Treat drug addicts with humility, says top cop

“It is a combined responsibility of different sections of society to prevent people from getting addicted to drugs and the drug-addictors should not be treated as ‘condemned.’

Instead, they deserve the treatment of humility,” opined Mangalore City Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh.

He was speaking as a chief guest in a programme organised by Department of Psychiatry, Justice K S Hegde Charitable Hospital and Link integrated Rehabilitation Centre for addicts  at Rosario Hall here to observe International day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking on Tuesday.

The Commissioner of Police read out the oath on the prevention of drug addiction and told that mere oath taking doesn’t serve the purpose; one has to implement it effectively to be far from drug addiction as well as to prevent others from the addiction.

Friends, parents and relatives should help the addicted to come out of the vicious circle and treat the person with love and care. “The role of de-addiction centres is vital in this regard and the counselling centers should maintain the confidentiality of the person, ” he said.

K S Hegde Charitable Hospital Psychiatry Department Head Dr Satheesh Rao said that there are   physical, mental and social reasons for drug addiction. The children within the age group of 10-20 are more prone to drug addiction these days and according to a survey, 12.5 per cent of boys and 3 per cent of girls within this age are the victims of drug addiction for which force of thier friends is the main reason.

He told that the drug addiction should be treated at an initial level and most of the hospitals have de-addiction centres these days. “If not treated at an initial level, drug addiction may lead the addicted person to commit serious crimes,” he added.

Link Integrated Rehabilitation Centre for addicts, Mangalore and Dakshina Kannada District Child Welfare Committe  President Asha Nayak detailed about the acts and laws regarding drug abusing and illicit trafficking.

Prior to the stage function, the artists of ‘Jagan Power’ group presented a play and sung awareness songs featuring the prevention of drug abuse.

Prizes were distributed to the winners of various competitions held on the occasion of International day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking.