Drug addiction, long a menace in urban parts of the state, especially Shillong, is spreading its tentacles further afield and many rural youth are falling prey to it.
This was stated by Director General of Police LR Bishnoi today on the sidelines of a function to observe the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (which will actually fall on Sunday).
Drugs like cannabis are often grown in rural areas of the state. Other illicit substances, such as methamphetamines and heroin, are imported into Meghalaya and have to pass through rural areas before reaching the state capital.
Police have been adopting preventive strategies to tackle the problem of drug addiction by conducting awareness programmes for the public and schools. On the other hand, enforcement of narcotics laws is the other side of the coin and Bishnoi said that the police are hitting back against drug traffickers hard.
Furthermore, the police are improving their own knowledge of the problem through capacity building programmes and regular training courses.
