The increase in the number of children addicted to drugs in Meghalaya is reaching alarming levels, stakeholders working in this field say.
Neil Khongwir, president of the Drug Users Forum of Meghalaya, while speaking at a workshop on the social impact of drug abuse amongst minors, organised by Kripa Foundation, said, “The age group is getting younger. 10-11-year-olds are now injecting drugs. They are being allowed to run amok and being used by someone.”
Khongwir said that in certain localities of Shillong these minors are being used as drug mules.
Other issues affecting children include anxiety caused by Covid-19, bullying, feelings of self-harm, etc. These issues can lead to substance abuse as a coping mechanism, Khongwir opined, and children with these problems should be given help so that their problems are nipped in the bud.
The number of minors abusing drugs has risen from 5 percent in 2021 to 14 percent in 2022 and could be even higher today, he added, and Meghalaya has the highest rate of urban drug users in the country after Mizoram.
Bantyllilang Narry, Rangbah Shnong of Nongrim Hills, who spoke on the challenges faced by the dorbar shnongs, said that the traditional institutions are reluctant to come out against drugs since prosecution is a long drawn-out process.
“I am a witness in 13 cases. Hearing dates are long drawn and are deterrents for Dorbar Shnongs,” Narry said.
He also said that sometimes he feels that the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act is toothless since drug peddlers are out of prison in no time.
