A two-day workshop was organised at Sankardev College here on ‘Preventive Education and Awareness Generation on Substance Use Disorder’.
It was organised by the alumni committee, parent-teacher committee, community outreach and social extension committee and IQAC at Sankardev and was sponsored by the state government’s drug reduction initiative DREAM.
Director General of Police Idashisha Nongrang was the chief guest at the inaugural programme and she addressed the societal challenges of drug abuse, drawing attention to its impact on society.
Francis G Kharshiing, Mission Director of DREAM, stressed that addiction is not a moral failure but a disease and emphasised fighting the stigma around addiction.
The technical sessions had resource persons who spoke on the various aspects of substance use disorder. These included Dr Rica Lamar of Manbha Foundation; Dr Chayanika Sarma, a psychiatrist at Supercare Hospital; Deputy Superintendent of Police J Suting; and Barry Leslie Kharmalki and Jeremaiah Nongrum of the Meghalaya Users’ Forum;
A total of 350 students from various schools, colleges and universities around the city participated in the workshop.
