CADA scoffs at MDA

IMPHAL, Feb 23: The Committee Against Drugs and Alcohol (CADA) has lashed out at Manipur Democratic Alliance (MDA) stating that supporting the legalisation of ganja/cannabis just to gain political mileage is highly condemnable and totally uncalled for.
A statement issued by the secretary, information and publicity, CADA today reasoned that if ganja/cannabis is legalised in Manipur, then it will only create even more problems for the small State which is presently reeling under the burden of drugs and substance abuse.
Legalising ganja just because it is legal in some developed countries like Canada, will only lead to disaster for the future generations. CADA and the people will never accept such a decision which will result in more problems, when instead the authorities should be focusing on how to the rid the drug menace.
Pointing fingers at some people, under the garb of political parties, coming out in support for legalisation of ganja just for their own vested interests, CADA labelled their justification/support as being totally nonsense and lacking any merit.
It mentioned that if MDA had made analytical statements about the pros and cons about legalisation of ganja, it would have been welcomed.
However, coming out in support from a one-sided point of view is completely wrong on part of the MDA, it added.
Asking if there are no other medicinal plants in Manipur except ganja, CADA questioned if MDA does not realise that Manipur is a bio-diversity hot-spot teeming with more than 1000 varieties of medicinal plants.
On the other hand, CADA argued that the State Government, which prides itself in its war against drugs, should also act as per its assurances and not the opposite.
The reasoning that ganja cultivation will eradicate illegal poppy cultivation borders on the absurd. There needs to be a Government policy to stop the practice of poppy plantation. Without any proper policy, some small scale drives against poppy plantation at some locations of the State and publishing about it in the media, will not be able to curb illegal poppy plantation, CADA asserted.
Instead of rooting for sincere and well thought out methods or plans to curb poppy plantation, MDA's statement that ganja plantation should be encouraged, is extremely dangerous and uncalled for, CADA concluded.