Nearly 50 people die annually in Mizoram due to drugs: Official

Aizawl, October 16 (IANS) An average of around 50 people die every year in Mizoram due to drug-related causes, with a total of 2,051 deaths recorded between 1984 and October 7 this year, officials said on Friday.Mizoram Excise and Narcotics Department (END) Joint Commissioner, Peter Zohmingthanga, while addressing a drug abuse prevention awareness campaign organised in collaboration with the Mizoram Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (MBOCWWB), highlighted the prevalence of drug abuse in the state and its harmful consequences.He stated that, from 1984 to October 7, 2026, a total of 2,051 people had died due to drug-related causes in Mizoram, comprising 1,799 males and 252 females.He also referred to the Survey Report on Drugs and Children in Mizoram 2022, which indicated that middle school students in the 10-14 age group in the state had already started using cannabis (ganja), highlighting the need for early intervention and awareness among children and adolescents.Highlighting the initiatives undertaken by the state government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to combat drug abuse, Zohmingthanga explained the various steps students could take individually to stay away from drugs and contribute towards building a drug-free society.Addressing the event, Mizoram Excise and Narcotics Department Minister Lalnghinglova Hmar said that one of the major reasons behind the prevalence of drug abuse was the high demand for and consumption of drugs.He remarked that although Assam had previously served as a route for drug trafficking, its people had generally not been inclined towards drug use.The Minister particularly urged the students of Government Champhai College to stay completely away from drug abuse and lead a healthy life free from addiction.North Eastern Council (NEC) Secretary, Satinder Kumar Bhalla, praised the Mizo tradition of ‘tlawmngaihna (volunteerism and selfless community service)', describing it as exemplary and commendable.Referring to the serious drug-related challenges faced by his home state of Punjab, Bhalla emphasised that for India to become a developed nation by 2047, people must give up drugs and other harmful practices and channel their thoughts, energy and abilities towards national development.He encouraged students to acquire skills that would enable them not only to earn a livelihood for themselves but also to create employment opportunities for others, thereby contributing to the country's economic growth.Mizoram and Manipur have emerged as major drug-trafficking corridors in the Northeast because of their long and porous International Borders with Myanmar and their proximity to the Golden Triangle, one of the world's major illicit narcotics-producing regions.The Golden Triangle, comprising parts of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand, has long been associated with the illicit production and trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.The region's proximity to India's Northeastern states has posed persistent challenges for security forces and drug enforcement agencies working to curb the cross-border smuggling of narcotics.Six districts of Mizoram and five districts of Manipur share a 910-km-long International Border with Myanmar, much of which remains unfenced, making the region vulnerable to cross-border smuggling and other illegal activities involving narcotics and contraband goods.The substances and items trafficked across the region include highly addictive methamphetamine tablets, heroin, foreign-made cigarettes, fertilisers and other contraband products.