To fight drug problem, we need all hands on the deck

Drug hauls have become a common news story in the state. And so is the problem of drug abuse. While the Meghalaya police have cracked down on peddlers and small-time drug dealers, leading to huge drug seizures, the problem of drug abuse has become a serious issue in the state.

According to a 2025 study published in the Indian Journal of Public Health, initiation of drug abuse starts as early as 10 years of age. The reasons vary from peer pressure, curiosity, family problems and de-stressor. Small experiments and fun start with drugs like nitro, spasmo-proxyvon and alprazolam and go up to marijuana and heroin.

While tablets like nitro and spasmo-proxyvon are still affordable, addiction to cocaine and heroin is quite expensive. So, how do these youth afford these drugs? Those from financially unstable families often find themselves caught in the vicious world of petty crime to support their addiction. For instance, a young man in his early 20s, whose family I know, works in the unorganised sector. His income is not enough to buy the daily dose. So, he starts stealing money from his mother. This is a common turn of events among drug users.

In Meghalaya, crime under the Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act increased from 69 in 2021 to 189 in 2023, according to the police data. This is a jump of about 174%.

Another cause for concern is the rising cases of HIV with the rise in the number of intravenous drug abusers. The state has recorded a 221% increase in HIV/AIDS cases in the past 19 years.

The numbers are worrisome. What is more concerning is that substance abuse is leaving a debilitating impact on a generation.

It is laudable that the state police have been seizing crores of drugs and making arrests. Then why is there no let-up in drug abuse? Most of the arrests made are peddlers or carriers, who are small fries in the bigger drug business scenario. To stop, or at least check the entire network from spreading its tentacles, there has to be a bigger catch, and that is not the task of just one state’s police department. The North East is a vulnerable region, and this calls for a concerted effort by the police of all the states here.

The Meghalaya government has been taking measures to address the problem at the root. It has been facilitating community engagement and participation of educational institutes to make children and youths aware of the problem. But this network has to be strengthened so much so that affected families, like the one that I mentioned earlier, can immediately contact experts through community agents and arrange for rehabilitation. Drug abuse is the darkest menace that a society can experience, and to fight this, all stakeholders have to be well-trained and be aware of the evolving scenario in the drug business.

Banner image by MART PRODUCTION: https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-and-silver-hand-tool-on-blue-textile-7230385/