Kochi: With drug abuse cases among students showing a sharp rise over the recent years, the excise department this time has decided to directly reach out to the parents and teachers. The department has started taking awareness programme on the role of parents in properly guiding their children by holding special PTA meetings in Ernakulam district. "An analysis of drug abuse cases revealed that the drug cartels are now targeting children who could be easy preys. The parents could do a lot in diverting the children's energy in creative activities to observing a change in their behaviour," said K.A. Nelson, deputy commissioner of excise, Ernakulam.
The department aims to cover a total of 226 government and aided schools in the district before the schools reopen on June 1. "The first drop is the most dangerous one. Often the reason will be peer pressure. The parents should make their kids capable of saying 'No's on such situations. For this, they should strike a good relationship with their children and indulge in purposeful conversations at least once daily," the officer said.
Meanwhile, special squads with personnel in plain clothes will be deployed on the premises of schools identified as "most vulnerable" upon the reopening of schools in another couple of weeks. The department is also planning to set up a de-addiction and counselling centre for school children at the excise complex here, using the funds allocated under the VIMUKTI programme. As per figures, an average 75 cases for drug peddling is being registered per month in the last year with the offenders mainly including school and college students.
