There should be stringent legislation against drug menace

Aizawl, Aug 13 (PTI) Mizoram's state level apex coordination committee on drugs today proposed that a stringent 'Mizoram Drugs Control Act' be legislated to effectively combat the drug menace in the state.

The committee, headed by Van Hela Pachuau, the chief secretary, was of the opinion that the Assam Drug Control Act, 1950 and the Drugs and Cosmetic Act, 1940 in force in the state, were ineffective to fight drugs problems.

It also proposed to approach the Centre for amendment to the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 as the act had lost its teeth.

More than a thousand youth have died in the state due to drug abuse since 1984 when the first drug-related death was reported.

The highest annual death was 149 in 2004. Around 90 per cent of the vicitms died due to abuse of spasmo proxyvon, a painkiller.