In its endeavours towards creating awareness against drug abuse in the state, the Himachal Pradesh State Legal Services Authority, on Sunday, announced the commencement of a weeklong drive against drug abuse.

“A special campaign/drive for awareness and sensitization against drug abuse in coordination with the Himachal Pradesh Police is virtually launched today by honourable Shri Justice Tarlok Singh Chouhan, Judge, High Court of Himachal Pradesh and Executive Chairman, Himachal Pradesh State Legal Services Authority at 48 sub-divisional legal services committee and 69 Village legal care and support system to create awareness about the ill effects of drug abuse and to tap the potential of the Panchayati Raj institutions/local bodies at grassroots level for intervention and prevention of drug abuse”, said the official statement. The drive against drug abuse aims to create awareness among the masses about the ill effects of substance abuse; sensitize the various stakeholders about the drug menace and effective measures to curb it.

The statement further listed the purposes behind the drive against drug abuse, it said, “The brief objectives of this campaign are – Awareness of the general masses regarding the legal provisions, various programmes, policies and schemes in respect of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances as well as to create awareness about the ill effects of drug abuse; Spread awareness among the parents, teachers and students about the ill effects of substance abuse.

It also focussed on awareness for chemists to watch out for children and youth who are buying prescription drugs on a regular basis and refuse to sell them such drugs; awareness through electronic and print media and tapping the potential of the Panchayati Raj/local bodies at the grassroots level for intervention and prevention of drug abuse and destruction of illicit cultivation of plants used to derive the drugs/substances.

Also, during the launch of the event, Justice Chouhan stated that it is a weeklong drive starting today and will conclude on June 26, 2023, International Day against Drug Abuse and illicit trafficking, according to the official statement.

In addition to this, Justice Chouhan also mentioned the NALSA (Legal Services to the Victims of Drug Abuse and Eradication of Drug Menace) scheme, 2015 which was started to disseminate awareness among people about the legal provisions, various policies and programmes in respect of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic substances as well as to create awareness regarding the adverse effects of drug consumption.