Kochi is 3rd largest drug abuse hub: Rishiraj Singh

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Excise commissioner, Rishiraj Singh has said that recent studies have revealed that after Amritsar and Pune, our own Kochi is the third largest drug abuse hub of the country. Hence, we need an all-out effort to get out from this menace.
The excise department is on a determined drive to nab drug abusers and traffickers, and in the last two weeks alone as many as 1,000 cases have been registered and 950 people have been taken into custody under these charges.
The excise department is installing complaint or information boxes in school and colleges in Kerala, where students can drop in tips that could lead to tracking down drug peddlers selling to students, said Rishiraj Singh. “I plan to visit around 100 schools personally to spread awareness about drug and alcohol abuse, and several excise officers will make visits to 1500 other schools in the coming weeks” he added.
Meanwhile excise minister T P Ramakrishnan said that past data suggested that children are introduced to drug abuse at an average age of 21, but most recent data has lowered the bar to 14. Apart from health concerns and fatality, drug abuse has a direct correlation with crime.