Legislators across party lines expressed concerns about rampant drug abuse among school and college children in Goa, during the ongoing monsoon session of the state legislative Assembly on Tuesday.

Congress MLA Aleixo Reginaldo even claimed that smoking weed (slang for marijuana) is as common as gulping down a soft drink in the coastal state.

Earlier, during Question Hour, lawmakers across party lines slammed the Goa Police for being slack in taking action against drug trade, even as Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that his government advocates a zero tolerance policy towards drugs. 

“There are several instances of young school and college-going students taking drugs. They use the refuge of hills in my constituency as a hideout to consume narcotics. When we inform the police they instead of raiding them, tip them off,” BJP MLA Francis Silveira told the state Assembly. 

Opposition MLA Congressman Reginaldo Lourenco also said that drugs were offered as part of a table booking package in a popular beach shacks in North Goa.

Responding to the criticism Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said, “We will not allow drug trade to flourish in Goa. We need to do this for the future of our children and Goa,” Sawant said.