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Post by Ajit Naorem on Jan 20, 2014 18:27:44 GMT 5.5
Manipur scenario
 In Manipur it has been estimated that there are about 45,000-50,000 drug addicts, of whom nearly half are injecting drug users. Studies revealed that -- 12 per cent of drug addicts in the age group till 15 years
31.32 per cent in the age group of 16-25 years and
55.88 percent in the age group of 25-35 years. According to survey report in 21 de-addiction centres in Manipur (below 20 yrs) Age wise: 16 to 18 years : 73%
16-17 Years : 20%
15-16 Years : 6%
15 below : 1%
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Post by Thoithoi O'Cottage on Jan 21, 2014 6:13:43 GMT 5.5
Tamo, how is the current situation of drug abuse among youths in Kakching? Are there any official or other reliable figures about this?
A couple of years ago a friend told me Kakching was seeing a significant decrease in juvenile delinquency, including drug abuse. Is this still the case? Any better?
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Post by Ajit Naorem on Jan 21, 2014 18:45:19 GMT 5.5
Thoithoi What I have mentioned the above figure is the fact. it collected from those who admitted in the 21 drug de-addiction centres in Manipur.
In our centre also increasing no. of student addicts, even who are studying in class-viii for SP Tab. addiction treatment. our centre is 30 bedded treatment centre but always remain full. Those who seek admission needs prior information and put the name into the waiting list.
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Post by Thoithoi O'Cottage on Jan 21, 2014 21:25:22 GMT 5.5
Yes, of course!
That's a shocking figure!
By the way, how has been the trend in drug abuse (not just by the addicts) among the youths of Kakching in recent years? Increasing or decreasing? Yes, it must not be that straightforward to see.
Where is the de-addiction center in Kakching located?
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Post by Ajit Naorem on Jan 22, 2014 16:25:05 GMT 5.5
De-addiction located at Nature Cure hospital Complex, Machin Manao chinglak,Chumnang. It's name is "HEALING POINT" Integrated Counselling & Rehabilitation Centre for Addicts. Spd.by: Ministry of Social justice & Empowerment, Govt. of India. The situation of Kakching is also not good. The problem is increasing among the youth.
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Post by Thoithoi O'Cottage on Jan 23, 2014 15:46:18 GMT 5.5
Ah! I see!
May I know the staff strength (=how many staff members)? Going by the figure, I think it must be difficult for the staff in the center to cater to all coming for treatment/rehabilitation.
Is the treatment for free?
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Post by Dr. Lalit Pukhrambam on Jan 23, 2014 20:43:23 GMT 5.5
It begins at home with adults smoking, leading to second hand smoking to kids. A small puff lead to cigarette smoking (nicotine) in hiding, then comes Paan (tobacco)open access, then alcohol (intoxication), and climb up to drugs. So, it has to start from family education on how small things lead to big things. Once a person climbs up to injection drug user, the point of return is very difficult. HIV, Hepatitis, immune deficiency, infections, brain abnormalities - these are difficult to return to normal even if he or she goes to de-addiction programs. If the society is not clean in itself, the the addicted person will return to his or her previous habit.
The point is Adult Education at homes about family/community health is the key. Kakching is famous for local vendors. Kakching started Meira Paibi movement, but it has lacked behind in controlling alcohol abuse. The culture at Kakching in vendors where both young and old citizens including students and teachers drink alcohol together in the same joint/bar (I do not know it occurs today or not, it used to be at one time), is driving a lack of respect for elders by students and younger generations. Everywhere in the world, alcohol is consumed, but with responsibility. It enhances social interaction among peers, but at Kakching, it appears people drink until they get drunk, which is the main cause of social degradation. People who do not have responsibilities drink to drunken state, while those who have family and social responsibilities hardly drink or drink socially.
Kakching needs to stop alcohol production and consumption. Look for alternative earnings for the vendors and brewers.
Another health hazard at Kakching is Piggery and Poultry at homes and locals. That will cause contamination, spread of disease, mosquito, malaria, encephalitis, to young child and elders whose immune system is weak. Animal farming should be done far from residential areas. Who is in charge of these activities and regulating them is curious to know? Will Kakching people accept if they were to tell not to rear animals at home.
What is the status of the Kakching Hospital? Defunct or Functioning!
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Post by Ajit Naorem on Jan 24, 2014 7:32:33 GMT 5.5
Based on Case history 767 Addicted Children below 20 years :
Substance used for abuse: Out of 767 children , Spasmo proxyvon (SP) contribute 71%, Heroine : 14%
Solvent ( Inhaler) - 9%, Alcohol - 3%, Ganja - 2%, N-10 - 1%
Education: 77% were students, 16 % Unemployed,7% school dropout or unknown.
It is also reported that hundreds of school going children are addicted. We can help these children overcome the substance abuse problem through our support and treatment care instead of hostility, criticism and exclusion.
You might be thinking about why my child got addicted to drugs. There might be various reasons to this question, but the most common reason is the pressure they feel. Drugs and alcohol reduce the pain by making a teen numb. Addiction, in general is "being abnormally tolerant and dependent on something that is physically or psychologically habit-forming, especially narcotic drugs or alcohol".
Teen drug abuse is dangerous because it reduces knowledge and response to stimuli. Thieving tendencies can develop in your child. The impact of drug on their mind makes him do things against the law. This is not the time to worry, but to act. You might be thinking why my child got addicted to drugs. Do you know the main reason behind teen drug addiction? Teen drug addiction generally runs in long chains from parents to children. If you are an alcoholic or you have an addict in the family, then your child might develop the same habit.
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Post by Thoithoi O'Cottage on Jan 24, 2014 8:23:34 GMT 5.5
Dr. Lalit Pukhrambam has put it succinctly very well. Practically, a child’s mind is (more or less) a black sheet, as the saying goes—children begin to partake in their first environment at home, thereby beginning the process of the construction of their selves, all by imitating those around, i.e. the elders at home. As imitation is instinctive, it is so basic to a human child’s life that it is responsible for (or rather the base of) every further development until a certain phase in his/her life when what has been “uniquely” formed as his/her mental configuration or identity takes over. It of course goes without saying that imitation being instinctive, children imitate whatever their environment (=home=parents and their other elders) behaviorally provides. (So, there is some responsibility in providing the variables of “environment”.) What’s interesting and important to note here is the process of imitation is beyond good and evil—imitation just happens in children’s life because every normal child is equipped with an innate mental mechanism to imitate. The idea of good and bad/evil is more culturally constructed (if it’s not about purely pathological issues), and every child who has taken a considerably harmful amount of negative behavioral intake through imitation finds (when he/she has grown to be able to see culture and society existing, and to see himself/herself in a social context) himself/herself “unwittingly” “born into” who and how he/she is now. They sense something is not quite right, but when they are suddenly able to see they find themselves “in” there. They don’t quite agree that it’s entirely their fault. They did not put themselves “in” there. At the same time their home and society put the blame on these unfortunate fellows for the situation they are in. If something is not quite right in this, the wrong is in the upbringing. Interestingly, upbringing is a social act—a child cannot be brought up in isolation for the better. Every human person can be understood as a unique behavioral DNA string, and family and society contribute largely to the making of a person’s behavioral DNA string, good or bad, meaning that they (family and society) in one way or the other encourage the development of something they will dislike later by acquiescing in their children starting to do seemingly petty “unwanted” things. Everything has a beginning. Nobody will do it twice, if they have not done it once, and never thrice if they have not done it twice. So, “first” is always critical. First is closer to second than zero is. In other words, first is always the beginning of a pattern, in a behavioral sense. Most families ignore their children’s “firsts”. This is where the wrong begins. If we are careful about our firsts, our children’s firsts, we save a lot. |
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Post by Thoithoi O'Cottage on Jan 24, 2014 8:43:39 GMT 5.5
Yes, it's important to know the causes for if we know what causes something we understand that phenomenon (at least to some extent). Understanding causes is essential to see if we can do to regulate the system of which the causes are a part. Be it we want more of the products or less of them.
With regard to this particular issue, we (every family and our society) should know every (possible) elements contributing to drug abuse and addiction, so that we (every family and our society) can reduce the chances of our children tasting drugs--yes their firsts. (In time we can keep this "unwanted" under control, if we cannot uproot it from among us.) This is the way forward as to what we should do to prevent rather than cure.
At the same time it's very much important to deal with the cases of addiction, which are already there. This is the way forward as to what should be done about the addicts. The facts there.
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Post by Ajit Naorem on Jan 24, 2014 17:19:04 GMT 5.5
I agree with the discussion. let me supplement facts of drugs
Teen drug abuse facts
• There are many stages of drug abuse, ultimately leading to difficulty in managing one's life as a result of using drugs.
• Individuals who begin using drugs as juveniles are at greater risk of becoming addicted compared to those who begin drug use as an adult due to the immaturity of the teenage brain, particularly of that part of the brain that controls impulses.
• The symptoms of drug abuse include tolerance to a substance, withdrawal episodes, using more drugs for longer periods of time, and problems managing life issues due to the use of a drug.
• Substance abuse is caused by a number of individual, family, genetic, and social factors rather than by any one cause.
• Although a number of genes play a role in the development of substance abuse, this is a disease in which other factors more strongly influence its occurrence.
• Substance-abuse treatment is usually treated based on the stage of the addiction, ranging from management of risk factors and education to intensive residential treatment followed by long-term outpatient care and support.
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Post by Dr. Lalit Pukhrambam on Jan 26, 2014 6:23:19 GMT 5.5
Most students are manageable up to 8th grade. The trouble jumps suddenly from the 9th grade onward. In the US, High School is considered from 9-12th grade (in other way higher secondary in Manipur), which is a separate school. Similarly, they do not mixe up elementary kids (Kindergarten to 5th grade) and middle school (6-8th grade) and they are in separate schools. In general, in a school district there will be about 5-6 elementary schools; 2 middle schools and only one big high school. High school has about 2000 students (500 coming in each years). Therefore, 2 middle schools will have about 1500 students; while elementary schools will have 120 students in each school. So gradually, the number of students will be increased from elementary to middle school to high school, so does the number of teachers and building and infrastructures. A school district therefore handles about 4000-4500 students.
At all levels, there are very active programs about drug uses, sexual misbehavior, bullying, peer-pressure, cooking classes, healthy choices, physical education (PE) classes, music classes, sports in 12 disciplines both for boys and girls, drum line and marching bands. Each school district is headed by a Superintendent, who is appointed by School Board Members from around the country considering the best applicant (no bribes, no personal favors, soley based on CV, biodata, interviews). The School board members are again elected by the local people during one of the elections just like the KCM members are elected. The School Board members activity is looked after by the Township Elected members such as KMC. Township members are the top authority in local political affairs. They make all decisions about the township development and proper functioning. County (District in manipur) takes care of the major roads and legal systems.
So, where does the money come from for Township Schools. First, each house is taxed at 4% depending on the appraisal (price of the house or land) and businesses in the township are taxed at 6%. Such resources (money collected) are used to run the townships different departments. Schools get about 25% of the pie or 1% of the tax. The state gives the school at the rate of $6000 dollars per student per year in each school district. Each school district has more or less the same number of students, so they all get similar amounts from the state. Each year in September the counting occurs in 1 day for a particular school. Student evaluators/counters from the state will come to each school and count the number of students in each class during the class hour. Students present in the class will only be counted and considered for finanacing. Usually, they do not tell on which day the auditors will come. They give a range of 3-4 days. The school board hire the Principal in each school on a yearly contract basis, which can be renewed yearly based on performance. School board and Principals hire teachers, which is also on contract for 1 year only. One school year in the US is made up of only 9 months (September to May), 3 months are off for the teachers and summer holiday for student to earn extra money, skills or work in other areas during this time. Student at 16 years can work part time in summer. The teachers may or may not comeback to the next school year. School may rehire the teachers or not, and the teacher may also may find another better job. Both the teacher and school board are free to find their own ways. Each school year has 200 attendance days and 6 and half hours of class room and 1 hour recess and lunch break. And after school programs up to 4.30 or 5 PM. Home works can also be done in after school times. There are two semesters - 1st and 2nd semesters. Credits are accumulated during each week's exam, homework assignment, and a final semester exam is done at the mid-term ending and another at the school year ending. Credits are accumulated 1-4 GPA (4 being the highest). A bright student can take extra subjects of higher class (e.g., a class 9 student can take a class 10 subject), and if s/he passes the subject, her credit will be added. You begin earning credit from 9th grade and accumulated through 12th grade together, which is averaged for 4 years (9-12 grades). So, a student can't wait until you are in the 10th or 12th to make up grade. You have keep up your grade through out the 4 years of your high school. Each student also has his/her own counselor who will advice each student on their strength and weakness, and advises which courses you should be targeting for college. To some extent this works out well, though exceptions are always there. Again, if a smart and hard working student can also earn college credits at high school, so that he/she does not have to take those college courses again in the college. In college, each class (tuition fee) is about $500 depending on the subject. Public School is free for students since it is financed from local home taxes and State student grants. But, college in the US cost about $ 20,000-25,000 per year per student when Private colleges can go up to $50,000 - 60,000 per year per student. Private high schools can be very costly too (up to 25,000 per year per student). So, in the US education costs a lot, but jobs cost nothing. So, this is the way how it operates in the US. In India, schools are mostly free in the Govt as well, but job are highly corrupted, have to have money for bribery and on top you will need connections at high positions to hire you. So, jobs will go to Imphal people since most offices and officers belong to them. Tribals and villagers have little to chance to compete with Imphal officers, business owners, and ministers as all are interconnected. That is the situation of Kakching as well.
This is getting longer in setting up the story for student drug addition at Kakching. Now coming to students' drug addition, the grade 9 is where it mostly begins. So, beginning at this age group (~14-15 years olds) we need to focus on them. In the US, under 18 years old can't by cigarette from any store even if an older person sends him or her. The store owner can't sell it to a minor, they will be fined if doing so. It is strictly enforced. Similarly, under 21 year old can't buy and drink alcohol. Every time you buy alcohol, you must show your ID - does not matter whether you are 50 years old or not. Otherwise they will not sell it to you. Such laws restrict access to teenage smoking and alcohol. Drug addicts are there but fewer in number; there will always be some kids who use smoking, drug and alcohol through mixing with older people. That is again illegal.
In case of Kakching, it is haphazard. Teenagers go out morning to night without any consent or adult supervision. In the US, there is night curfew for students under 16 years. Kids under 14 years can't go out in the night without parents or guardians. There are many private local sports clubs and libraries, music, dance lesions, tai-kwando, karate schools where students are sent in extra times. Keep the kids occupied in some activities. Their minds are wondrous. If left alone, they will mostly pick up bad habits more often than good ones. So, in local clubs at Kakching, you need to develop sports programs, music programs, counselling programs, a place for them to hang out with supervision, tutors, to restrict from intoxicants. It will take the whole community to take care of the teenagers. Now, they are out of their parents grip. Only teachers and community leaders can handle them. They are rebellious to their parents and will put pressure on parents for money, cloth and other items that some of their rich peers have. They can't think the right or wrong way - whether their parents earn or have that kind of money or not. We should talk about income and money sources at home - make a family budget, teach kids how they earn the money for the family. Let the kids know how hard their parents work to support and make them happy. Our parents will suffer in silent, so our kids have no clue. Teens will begin taking drug under false impression of neglect by parents so that hey begin to distance from their own parents and regular (clean) friends, and seek new adventurous ones using alcohol, smoking and drugs. These things go together. These drugs will blunt/slow down their brain development. Brain wiring still continues until 24 years old. They can't make the right decision, even if the 20 year old thinks they are matured enough. They can't drive properly and make the right decision, still needs some guidance. Send them alone in a different state for study away from parents and society, with money at pocket every month, it will be used for drugs and porns in smart phone. That is for sure. Only 10% of kids (high school and college students) studying outside the state succeed, most others return home empty-handed as drug addicts, since they had already tested it at home even when their parents are looking after them. Live alone outside, they are free birds.
So, at the end, it is a complex social issue - both for teenagers and parents as well as the community at large. One teenager, one parent, and one leikai alone can't tackle this issue. The whole of Kakching should address the issue together - policy makers, think-tanks, teachers, scholars, doctors, engineers, information technologist, and everyone should take interest in this. These programs as such do not need a lot of money - a slight change in the mind-set of the collective people of Kakching is needed. Should keep politics out of the children because they do not vote. There may be grants the township or municipal or local clubs can apply from New Delhi or Imphal which can be used for such programs in addition to school and local clubs. Local clubs will play an important role in this regard. Keep some quality and fun time for the teenagers after school work to hang out under bright light. That will save several innocent lives and future true leaders. Do not just ignore thinking that my child will never do such a thing or that boy is not my kid. You can't restrict your teenager whom he or she should be friends or not. They will choose their own friends and you absolutely have not control over it. Pretty scary ha! That is the real world for parents. Parenting guides do not include inside the marriage basket when your bride comes. You learn as you go from your parents and neighbors. So, you as parents should take the responsibility, and each of us makes up the neighborhood, the town and city. Charity begins at home - learn to do voluntary work at weekends or after school or work. It will go a long way. Aim for higher studies beyond the College and University system, they will find a place without paying a dime in some place around the world. This is an era of global community with electronic connection (IT world), we need not stick to Kakching to serve Kakching. You can explore the whole world. Everyone will come back to where they were born and brought up with full of knowledge and wisdom. Set them free - do not hold them back- teach them to love thy land and neighbor. Let us make sure Kakching has a good Internet connection and Electric or Solar Power. For those who are staying back at Kakching established world class schools and colleges, so that our students and parents do not have to spend huge amounts to other states. Those money can be used to boost local economy. You can spend it to local Ima Market and businesses, and sports and music clubs. Have family picnics and vacations together.
Let me finish here for today. Read on a holiday. Otherwise in pieces. It has taken longer than I thought I will. If there are spelling and grammar errors, my apologies. Good night.
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Post by Thoithoi O'Cottage on Jan 30, 2014 7:51:57 GMT 5.5
Another health hazard at Kakching is Piggery and Poultry at homes and locals. That will cause contamination, spread of disease, mosquito, malaria, encephalitis, to young child and elders whose immune system is weak. Animal farming should be done far from residential areas. Who is in charge of these activities and regulating them is curious to know? Will Kakching people accept if they were to tell not to rear animals at home. Kakching's local authority, the Municipal Council, should consider this suggestion. There should be at least some local (if not state) legislation to regulate such practices, and the law should be strictly enforced. In fact, the Municipal Council can do a lot--our constitution has given only some directives, but not dictated all their duties to the Municipal Councils and Corporations, which is good, meaning that the Councils and Corporations can do a lot as they find necessary from time to time. (To make administration easier, every one of our houses should be numbered, every road numbered, and every shop (big or small) registered. All of us should be accountable for what we do.) From time to time, the Municipal Council should invest some time thinking about the town's physical and mental design, to see what they can do about this. They should also look around the world for appropriate models. They can visit the websites of important towns across the world, subscribe to their newsletters at least for some time. Doing this, they will remain roughly updated on the current town administration fashions across the world, and they can even follow the examples of many town administrations, if they cannot design a better one for their own. This will really help them design their own website and the site's content. The people should also try to be concerned about "welfare" beyond their own homes, and connect their "welfare" with the "community's welfare". The significant changes in the last couple of decades have necessitated them to correspondingly change their outlook, though many remain in the traditional mode of thinking. However, it's just a matter of time, they will definitely change, though it better not to delay. The Municipal Council should lead the people in this. They should hold various awareness programs, thus increasing the number of people supporting change for the better. Many will/may resist initially, but they will see the reason sooner or later, and they will finally comply. So, it pays the Municipal Council DOING. In time, Kakching will witness an all-round improvement. This covers every act/gesture of cooperation shown by the people from the basic birth/death registration to shifting of piggery/poultry farming from residential areas. |
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