Substance abuse among children is a child protection issue too: CJI Surya Kant

Patna: Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Saturday said substance abuse among children should be viewed not merely as a public health concern but also as a child protection issue.

Speaking at the Pataliputra Pragya Pravah lecture on Childhood Beyond Drugs: Protection, Care and Reintegration at Bihar Lok Bhavan, Justice Kant referred to a recent Lancet study and said at least one in five teenagers in India were at moderate to high risk of substance abuse.

"Substance abuse among children must be understood not only as a matter of public health concern, but as a child protection issue as well," he said.

The CJI emphasised the need for a "child-sensitive response" to addiction, saying such an approach was necessary to safeguard not only children’s physical and mental well-being but also their dignity and sense of self-worth.

Justice Kant also underlined the importance of rehabilitation and reintegration in helping children recover from the impact of substance abuse.

He said, "Restoration means creating conditions in which a child can again experience what childhood ought to provide -- education, relationship, play, trust, and the confidence of a future beyond the present difficulty."