779 youth have died in the past 10 years because of drug abuse which has assumed alarming proportions, Health and Family Welfare Minister F Malsawma said in Aizawl. He said a section of illegal migrants from Myanmar, which is close to the Golden Triangle’, had been engaged in smuggling and peddling of drugs in the  State.

“These notorious Myarmarese, who are into this illegal business of drugs and other psychotropic substances, adopt a common method to lure youngsters into their trap. They first sell it very cheap so that the inquisitive people can afford it from their pocket money. Once they get hooked, they are made to cough up huge sums for the same small quantity”, Malsawma said.

The menace has been alarming the State with many a household having been impoverished over the years for trying desperately to sustain the lives of drug addicts in the family. Along with abuse of drug, the Mizo youngsters have taken to sedatives available in the drug stores.

To tackle the menace, the Mizoram Government has invoked the Assam Drug Control Act, 1950. The coordination between Mizoram police and Central narcotics agencies has been strengthened to check drug availability.

“This is the heaviest price we have to pay for having a border with neighbouring Myanmar. Earlier, drugs smuggled from Myanmar through our State used to find their way to the outside world through Bangladesh but today a certain amount of these contraband is consumed within the State,” Malsawma added.

In his view   there is a positive side vis-a-vis infiltration  from Myanmar. Mizo farmers along the border with Myanmar, get cheap field labourers and domestic help from amongst these infiltrators. The minister said that all the political parties of Mizoram would have to evolve consensus for stopping infiltration from across the Myanmar border.

On its part the Mizoram Government has chalked out a plan to encourage border trade with Myanmar and Bangladesh through official channels. Two border trade points are under construction at Zoukhawthar along the border with Myanmar and at Kawpuichhurah along the border with Bangladesh.

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