The Department of Social Welfare, Government of Nagaland launched an online competition on substance abuse prevention on 24 June 2024.
Speaking at the launch program held at the Conference Hall, Directorate of Social Welfare, Kohima, Director of Social Welfare, Tosheli Zhimomi stated that Nagaland was affected by the menace of substance abuse, where hundreds of young people have fallen victim.
She said the State Government has declared war on drugs and that the Department of Social Welfare has implemented various programs as a primary prevention measure, reaching out to different groups of people with the message about the ill effects of substance abuse.
Zhimomi expressed her delight at the launch of the Creative Writing, Poster Making, and Reel Making online competitions in commemoration of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, targeting the 13 to 25-year-old age group, which is the most susceptible to the dangers of substance abuse. She further expressed her optimism that a large number of young people would register for this competition and that their critical thinking and creative writing would aid in educating the public about the dangers of substance use.
Briefing the gathering, Deputy Director of Social Welfare, Wango Langsym, informed that in Nagaland alone, there are more than six lakh substance abusers, including thirty-seven thousand children and seventeen thousand females.
The programme was graced by Miss Northeast 2023, Kenei Ritse; Miss Nagaland 2023, Neiketuno Sechu; and Miss Nagaland 2022, Hikali Achumi, who also addressed the gathering. The online competition will be conducted under three categories: creative writing, poster making, and reel making. One can check the official handle of the Social Welfare Department on Instagram @socialwelfare_ngl8 for more details.
