Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday said that the State Government is contemplating to bring a state integrated drug prevention policy, in which a multi-pronged strategy and effective action plan will be formulated to deal with all forms of drug abuse.
The Chief Minister said this while launching a special drug prevention helpline under Mukhya Mantri Sewa Sankalp Helpline 1100. The objective of this helpline is to provide necessary guidance and counseling on drug abuse.
He said that this helpline would connect drug dependent persons or their parents with the nodal officers of Himachal Pradesh Nasha Nivaran Board and State Mental Health Authority in Shimla for initial counseling and guidance.
If required, the person would further be referred to the nearest hospital, medical college, Integrated Rehabilitation and Counseling Centre with facilities for psychiatric treatment, he said.
The Chief Minister said the State Government has laid special emphasis on making a good and quality drug prevention and rehabilitation system for those trapped in drug addiction.
Thakur said that the multifaceted drug abuse problem was raised in the Inter-State Chief Minister level interactions with the Chief Ministers of neighbouring states and an action plan was also prepared in this regard. The present government is working in coordination with the neighbouring States, Central Government and International organisations such as United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for South Asia to end the drug abuse, he added.
Thakur also launched the official website of Himachal Pradesh Nasha Nivaran Board.