IN A BID TO TACKLE SUBSTANCE ABUSE, CENTRE’S ‘NASHA MUKT ABHIYAN’ REACHES OUT TO 8 MILLION PEOPLE

The recent survey report of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment revealed that a large number of youth are indulged in substance abuse. Substances like Alcohol, Cocaine, Opioids, amphetamine, and cannabis are being abused by youth, and the data from several states—Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Himacha, Bihar, Chattisgarh, etc— of India is alarming. Though Government has implemented many schemes of rehabilitation yet substance users’ figures are horrid.

In terms of Alchohol, Punjab stands at 34% users, whereas Chattisgarh is at 43.5 %, Himachal at 10 %, Haryana at 25.2%, Bihar is 1 %, NCT of Delhi is 25 %, Chandigarh is 20.1 %, Uttar Pradesh 29.4 %, Gujarat is 4.3 %.

Coming to usage of Cannabis Punjab stands at 14.23 %, Himachal Pradesh 3.58 %, Chandigarh 0.80 %, Haryana 7.44 %, Bihar 1.68 %, Uttar Pradesh 9.16 %.

In an appalling state of using Opioids, Punjab stands at 9.91 %, Chandigarh 2.99 %, Himachal Pradesh 5.79 %, Haryana 8.91 %, Uttar Pradesh 2.19%, Bihar 0.20 %, Sikkim 19.21 %, Nagaland 26.06 %, Mizoram 26.39 %.

When it comes to Medical sedatives, Amphetamine, Punjab stands at 0.63 %, Himachal Pradesh 0.01 %, Chandigarh 0.09%, Haryana 0.38 %, Manipur 4.73%

As far as Hallucinogens are concerned Punjab doesn’t report any such case whereas Haryana 0.14 %, NCT of Delhi 0.41 %, Maharashtra 0.62 %.

Central Government has implemented Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) in 272 most vulnerable districts under which a massive community outreach is being done through more than 8000 youth volunteers. More than 80 Lakh people including a sizeable number of women and children have been reached out under the Abhiyaan. Also maintaining 380 Integrated Rehabilitation Centres for Addicts (IRCA) not only for treating the drug victims but to provide services of preventive education, awareness generation, motivational counseling, detoxification/de-addiction, aftercare, and re-integration into the social mainstream. 60 Community-based Peer-led Intervention (CPLI) Centres are developed with a focus on vulnerable and at-risk children and adolescents. Under this, peer educators who are young adults engage children for awareness generation and life skill activities. Setting up and maintaining 93 Outreach and Drop-In Centres (ODICs) will provide safe and secure space for substance users, with the provision of screening, assessment, and counseling and thereafter provide referral and linkage to treatment and rehabilitation services for substance dependence.