Family members of 30 addicted youth from across the district participated in the meeting and assured full cooperation to police.
Jammu and Kashmir Police is planning to open part-time counseling centres for drug addicts in Reasi district, a senior officer said on Monday, warning stern action including booking of narcotics peddlers under Public Safety Act to counter the menace.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Reasi, Shailender Singh sought cooperation of the parents whose children have become drug addicts and said anyone willing to give up the drug abuse would be recommended to drug de-addiction centres for their rehabilitation in to the mainstream.
“Police are working on a multi-pronged strategy to deal with the problem of drug abuse among the youth. On the one hand 250 drug peddlers and abusers have been booked in 206 cases registered in the last nine months, on the other hand, police are working on rehabilitation of the addicts so that they successfully shun the path of drug abuse,” the officer said.
Singh was chairing an interaction between police officers and parents of addicted youth in the lawns of district police office Reasi. “Police are planning for the opening of a part time counselling centre for (drug) addicts in Reasi and parents should bring their children to attend counseling sessions,” the SSP said.
He said to eradicate the drug menace from the society and to save the future generations the citizens should strengthen the anti-narcotics drive of police and must contribute in the war against drug peddlers. “The drug addicts who are ready to give up shall be recommended to de-addiction centres for their rehabilitation to mainstream,” he said adding the drug peddlers involved in the dirty business should refrain from such type of activities otherwise they shall be dealt with more strictly under law and shall be booked under PSA in near future.
Describing drug abuse as a “major challenge”, the SSP said the addiction is a disease and the family members are the first to know about this problem. "Without the support of family, police cannot eradicate the menace. So family members should come forward and join hands with police against drug abuse,” he said.
A police spokesman said all parents expressed their willingness to join hands with law enforcement agencies and were enthusiastic to help children to come out of addiction.
With inputs from PTI.