Delhi government organises programme on substance abuse

With the aim to create awareness about substance abuse, the Delhi government on Wednesday organised a capacity building programme for about 3,500 teachers.

The programme, inaugurated by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the presence of Delhi High Court judge Justice Mukta Gupta, was organised by the SCERT at Thyagaraj Sports Complex.

Sisodia, during his speech, asked the teachers to mould the direction of the students to different kind of creative and positive addictions like dance, music, study, painting and social work.

The aim of this programme was to create awareness among teachers regarding substance abuse as its magnitude is increasing day by day, said a statement from the government.

Substance abuse refers to the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol and illicit drugs which can result in a dependence syndrome.

During the programme experts from the Delhi State Legal Service Authority, AIIMS, Directorate of Health Services, Psychologists and NGOs took sessions on different issues, including identification and management of substance use among school children and intervention strategies for drug abusers.

The SCERT also brought out a handbook on "Substance Abuse".

--IANS

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