Shimla, Aug 18 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Health, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dhani Ram Shandil on Tuesday said the state government has passed strict laws to prevent drug abuse, but parents should also ensure that their children develop good habits and become mentally strong to stay away from drugs.
Chairing a one-day workshop for stakeholders on combating drug abuse and drug trafficking, the minister said the state government is taking effective measures against drug abuse and trafficking.
“The government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against drugs and strict laws have been passed in the Vidhan Sabha to prevent drug abuse. These laws include stringent provisions such as the death penalty, life imprisonment, heavy fines and confiscation of property,” he said.
The minister said commendable work was being carried out in the state under the National Drug De-Addiction Campaign.
“Under the campaign, approximately 18.5 lakh people across all districts were made aware of the dangers of drug abuse last year. This included children studying in 17,304 educational institutions,” he said.
Shandil said Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in the country where drug traffickers and drug users, particularly those involved with chitta, are identified at the panchayat level. The panchayats are categorised into different groups based on the number of such cases.
He said the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act was being strictly enforced and property worth more than Rs 63 crore has been seized so far in the state.
“During the tenure of the current state government, 5,642 cases have been registered, and 8,250 offenders have been arrested,” he added.
Shandil said that while the government is adopting stringent measures to prevent drug abuse, parents too have an important role to play. “Parents should ensure that their children lead a healthy lifestyle, develop good habits and become mentally strong to keep themselves away from substance addiction,” he said. PTI COR RUK RUK
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