Team Herald
PANJIM: Conceding that large number of teenagers are being victims to narcotics and alcohol abuse, the Goa police emphasised the need to create awareness amongst the general public including students about the ill-effects of addiction.
North SP Chandan Choudhary said that a multi-prompt approach such as education, sensitisation and awareness besides prosecution of offenders is to be taken to ensure the youth stay away from the menace.
“A lot of teenagers are being trapped in drug and alcohol abuse, and it is important to tap it at an early stage. It is very important for the social institutions, police authorities and the administration to go amongst the people, students and the schools to educate them about the ill-effects of drugs and alcohol,” she told reporters after addressing a gathering at a Drug Abuse Awareness Campaign at Merces on Saturday.
The programme hosted by the Goa Police in association with organisations such as Human Touch, Alcoholic Anonymous among others, saw presence of students and the general public as experts spoke on the negative impact of drugs and alcohol in people’s lives.
Choudhary reiterated that while they are increasing their prosecution every year, awareness among youth is a must. “Prosecuting the offenders is one way and the other more effective way is to sensitise and awareness in absence of which there would be a gap. So it is important to educate, sensitise, create awareness along with prosecution; I think it is a multi prompt approach we have to take,” she said adding, “If there are no consumers there would be no supplies.”
The SP has directed the police station in-charges in the north district to crack down on shops selling tobacco products within 100 mts radius of educational institutions.
