrest of the nuns in Chhattisgarh, where it is in power, would spoil the progress it has made in its Christian outreach efforts in Kerala. On the other hand, the CPI(M) and Congress seized the arrests to claim that 'BJP's true nature has come out'. After the nuns got bail, Chandrasekhar said on Facebook, 'The BJP will always stand by any Malayali in crisis, wherever they are in the world, regardless of their religion, caste, or beliefs. Whenever there is a need, we will step forward and work to solve their problems. I also thank all those who worked tirelessly over the last few days to make bail of the nuns possible.' However, state General Education Minister V Sivankutty, who took to Facebook and termed the nuns' release 'heartening', also said that the political agenda behind their arrest was clear. He claimed that the incident highlighted the double standards of the BJP as it was turning a blind eye to the alleged atrocities against and persecutions of the minority communities in states ruled by the saffron party, while acting as their protectors in Kerala for political gains. He called for a united stand against such alleged moves to destroy the religious and personal freedom guaranteed by the Indian Constitution. Opposition Leader V D Satheesan said the Congress would continue to support the nuns until the FIRs against them are quashed. 'When BJP leaders were going to bishops' houses with cakes, we had warned they were wolves in sheep's clothing. Now, that has become reality. The clergy have also realised that the BJP was cheating them. The UDF (the Opposition alliance in Kerala led by the Congress) will fight against the divisive politics of the BJP,' he said in a statement. (With PTI input)
Hindustan Times
3 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Trainee priest dies after slipping into gorge near Visapur fort
A 28-year-old man undergoing priesthood training died after falling into a deep gorge near Visapur fort on Saturday. The incident occurred near the popular Bhaje waterfall area located in Lonavla's Shiv Durga region. Rescue efforts were carried out by Shivdurg Mitra Bachao Pakshav, a local voluntary organisation, who later retrieved the body. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC) The deceased, identified as Abraham Sins, was a resident of Kerala and part of a group from Bethani Ashram Ramwadi. According to Lonavla rural police, the mishap took place around 11:30 am when Sins reportedly slipped during a trek and sustained severe head injuries. He was part of the training group which was on a visit to the tourist destination when the incident took place, police officials said. Rescue efforts were carried out by Shivdurg Mitra Bachao Pakshav, a local voluntary organisation, who later retrieved the body. Police officials confirmed that Sins was undergoing training to become a Christian priest.
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Time of India
Ohio couple welcomes baby born from embryo frozen 31 years ago
An Ohio couple has given birth to a baby boy developed from an embryo that had been frozen for more than 30 years, which their doctor believes may be the longest-known storage time before a successful birth. Lindsey and Tim Pierce, who struggled with infertility for years, turned to embryo adoption in hopes of starting a family. As per CNN, they welcomed a son born from an embryo that had been frozen for 11,148 days. According to Dr. John Gordon of Rejoice Fertility in Knoxville, Tennessee, who oversaw the procedure, that storage time appears to set a new record. What is embryo adoption? Embryo adoption is a process in which individuals or couples adopt donated embryos left over from another couple's in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle. Unlike traditional adoption, it allows the adoptive mother to carry and give birth to a genetically unrelated child. Although the concept dates back to the 1990s, it remains relatively rare. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 2% of all U.S. births are the result of IVF, and only a small portion of those involve donated embryos. Medical experts estimate that around 1.5 million frozen embryos are currently stored across the country, many in limbo, awaiting a decision from their genetic parents. Some fertility clinics and advocacy groups, particularly Christian-based organizations, have become vocal opponents of discarding frozen embryos, citing a belief that life begins at conception. Among them is Snowflakes Embryo Adoption, a program under Nightlight Christian Adoptions that connects embryo donors and adoptive families. 'These little embryos deserved to live.' Linda Archerd, 62, is the woman who donated the embryos that led to the Pierces' baby. Speaking with The Associated Press, she said, 'I felt all along that these three little hopes, these little embryos, deserved to live just like my daughter did.' Archerd turned to IVF back in 1994. At the time, techniques for freezing, thawing, and transferring embryos were gaining traction and offering hopeful parents more chances at successful pregnancy. She ended up with four embryos but only used one after giving birth to a daughter. Following a divorce, her plans for more children shifted. As decades passed, Archerd said she wrestled with the decision of what to do with the remaining embryos. Storage fees mounted, and the emotional toll weighed heavy. Eventually, she discovered Snowflakes, which helped facilitate an open donation. 'I wanted to be a part of this baby's life,' she said. 'And I wanted to know the adopting parents.' The process wasn't easy. Archerd had to track down her original fertility doctor in Oregon and navigate paper records to prepare the embryos for donation. The embryos were then shipped to Rejoice Fertility in Tennessee — a clinic known for its refusal to discard embryos, even those stored in older and outdated containers. Delicate transfer Of the three embryos Archerd donated, one did not survive the thawing process. The remaining two were transferred into Lindsey Pierce's uterus, and one successfully implanted. Following the birth, Lindsey and Tim Pierce issued a statement through: 'We didn't go into this thinking about records — we just wanted to have a baby.' For Archerd, the outcome has been bittersweet. 'I'm hoping that they're going to send pictures,' she said. 'I'd love to meet them some day. That would be a dream come true to meet — meet them and the baby.' So far, the Pierces have sent several photos since the birth. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
