Though there is no available statistic for alcoholics, but it has been estimated that the number of drug users and alcoholics in Nagaland would cross the 50,000 mark soon.
These were highlighted during the one-day Orientation Workshop on Drug Abuse Prevention for Heads of School Institutions held at Kohima yesterday.
Looking at the long-prevailing issues of students indulgence in use of Gateway Drugs such as Inhalants including Dendrite, Erasex, besides Gutka and Alcohol, the consultative meeting aimed at identifying roles and responsibilities of educational institutions and working towards initiating Drug Abuse Prevention in schools. In drawing comprehensive action plan strategies to mainstream Drug Abuse Prevention programmes into educational institutions, the workshop suggested that schools should identify users according to their own suitable method as a first step towards prevention of drug abuse. The workshop further suggested that a section of schools be allotted for display of all necessary information related to tobacco, drugs and other toxic materials, as well as to dedicate a day in a month to discuss the matter with the students and do necessary surveys to find out the status of the problem. The involvement of students was also necessitated in order to find a solution to the problem, besides seminars and trainings for teachers and parents.