Delhi Police mulls setting up of SHGs to spread awareness on drug abuse

New Delhi: The Delhi Police is mulling over setting up self-help groups to dissuade youngsters from falling prey to drug abuse.

On the occasion of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, various programmes were conducted by the police to spread awareness about the issue.

According to a senior police officer, people will be trained to dissuade their peers from falling prey to drug abuse.

These people, who will caution others, will be identified from areas where drug menace is rampant. This will help the police in reaching out to more people and creating awareness about it, he said.

For the last eight months, police officers have been visiting schools to set up such self-help groups. In some of those schools, they have identified students who might be prone to substance abuse.

According to the Delhi Police, this year, the national capital has seen a rise in cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

Between 1 January and 15 May, 2016, 102 cases were registered under the act while this year, during the same period, that number has gone up to 130. The number of arrests has also risen to 151 from 122 in the corresponding period last year, it said.

Heroin seizure has almost doubled while among the low-income groups, cannabis is most popular, followed by opium and cocaine, police said.