Shillong, Aug 8: Once considered a low-prevalence state for illicit drug use, Meghalaya is now facing a growing crisis, with new research revealing that many residents are starting drug use as early as their school years. The qualitative study, published in the Indian Journal of Public Health (April–June 2025), sheds light on the worrying trends, underlying causes, and urgent need for targeted interventions.
Conducted by Melari Shisha Nongrum, Carinthia Balabet Nengnong, Mattimi Passah (Indian Institute of Public Health, Shillong), and Bethabara Decruse, Wilson Dohling, and Safeeda G. Warjri (Meghalaya AIDS Control Society), the study interviewed 128 opioid substitution therapy (OST) clients across three high-risk districts – East Khasi Hills, West Jaiñtia Hills, and East Jaiñtia Hills – along with 17 service providers. The study was done in 2022.
The findings are stark: the mean age of initiation is 19 years, with the youngest starting at just 10 years old. Over one-third began using drugs as minors, and a quarter started during school. More than 91% of the users interviewed were male, and 80% worked in the unorganised sector, with over half having less than 10 years of schooling.
The top reasons for drug initiation were curiosity and experimentation, family problems, peer pressure, and using drugs as a de-stressor. Heroin emerged as the most commonly injected drug, with users spending anywhere between ₹500 to ₹2,000 a day – and in some cases up to ₹2,500.
Access to drugs was described as “easy,” with marketplaces and phone-based transactions serving as common sources. Participants admitted borrowing or stealing money to sustain their habit once initial peer sharing ended.
The researchers warn that Meghalaya’s drug initiation age is lower than in neighbouring high-prevalence states like Manipur and Nagaland, where it stands at 22 years. Early initiation, they note, is closely linked to long-term addiction risks and severe social and health consequences.
The study also points to a breakdown in traditional community support systems, once considered a protective factor in local tribal societies. “The absence of such support systems has led many to resort to drugs for solace,” the authors note.
While polydrug use was rare, users often switched between substances over time, moving from pills to heroin or from marijuana to heroin. The high cost and strong potency of certain drugs – nicknamed “black tiger” or “double tiger” – were seen as particularly addictive.
Meghalaya Social Welfare Minister Paul Lyngdoh recently announced that over 100 teachers are all set to be trained to become ‘counsellors’ within ten months to address the issue of drug menace from an embryonic stage of students’ life.
He said the government, through the Department of Social Welfare, is going all out in its effort to contain and eventually eradicate drugs and the menace of drug trafficking from the state of Meghalaya.
A programme organised by Drug Reduction, Elimination & Action Mission (DREAM) on August 1 in Shillong showed that communities, professionals, and the government are working hand in hand for a drug-free Meghalaya.
This unique gathering brought together an unexpected but deeply connected coalition: youth leaders (Seng Samla), traditional heads (Rangbah Shnongs), professional counsellors, and key government officials. For many, it was the first time they had shared the same space — and the same urgency.
The event marked a quiet yet powerful shift in Meghalaya’s approach to drug abuse: from punishment to healing, from isolation to inclusion, and from silence to solidarity.
The authors stress the importance of outreach in educational institutions and community spaces to curb the rising tide.
Also Read: Armed Bangladeshi gang attacks border village in South West Khasi Hills; one injured
Also Watch
Find latest news from every corner of Northeast India at hubnetwork.in, your online source for breaking news, video coverage.
Also, Follow us on-
Twitter-twitter.com/nemediahub
Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/@NortheastMediaHub2020
Instagram- www.instagram.com/ne_media_hub
Download our app from playstore – Northeast Media Hub
