Stress on Need to End Drug Culture

MANGALORE: An interaction programme on drug abuse in college campuses organised by the Commissionnerate of Police in Mangalore on Thursday, drew an overwhelming response from heads of educational institutions, medical experts and students.The programme organised in the background of a teenager being admitted to a hospital for ‘detoxification’ and an alarming increase in number of drug addicts, emphasised on a collective responsibility of parents, heads of institutions, students and police, to root out drug culture in Mangalore.“Each college should conduct regular medical checkup for students to track drug abuse,” a suggestion submitted by a student of Besant College was hailed as a ‘bright and good idea’ by Commissioner of Police Seemant Kumar Singh.But experts in medicine remained skeptical, pointing out that the idea would be expensive if it were to be conducted on a regular basis.Link de-addiction Centre director Dr Satish Rao said teenagers starting from the age of 14 are more vulnerable to drug menace. Canara First Grade College principal Prof GN Bhat said many shops close to the college act as a front to peddle drugs. A student of Canara College Abhishek rued the fact that most shop owners encourage underage students to smoke.Agreeing with the student, Karnataka Polytechnic principal Jayakumar urged the police to strictly implement the High Court order banning tobacco products in a 100 metre radius of educational institutions.St Aloysius College principal Fr Swebert D’Silva believes parents need to be educated on identifying whether their children are addicted to drugs. The college cannot exercise any control when the students are outside the campus, he pointed out. Ramakrishna College principal Naveen Shetty too felt that parents needed to be vigilant.