By Joel Mukhim & Dev Rana
“Together we can” is the motto that drives the daily, year-round effort needed to face the drug crisis in Meghalaya.
June 26 marks the global observation for the International Day Against Drug Abuse and illicit trafficking – a day dedicated to strengthening action and cooperation to achieve a world free of drug abuse.
To mark this important day, San-Ker, a psychiatric care facility, organised a series of programmes on June 25, 26 and 27. This campaign kicked off on June 25 with a program for the Army’s Wives at 101 area; on June 26, with a programme for the patients at San-Ker; and June 27, with a bike rally and a brief gathering for in-patients and their families.
Today (June 27), the day began with a bike rally, organised by San-Ker in collaboration with Café Racers-Shillong. This was followed by a programme at San-Ker – a brief yet impactful gathering.
San-Ker Director Dr. Sandi Syiem highlighted the importance of this day. “While the whole world uses this special day to remember the fight against drug abuse, we believe this work cannot be done in just one day. Instead, it needs to happen all year long,” Dr. Syiem told 4Front Media.
For San-Ker, holding meetings and programmes like these throughout the year are a form of an awareness to teach people about substance abuse, rather than just passing out basic information.
When talking about the youth, Dr. Syiem gave a direct and simple warning to children and teenagers: “Don’t start. Do not touch.”
He brought up the old saying — once an addict, always an addict, which is why he feels it is so important to talk to young people early so they never reach the point. “The best choice is to never start,” he stated.
Looking at what has happened over the last ten years, he admitted that the number of people taking drugs is on the rise. “But, there is still a lot of hope,” he said.
“There has been an increase in the number of rehab centres and the number of people getting clean and recovering is also going up,” Dr. Syiem said, adding that the quicker a person looks for help and treatment, the easier it is to recover.
Echoing similar views, President of the Café Racers-Shillong, Dr. Kham Chyrmang explained that as bikers, they frequently witness the devastating impact of alcohol and drug abuse.
He stated that addiction remains a major stigma in society, which often stops people from getting help. “To break that silence and fight the crisis, the club members all took time out of their busy schedules early in the morning for an awareness ride, showing the public that they stand firmly against drugs,” he said.
When asked what advice he has for the youth of Meghalaya, Dr. Chrymang shared a deeply personal lesson. He emphasized that the best advice his parents ever gave him was to always choose the right company.
“Listen to your parents, stay safe, surround yourselves with good friends, and strictly stay away from drugs,” ~ Dr Kham Chyrmang.
The programme also honoured recovering patients for their achievements in remaining sober, including one individual who received a state government award for maintaining long-term sobriety, inspiring others on the path to recovery.
(The writers are interns from St. Anthony’s College – Philosophy Department)
