Kohima Officials Clamp Down on Rising Drug Use in Schools

Kohima: Deputy Commissioner B. Henok Buchem met with the District Committee for the Narco Coordination Centre on July 3 to tighten the grip on illicit drugs in Kohima. Officials scrutinized pharmacy operations and hammered out plans to keep narcotics out of classrooms.

Drug inspectors verified 20 pharmacies across the district. These audits covered seven wholesalers and roughly 70 retailers to ensure they follow rules on storage and CCTV usage. Inspectors checked invoices and checked for Schedule H1 drugs. Every shop passed the test.

Police have already pinched four people in recent drug busts. Officers are pushing Drug Intervention Programmes into every colony, while schools are marking out drug-free zones. Authorities are worried about students using drugs. The School Education Department currently handles these cases with counseling, but the pressure to find better detection methods is mounting.

"The Drug Inspector explained that testing largely depends on the Forensic Science Laboratory, where limited resources often delay reports, affecting timely investigation."

The department is also banning tobacco sales near schools. Officials discussed how traffickers change their tactics and reviewed legal steps for acting on tips. The district needs faster lab results to stop the flow of drugs for good.