The Bhutanese Leading the way.
A joint community of Gidagom and Chumithangka uprooted marijuana plants and shrubs to keep their society a drugs free zone.
The villagers discovered acres of land covered with Marijuna plant at Chumithangka village and some other place at Gigagom have become one of the major places for Marijuana collectors especially during summer.
Over 160 households from Jimina Chiwog participated in a mass Marijuna plant uprooting program organized by the Bhutan Narcotics Control Authority (BNCA). Around three acres of plants were uprooted and the plants were also burned on site.
One could easily step on a Marijuna plant just by walking on the plain ground due to the density of the plants. With the village being remote and far from the police and relevant authorities, many youths were seen collecting it according to the locals.
BNCA, Assistant Program officer, Sonam Tashi said that while they did not receive any complaints, Chumithangka under Jimina gewog is densely covered with Marijuana plants.
When they asked and discussed regarding the presences of it, many farmers said youth even come with packed lunch to get it especially during summer season like now. “If we uproot the plants now, we believe it will solve unnecessary problems in the end with such youth getting into police matters and such,” he said.
He added that the locals are briefed regarding the harmful impacts of the plant and will now clean their surroundings from the plant. Some of the farmers agree with the one-day programme to uproot Marijuana plants completely in these places.
“There are a lot of boys who come for Marijuana rubbing especially during Tshechus, festivals and even during summer vacation,” said a farmer, Pema Yangden. She even mentioned that these boys are not willing to listen to them. “We even try to chase them but they never listen to us,” she said.
Another villager, Ap Sonam said usually students come here for picnic. But I often see boys rubbing Marijuana plant. “When we tell them not to, they beg us saying that they will just take a little. I see some of them every day,” he said.
Likewise, Aum Tshering Dolma, said that a group of youth with wrapped scarf on head and mouth covered with a mask and bags comes here every day. They spend most of the times there, rubbing these plants. “Now we are happy that we could make this place drugs free by uprooting these plants,” she said.
Some of the villager even mentioned that their children are also influence by the outsiders. “Now if we see youth coming to our villager to do such things, we are going to report it to police,” one of the villagers said.
