A one-day Academic Awareness Programme under the theme “Impact of Drug Menace on Students” was held today at the Moral Education Center in Iroisemba. The event was organised by the Coalition Against Drugs & Alcohol (CADA) as part of its continued campaign to raise awareness among youth and educational institutions about the growing threat of drug abuse.
Laurembam Brajabidu, Secretary of the Moral Education Center, Iroisemba, and Ningthoujam Doren, Vice-President of CADA, attended the event as dignitaries.
Takhellambam Geetchandra Meitei, Secretary General of CADA, served as the resource person and delivered a detailed presentation highlighting the far-reaching consequences of drug use, particularly among students. Using a slideshow, he explained how drug addiction weakens not just individuals, but entire communities by draining their youth of potential and productivity.
He stressed that early experimentation with drugs can lead to long-term addiction, making it extremely difficult to break free from the habit. “Drugs not only destroy the physical health of young people but also impair their mental faculties, leading to academic failure and emotional instability,” he said.
Geetchandra warned that the misuse of substances like heroin and synthetic drugs can lead to severe health complications, including HIV, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and irreversible brain damage, which may result in various mental disorders.
He further cautioned that addiction begins subtly, often with the misconception that trying drugs just once is harmless. However, repeated use can quickly lead to dependence. He also noted that the spread of drugs contributes to the rise in crime, social unrest, and the breakdown of family and community bonds.
The programme called for collective responsibility to combat the menace of drugs and urged students to become torchbearers of change by rejecting substance abuse and promoting awareness in their homes and neighbourhoods.
The event concluded with a call to action for stronger community involvement and early preventive education to safeguard the future generation.