NGO to start anti-drug campaign for Dombivli youths

With the drug popularly known as Meow Meow (mephedrone) purring its way among the youth, the elders have decided to take it upon themselves to keep youngsters away from drugs. They plan to make nearly 10,000 youths in Kalyan take a pledge to stay away from narcotic substances.

Come 2015, Dombivli youths will hear more and more of anti-drug slogans and witness clips and street plays associated with it as local NGO Eagle Brigade plans to create mass awareness against drug use.

"Our concentrated campaign, which starts from New Year Day will be targetted at the youth," said Vishvanath Bilwalkar, NGO founder. "We will visit colleges and coaching classes in Dombivli."

Under this campaign, students will be shown a clipping on drug abuse and its harmful effects made by noted filmmaker Sai Paranjpe. There will also be street plays and messages sent via WhatsApp to create awareness.

The Eagle Brigade, which has 30 women and 40-50 male members, is involved in a lot of social causes. "This year, we picked drug abuse as I have seen a lot of people and professionals with good background destroyed due to drug use," said Biwalkar. "We believe somebody is targetting our youths and weakening them. That is why there is so much supply of drugs in the market."

Apart from Meow Meow, also called as M-Cat, methamphitamine, marijuana and opium, there are some drugs which available over the counter — tranza I, which is used as a painkiller, pethidine synthetic, and white ink or thinner among others — that are used by drug users.

"We will visit medical stores to find out if anyone suspicious is buying these medicines. We also ask stationary shops to be a little discriminatory if somebody asks for white ink or thinner," he said.