Arithang sensitized to community’s responsibilities towards combating addiction and rehabilitating addicts

GANGTOK, 12 June: “The biggest threat for the youth is drug abuse. This is not only a problem of the family alone and requires a holistic approach which the society has got to wake up to,” stressed Ashish Rai, Municipal Councillor, Arithang, while speaking to a gathering of youth during a special programme on awareness against substance use and disorders convened at the AIR housing complex here at Arithang yesterday.
The programme was organised by the Arithang Educated Unemployed Cooperative Society. The councillor urged all to come forward to work against the rampant problem of drug abuse and help making the ward “Drug free.”

KC Nima, advisor, Recovering Users Network, said, “The drug abusers, once caught, are sent either to jail or rehabilitation centres, while some  of them die due to over dose. These people are not even allowed government jobs after their treatment .Their families get upset and they are then disowned and thus begins the stigma from all sides. Therefore, such cases should not be hidden. If anyone from your area is facing such problems then this needs to be checked and the victim given help for his disease.”
He stressed that addiction and alcoholism had high incidence of relapse making it all the more necessary for rehabilitated persons to receive constant care and support.
Dr. CL Sharma, Psychiatrist, STNM Hospital, while addressing the gathering, pointed out that drug abuse was a global epidemic and to check this menace, cooperation of the entire locality was required.
He urged the students to pledge that they will work against the evils of drug abuse, while refraining from its use themselves.He, also made it clear that the addiction leads to the snuffing out of both, the mental and physical powers of human beings. To keep youth away from this habit and disease, he suggested parental care, use of recreational facilities and self control. He urged them to develop their skills and to divert their energies to better things, for leading better and healthier lives.
Some of the members of RUN shared their experiences and all of them opined that family support was essential to help addicts give up. They also felt that once they come back from jail or rehabilitation centres, they should not be looked down upon, as usually happens in the family as well as in the society.