District Collector Anu Kumari inaugurated the second phase of the Dream (Drug Rehabilitation Education and Mentoring) initiative of the Don Bosco Veedu Society and BREADS (Bangalore Rural Educational and Development Society) here on Monday.
In her address, the Collector said Kerala should not be in the race to be counted among States where drug abuse has been wreaking havoc in society. Drug abuse had to be controlled diligently in society, especially among adolescents and the youth.
Families growing slower
The Collector observed that some changes in society were contributing to a spurt in drug abuse. As families grew smaller and more people entered the workforce, the productive time spent by parents with their children was reducing by leaps and bounds. There was also a lack of avenues for children to spend their energy productively, be it playgrounds, vacant plots, or parks.
Even schools lacked playgrounds. Even if they did, students were burdened by academic and extra-curricular activities. The use of smartphones, not for productive purposes, but for addictive and impulsive scrolling and swiping was also affecting chidlren’s concentration. It was also being used to ensure supply of drugs through dark web and online delivery mechanisms, Ms. Anu Kumari pointed out.
