Department creating awareness against drug abuse: Shastri

New Delhi, July 17 (UNI) The Social Welfare department has adopted a strategy for creating awareness and recovery of addicts through medical treatment, counselling and rehabilitation, Delhi Social Welfare Minister Yoganand Shastri said today.

''Alcoholism and substance abuse is a psychological, sociological and medical problem, which affects the individual and the family.

Keeping this in view, the Social Welfare department has the strategy,'' Dr Shastri in his address at the ''Drug Abuse: Youth and Children'' seminar.

He said as per a survey conducted by the Government in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime the prevalence of drug use in sample size of 8,587 within the age group 12-18 years was, Cannabis 3.0 per cent and Opiates 0.1 per cent.

As per the Survey, prevalence of drug abuse is uneven in the country and though its impact is largely seen in the urban areas, it has proliferated to the suburbs and rural areas.

Dr Shastri said the department has taken measures including dissemination of information on various issues relating to drug abuse prevention through different sources of media and assisting voluntary organisations for running awareness programmes.

The Government has taken steps to curb drug trafficking in the capital, including the sale of drugs in the vicinity of any school/educational institution, he added.

The Minister said students at the secondary and higher Secondary levels are vulnerable to drug addiction due to stress factors and peer influence.

He said Delhi is running 10 de-addiction centres whereas all over India, the Scheme for Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drugs) Abuse is being implemented through 350 NGOs for running 377 De-addiction Centres and 52 Counselling Centres.

They are providing facilities like treatment, rehabilitation services and conducting awareness programme for victims of substance addiction.

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