‘War on Drugs’: Nagaland lags behind as neighbours lead with concrete policies

February 24, 2025 15 Views No Comment

Morung Express News
Kohima | February 24

Nagaland continues to grapple with a rising substance abuse crisis despite the government’s declared ‘War on Drugs’ initiative, hindered by a lack of concrete policies and actionable strategies.

In stark contrast, neighbouring states like Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh have surged ahead, implementing structured, multi-pronged approaches to tackle the menace.

To understand how these states are combating substance abuse, The Morung Express reached out to key officials and stakeholders leading the fight against drug addiction.

Ramp up de-addiction efforts in Arunachal
The State of Arunachal Pradesh swiftly responded following the National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Abuse and Alcohol (2019) report by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) by launching the of the Mukhi Mantri Nasha Mukti Yojana (MMNMY).

Dr Riken Rina, Director of Health Services, Arunachal Pradesh, noted that the MMSMY, the Chief Minister’s flagship programme aimed at combating substance abuse, resulted after series of discussions were initiated with the government when he was Project Director of the AIDS Control Society in 2018-19.

To kick-start the initiative, the government allocated funds for a drug de-addiction centre in Eastern Arunachal, where drug addiction was most prevalent, he informed.

In 2020, the Arunachal Pradesh Drug De-Addiction Society was officially registered, and following extensive discussions with the Chief Minister, Health Minister, and other key stakeholders, the the Arunachal Pradesh Policy on Psychoactive Substances was formulated in 2021.

“This policy, a multi-pronged approach to drug de-addiction was approved in the State Assembly and Cabinet. Since then, we are being funded under the state budget,” shared Dr Rina.

A sum of Rs 20 crore has been sanctioned for the current year but the budget is flexible and allocated based on need, he added.

Subsequently, a National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction was submitted to the MoSJE, securing additional support from the Union Government. As part of this plan, Addiction Treatment Centres (ATCs) were established to provide outpatient care.

Currently, Arunachal has nine drug de-addiction centres fully operational with free services, including accommodation, food, and medicines.

The largest one, located in Itanagar, is managed by the Kripa Foundation with the average stay of 90 days, Dr Rina informed.
With the growing number of private de-addiction centres, he highlighted that under the direction of the chief secretary, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) was drafted in consultations with stakeholders and experts from Assam.

The SOPs have been approved by the State Government and are currently in the process of being printed, the Director added.
In addition to activities under the MMNMY and Nasha Mukt Bharat (NMB), Dr Rina informed that the State already has a 50-bedded drug de-addiction centre.

Further expanding its infrastructure, three new de-addiction centres are set to open this year, with approval granted for five more centres.

The government has also approved for a 200-bedded de-addiction facility to be set up at Itanagar Capital Region with ongoing civil works, Dr Rina added, acknowledging the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and Health Minister for their unwavering commitment to combating substance abuse.

He further affirmed his personal commitment to the mission, vowing to continue the fight against substance abuse even after his retirement.

Manipur’s three-pronged approach
Manipur’s fight against drug addiction began with the Drug-Free Manipur campaign, explained Saroja, Deputy Director of the State’s Social Welfare Department (SWD).

In 2019, the State took a significant step by officially notifying the Manipur Policy on Psychoactive Substance Use, a strategy was developed through collaboration with nine different government departments, in the State Gazette.

Manipur’s drug policy is regarded as one of the most thorough in India, serving as a model for other states seeking to strengthen their efforts against drug abuse.

According to Saroja, Manipur’s approach relies on three key strategies: Supply reduction — managed by the Home Department, focusing on curbing drug trafficking; Harm reduction — overseen by the Health Department, involving treatment and medical care for substance users; and Demand reduction — led by the Social Welfare Department, emphasising psychological support, awareness programmes, and rehabilitation.

Meanwhile, with the mushrooming of private rehabilitation centres, the SWD also introduced guidelines to regulate and monitor private de-addiction centres.

Currently, 54 private centres are officially registered in Manipur, she informed.

Observing that many substance users are abandoned by their families, making recovery even more challenging, Saroja revealed that the government has drafted a law to penalise families who disown their loved ones struggling with addiction.
However, the draft law is yet to be passed in the state assembly.

The State Government has allocated Rs 2 crore for de-addiction efforts, with most of the funds going toward running the facilities.

Manipur, the SWD Deputy Director said, currently has one government-run, fully free de-addiction centre, where treatment, food, and medication are provided free of cost.

Three de-addiction centres specifically for women have also been set up, she added.

Saroja shared that plans are underway to establish more centres in underserved areas, with a specialised de-addiction centre for trans men already operational and one for trans women in the pipeline.

To encourage private centres to register and comply with regulations, the government offers financial support for free detoxification camps, covering treatment costs of up to Rs 9000 for 45 days for patients referred by the department, she added.

Saroja also highlighted that while awareness programmes play a crucial role in prevention, using various platforms such as music concerts, YouTube videos, school events, and painting competitions etc spread the messages effectively.

Recognising that the fight against drug addiction cannot be waged by the government alone, she said civil society, local clubs, NGOs, and community leaders are actively involved.

They receive Training of Trainers (TOT) sessions, equipping them to offer proper support to individuals battling addiction, rather than resorting to rejection or punishment, she shared.

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has also launched a pilot project in Manipur, focusing on school-based interventions, she added.

This is the last of a two-part series on Nagaland’s ‘War on Drugs’

Read the Part-I here: