Collector opens second phase of Dream anti-drug initiative

District Collector Anu Kumari inaugurated the second phase of the Dream (Drug Rehabilitation Education and Mentoring) initiative of the Don Bosco Veedu Society and BREADS (Bangalore Rural Educational and Development Society) here on Monday.

In her address, the Collector said Kerala should not be in the race to be counted among States where drug abuse has been wreaking havoc in society. Drug abuse had to be controlled diligently in society, especially among adolescents and the youth.

Families growing slower

The Collector observed that some changes in society were contributing to a spurt in drug abuse. As families grew smaller and more people entered the workforce, the productive time spent by parents with their children was reducing by leaps and bounds. There was also a lack of avenues for children to spend their energy productively, be it playgrounds, vacant plots, or parks.

Even schools lacked playgrounds. Even if they did, students were burdened by academic and extra-curricular activities. The use of smartphones, not for productive purposes, but for addictive and impulsive scrolling and swiping was also affecting chidlren’s concentration. It was also being used to ensure supply of drugs through dark web and online delivery mechanisms, Ms. Anu Kumari pointed out.

Girls also addicted

Girls and women too were increasingly becoming addicted to drugs, not just boys, she said, calling for concerted effort from all stakeholders to protect the children and the youth from the scourge of drugs. Fr. Thomas P.D., State director, Dream II, said the initiative would be implemented in 10 districts of the State till 2029. It would build on the gains of Dream I that ran from 2021 to 2025.

Lack of facilities

The State, he noted, still lacked adequate treatment and rehabilitation centres, especially for those under the age of 18. Nor were there enough facilities to provide continuous care for those who had completed treatment and had returned to society. Prevention activities were often taken up in isolation, while training for teachers, parents, and counsellors in prevention of drub abuse was inadequate.

Dream II, Fr. Thomas said, would focus on strengthening prevention-support mechanisms in schools and society; capacity building of officials in departments such as education, health, and governance in prevention and early identification of drug abuse; counselling, mentoring, deaddiction, including digital deaddiction; and data management, impact assessment, and long-term sustainability through government-CSR partnership.

The results of an expert group discussion as part a district-level stakeholders’ workshop were presented on the occasion. Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights member Cicily Joseph; Mohan Raj, chairperson, Thiruvananthapuram child welfare committee; Fr. Sebastian Kalambadan, rector, Don Bosco Veedu; Fr. Philip Parakatt, director, Don Bosco Sadan; and Greeshma Joseph N., State coordinator, Dream II, were present.