Chandigarh: NCB organises bike rally to raise awareness for addiction-free country

Chandigarh [India], June 23 : Ahead of International Day against drug abuse and drug trafficking, which is scheduled on June 26, the Narcotics Control Bureau organised a bike rally to raise awareness for an addiction-free India in the presence of Deputy Director General Neeraj Kumar Gupta on Saturday.
Neeraj Kumar Gupta, Deputy Director General (Special Wing) NCB, said, "NCB as a national coordination agency, has been working on an everyday basis since 1987 to fight against drugs. We all are facing this problem. It is a war against drugs. NCB, apart from doing the enforcement work, is also involved in the awareness exercise because, until the public is participating in the process of 'Nasha Mukt Bharat', we will not be able to achieve it."
He further said that the NCB is conducting various programmes to make the public aware and have a decisive fight against the drug.
"Though NCB does this kind of awareness programme every day in one or another place, from the last 15 days, starting June 12 we are celebrating the "Nasha Mukt Bharat Pakhwara" wherein all the 30 zones in India in coordination with local agencies and the public is celebrating the International Day against the drug abuse and drug trafficking which is scheduled on June 26. NCB is conducting various programmes to make the public aware so that we can have a decisive fight against the drug," he added.
He further said that drug addicts should be treated as patients and not criminals.
He further said, "Drug addicts are not criminals. They are the victims of the drugs. If there is a drug addict in the house, then the person should be supported. Treat it as a disease and help him come out of it. Take him to a de-addiction centre and conduct a counselling."
The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, or World Drug Day, is marked on 26 June every year to strengthen action and cooperation in achieving a world free of drug abuse.