The Mizoram Drugs (Controlled Substances) Bill, 2016, and The Mizoram Drugs Demand Reduction Policy, 2016, will be introduced in the next session of the State legislature, according to State Social Welfare Minister P C Lalthanliana.
Addressing a function on Tuesday on drug abuse prevention awareness programme organised by the Federation of Indian NGOs for Drug Abuse Programme (FINGODAP), Mr Lalthanliana said the two Bills have been approved by the State Cabinet.
Officials said though the State Social Welfare department has been appointed as the nodal department for the proposed new legislation, the State Police and the Excise and Narcotics department officials would enforce the new laws.
The proposed legislations were meant for stringent punishment for violators of drug laws and to include clinical drugs widely abused by the youths of the State.
Meanwhile, drug-related deaths in the State due to heroin has shown radical increase this year with 30 deaths since January 1 till October 2, according to the records of the State Excise and Narcotics department.
The records said 52 people died in the State due to drugs of which 30 were due to heroin, while 21 people died due to use of multiple drugs and one died due to parvon spas.
This year saw the highest number of deaths due to use of heroin since 1984 when the first drug death was identified and recorded, followed by 11 deaths in 2009, except for two years, the heroin-related death never rose to two digits in the last 32 years.
Parvon spas and spasmo proxyvon, prominent painkillers, have caused deaths of 1,116 people, while heroin killed 139 during the same period. - PTI
The proposed legislations would mean stringent punishment for violators
