Aizawl, Oct 14 (PTI) Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma on Monday said that his state government has been making massive efforts to combat the menace of drug and other substance abuse in the state.
During a meeting with officials of state excise and narcotics department, Lalduhoma said that the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) government has made a move in that direction since its formation in December last year.
An official data accessed by PTI said that 61 people, including 8 women, died due to drug abuse mainly heroin in Mizoram from January to October 14 this year.
He lauded the excise department and NGOs for their efforts to combat drug and alcohol abuses in the state.
During the meeting, the chief minister also discussed with the officials about ways to amend the existing liquor laws in the dry state.
Excise and Narcotics Department said a statement that over 37 kilograms of heroin has been seized by the department officials between January and September this year.
Around 122 kilograms of Methamphetamine tablets and other drugs, including 546 kilograms of ganja (cannabis), 5,803 tablets of Alprazolam have also been seized during the same period, it said.
Among others, the department also seized 49,413 litres of country-made or locally brewed illicit liquor, 18,391 bottles of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL), 244 bottles of foreign-made liquor and 136 bottles and 22,747 cans of beer between January and September.
The statement said that 5,499 people have been arrested in drug and aalcohol-related cases during that period.
The northeastern state registered the first drug related death due to heroin in 1984. Since then, 1,871 people, including 227 females, have died due to drug abuse.
According to officials, Spasmo-proxyvon or Parvon spas was the main killer drug until 2005 when it was taken over by heroin.
The official data also showed that the highest number of drug-related deaths was reported in 2004 in which 143 people, including 21 women, died, followed by 139 in 2000. PTI CORR NN
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