Youth seeks police help to overcome drug addiction

Kochi: Amid rising reports of youths falling into drug abuse, a young man in Malappuram took the rare step of voluntarily approaching police seeking help in overcoming his addiction.

In a video widely shared online, the youth can be seen talking to policemen. "I want to get out of it. I got trapped. It (addiction) was increasing and started to create a problem when I was not getting it (drugs). I started to become mentally distressed. I was trying to quit when I came across the anti-drug campaign of the Tanur police. I felt like talking about it and getting help," he said.

Tanur DSP P Pramod said that he had attended a few meetings, and those who attended the meetings would have told the youth about it. He was encouraged by them to seek help and get out of the addiction. He came to the office after he decided to seek help. He was moved to a de-addiction centre and agreed to undergo a one-month treatment. Pramod added that such prevention is better than taking action after a crime happens.

"Attacking such persons and exiling them from the area temporarily wouldn't solve the problem. The solution is treatment," Pramod told reporters.