By M.C. Linthoingambee
There has been no dearth of news with regard to drug busts in Manipur or of various organizations coming forth to take the battle against drugs head on. Interestingly, the word ‘drug’ has been so abused on its own that only negative connotations are associated with it. Mention ‘drugs’ and the immediate reaction is to associate it with those that are abused even though it is a generic word for all medicines! Some drugs do come into the category of good or grades as general A average due to their inner chemical components that helps in treating various diseases and illnesses. While legal drugs are made available in the market for treatment, there are also those drugs that exists in a very parallel universe termed and marked illegal but as always are sold over the counter.
Drug Trafficking is a common offence in most places. The National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) has published data in 2012 indicating that the highly active states involved in the majority of drug trafficking cases are led by Mumbai, Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and so on. There are two acts currently leading in the framing of the main drug policies in India which extends to the whole of India and all its Indian Citizens and to any ships or aircrafts registered in India. All major delegation of litigation fighting to such affect is dealt in the provisions of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 shorty acclaimed as NDPS Act where it states that it is illegal for a person to produce, manufacture, cultivate, possess, sell, purchase, transport, store, consume any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance. One of the main motive in this drug policy was also to establish the Narcotics Control Bureau that does every bit of work to control anything related to the above actions. There is also the Prevention of Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. Today, there are also news of the Foods and Drugs Administration joining hands with the Narcotics wing to control the spread of further drug trafficking. Possession of drugs in itself is an offence under the NDPS ACT where it doesn’t matter it if was for a personal use or for any other purpose. The punishment depends upon the quantity of drugs he possesses. However, if he is charged with either possession of small quantities of drugs or with consumption of drugs and he voluntarily seeks to undergo medical treatment for de– addiction from a hospital or an institution maintained or recognized by the government or a local authority, he shall not be liable for prosecution. This immunity from prosecution may be withdrawn if he does not undergo the complete treatment for de–addiction.
All of us do not need to take part in making indifference choices. The society isn’t bold without its people. With more and more youngsters introduced to drugs at a young age we see more people consuming these illegal substance and intoxicants. When a person is heavily intoxicated, they loose the ability to think and this situation as one might say hasn’t very much put us in a very good place. The underage drunks, the college students who smokes because they think it’s cool when their other friends do it, those many who delve into intoxicants under peer pressure, maybe it wont be so wrong to ask them to stop but, “Who’s going to stop?”, “No one”. Until they try it for themselves, “No smoking in public places”, “Smoking is injurious to health”, etc the leading advertisements are just another ignorance. Its always a walk in the park until the side effects come alive where it is indeed true as they say – We reap what we sow.
While in Manipur, news come by every now and then of women folks like the Meira-Paibis, other voluntary organizations like AMADA, CADA, etc making initiatives of catching anyone in possession of any of these Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances with certain displays of burning and destroying them on TV. The involutary liability one gives for drug addiction is being uncontrollable when the supply or stock of the Narcotic or Psychotropic Substances run out. Drug use also crime rates as it induces those who abuse them to make errors in judgements and hence, take to theiving, robbery, assaults and even killings in the cloud of their ‘high’. Yet, this does not mean that drug abuse need only strict policing as it is a public health issue. The involvement of people who have been into drug abuse and who fought to stay clean and clear from them to communicate with people who continue to use drugs may be a good beginning.