Manipur: Social welfare director urges public to stop criminalising drug users, emphasises treatment and counselling

Ngangom Uttam, the Social Welfare Director, has urged the public to desist from criminalising people who inject drugs (PWID). 

Advising people of the state to refrain from criminalising people living with drugs (PWID), the director of Social Welfare, Ngangom Uttam Singh shared that drug addiction is a kind of disease which requires proper counselling and treatment at the right time. 

He stated this today at the ongoing two-month-long comprehensive free drug treatment program held at TWILIGHT Drug De-Addiction cum Rehabilitation Centre located at Taothong Ayungba, Lamshang under Imphal West district. The treatment programme is being organised by the Manipur Users Collective in collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare. 

Addressing the function as chief guest, Uttam said that people often abuse and stigmatise PWID and presume them as offenders who usually engage in petty crime. But until and unless such conception is changed in society, the problem of drug abuse will be difficult to address. 

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“Beating or punishing a drug abuser for using drugs wouldn’t address the drug menace. Rather it will aggravate the problem as awarding them punishment amounts to insult.  As such people should avoid doing ill-treatment to them,” he added.

Showing his worries about the reduction of drug treatment reduction in the state, he said that enrolment of PWID in rehabilitation centres has been reduced with the onset of the crisis. The reason behind this needs to be found out. Otherwise, it will create a negative impact on society as early treatment is one of the important mechanisms to stop drug menace and prevent any other drug-related health issues.

Manipur Users Collective organised the said programme with the objective of providing accessible and comprehensive drug treatment to underprivileged individuals. The program was started on February 5 and will continue till April 6. The initiative targeted to give their service to 50 underprivileged and street-based individuals across all the accessible districts of Manipur. 

Amidst the continuing unrest in Manipur, vulnerable individuals battling substance use are often overlooked, exacerbating their plight. Recognising the critical public health implications, the programme has been meticulously designed to provide holistic support and rehabilitation to those in need.