Matti Warjri, District Child Protection Officer, East Khasi Hills said that drug abuse among children is not just a medical issue but also a psycho-social issue.
Speaking at a recent workshop, Warjri who gave an insight on the Juvenile Justice Act, said that the law prioritises children ensuring that they get rehabilitation, social reintegration, basic care, protection and welfare.
She said that drug use among children is related to other criminal activities, peer influence and media also plays a significant role in initiating drugs.
“We have to have proper infrastructure, proper convergence where we really rehabilitate the child,” Warjri said.
Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Shillong Sadar police Ashish while giving a comprehensive overview of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Drugs (NDPS) Act 1985 said that Meghalaya police has been at the forefront in the fight against drugs.
According to him, the price of drugs has increased since the police have been able to choke its supply for a considerable amount of time.
“No system is foolproof and what needs to be done is to cut down on demand and that is where the civil society and other stakeholders can play a role,” Ashish said.
On the issue of minors being used as mules he said that since children have to be treated differently people are misusing them.
“That is why a lot of people are getting into substance abuse because they first act as mules. They get introduced and they are going to use themselves,” he added.
He also said that civil society needs to put in more efforts to bring people into rehabilitation centres.
Ashish also said that the highways in Meghalaya are a major conduit of drug movement.
“We are trying to cut down on this movement and that is why a lot of supply has come down in the recent past,” he added.