AIZAWL, Jan 10: Mizoram
has witnessed an increase in
drug-related deaths during
the last three years with
heroin emerging as the
biggest single killer drug.
Mizoram Excise and
Narcotics department said
that drugs killed 65 people
in the State during 2017, of
which 28 were due to
heroin. Pharmaceutical
drugs were cause of death
for the remaining 37, highlyplaced
sources said.
The department informed
that heroin has claimed one
so far this year.
The first drug-related
death was recorded by
Excise and Narcotics
department in 1984. Since
then, the department has
recorded drug-related
deaths at 1,305. Of these,
163 were women.
Since the early 1990s,
pharmaceutical drugs like
Spasmo-proxyvon and
Parvon spas, painkiller
drugs, were the major cause
of drug-related deaths in
Mizoram.
Painkillers Spasmoproxyvon
and Parvon spas
were the biggest killers,
causing 1,167 deaths during
the last 30 years. Heroin
emerged as the biggest
killer over the last few years
after the ban on manufacturing
of painkillers Spasmo
proxyvon and Parvon spas,
the sources said.
Supply Reduction Service
(SRS), a voluntary anti-drug
squad of Young Mizo
Association, said that heroin
has made a major comeback
in Mizoram following a ban
on drugs like Spasmo
proxyvon and Parvon spas.
According to SRS
convener R Lalngheta,
opening of wine shops in
Aizawl and other district
capitals under the new
liquor law, also contributed
to the increase in the
quantity of heroin in the
local market.
A lot of people who used
to sell country-made liquor
on the outskirts of Aizawl
have switched to peddling
heroin. Those from Myanmar
who used to smuggle
beer into Mizoram also
switched to heroin, he said.
The SRS alone had seized
drugs worth Rs 11.65 crore,
mostly heroin, since the
anti-drug squad was revived
in April 2015.
Ever since these drugs
are no longer manufactured,
many addicts have now
opted for heroin, the
volunteer said.
It was the comeback of
heroin that prompted SRS
back into action in April
2014, after a few years of
suspension.
Heroin is smuggled into
Mizoram from Myanmar
through the porous international
border. -Assam Tribune
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