MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar speaks on Growing menace of drug abuse amongst children - 19 July 2018

THERE IS A NEED FOR A STRONG NATIONAL LEVEL MISSION THAT INCLUDES LAWS PRESCRIBING HARSH PENALTIES FOR DRUG PEDDLING, DRUG CONSUMPTION AND SALE: MP RAJEEV CHADRASEKHAR ~~~URGES THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA TO INTERVENE IN THIS MATTER URGENTLY~~~ ~~MP RAISES THE MATTER OF GROWING MENACE OF DRUG ABUSE AMONGST CHILDREN IN BENGALURU IN THE RAJYA SABHA ZERO – HOUR - 19TH JULY 2018 AS A MATTER OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE. ~~ 19th July 2018, New Delhi: Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar today raised the issue of the growing Drug Menace amongst the Children in Bangalore during the Zero Hour today. TRANSCRIPT OF HIS SPEECH: “In the light of an ongoing discussion in Karnataka Legislative Assembly about Drug menace especially in Bengaluru where Bengaluru is increasingly known as drug capital in South India, the assembly discussed the measures they would be taking under the ‘Goonda Act’ i.e. The Karnataka Prevention of Dangerous Activities of Bootleggers, Drug-Offenders, Gamblers, Goondas; Act, 1985, to control the problem of drug abuse amongst children in my city of Bengaluru Sir. Sir, The Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (IGICH) and National Institute of Mental Health and Neurological Sciences (NIMHANS) have been raising cautioning about the rising trend of large amount of drug addicted children that are visiting them for consultation and cure. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Bengaluru, in the last two years has given clear indication of rampant drug abuse and the rise of it in my city. In February 2018 Sir, officers of NCB Bangalore Zonal Unit seized 36.6 kg of Marijuana from a Bus Stand, 28.060 Kgs at yet another bus stop, these are a few of the latest reported cases of a surge in drug use and trafficking in our city. Sir, according to NCB officials, youngsters are more vulnerable to drug addiction. Drug peddlers know this and prey mostly on them. The network of peddlers are not just well connected in Bengaluru and other cities in Karnataka, they are also connected with other cities in the South of India. It’s about time something is done before the situation gets irreversible and a whole generation of children become addicts. There is a need for a strong national level mission that includes laws prescribing harsh penalties for drug peddling, drug consumption and sale. I request the Government of India to intervene in this Sir. - MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha