Lal calls for stronger youth drug prevention

Opposition Member of Parliament Virendra Lal is demanding a more robust strategy to prevent children and young people from becoming addicted to alcohol and drugs. Lal believes the government must shift its focus from solely treating addiction to addressing the underlying factors that expose youth to substance abuse.

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If we concentrate our resources on treating young people after they have become addicted, while failing to address the circumstances that expose them to drugs and alcohol, then we will continue dealing with the consequences rather than the causes.

"If we concentrate our resources on treating young people after they have become addicted, while failing to address the circumstances that expose them to drugs and alcohol, then we will continue dealing with the consequences rather than the causes," Lal stated in Parliament. He emphasized that prevention efforts must begin much earlier, extending into schools, homes, and communities.

Lal advocates for a comprehensive approach that includes stronger families, improved counseling services, effective school-based interventions, and enhanced cooperation among educators, parents, health professionals, religious organizations, community leaders, and law enforcement. He stressed that the response to substance abuse cannot start only when a young person enters rehabilitation.

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Government must have a much stronger prevention strategy that reaches our schools, homes, settlements, villages and communities before a child becomes another rehabilitation case.

Children's Minister Sashi Kiran acknowledged the need for expanded services, noting that the government is developing specialized support for street-connected children and providing recovery assistance through partnerships with the Salvation Army. However, Lal insists that prevention remains paramount to tackling the issue at its roots.

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This means our response cannot begin when a young person enters a rehabilitation facility. It must begin much earlier, with stronger families, better counselling services, effective school-based intervention and greater cooperation between teachers, parents, health professionals, religious organisations, community leaders and law enforcement agencies.