Act promptly to curb drug abuse: Omar Abdullah

Srinagar, Aug 5: Sensitising the concerned government departments in particular and the society in general about the menace of drug abuse, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday underlined the need for identifying the scale and magnitude of the problem for coordinated response for its eradication.

"We should act promptly and effectively to nip the evil in bud," Omar said chairing a high level meeting, which was also attended by a team of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC), in Srinagar.

The Chief Minister said all concerned along with the civil society have to work in coordination and under one umbrella to check the drugs abuse and save the young generation falling prey to the menace.

An effective follow up mechanism after counselling and treatment of drug addicts also needs to be put in place to help stop the recycling of treated drug addicts, he said.

The Chief Minister said a comprehensive policy to tackle the problem and chop off its tentacles is the need of the hour. He directed for drafting a policy for the State to address the issue more effectively.

"We cannot wait for taking immediate measures to tackle the problem as there is every apprehension that it may attain greater magnitude and dimension if not addressed well in time in a coordinated manner," he said.

He said awareness and involvement of NGOs are the two most aspects needing focusing for the purpose.

PTI