In the fight against drug trafficking, India has inked 26 bilateral pacts and two security cooperation agreements, and issued 15 memoranda of understanding with various international partners. These agreements are highly critical as they seek to combat the unlawful trade of narcotics, drugs, psychotropic substances, and chemical precursors.
The Escalating Drug Menace in India
Drug addiction, especially among the youth, has become a major concern in India, a country sandwiched between the world’s largest opium-producing regions – the Golden Triangle comprising Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Laos, and the Golden Crescent encompassing Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran. The World Drug Report 2021 highlights that prescription drugs and their ingredients, or ‘precursors,’ are being increasingly diverted for recreational use in India, the largest manufacturer of generic drugs globally. India’s connection with shipments of drugs sold in 19 significant darknet markets analysed from 2011 to 2020 further adds to this problem.
An Insight into Substance Abuse in India
According to a report titled “Magnitude of Substance Use in India,” released by the All India Institute Of Medical Science (AIIMS) in 2019, approximately 5 crore Indians admitted to using cannabis and opioids at the survey time. The report estimated there are about 8.5 lakh people who inject drugs, with more than half of the total cases stemming from states like Punjab, Assam, Delhi, Haryana, Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim, and Uttar Pradesh. It also suggested that around 60 lakh individuals require help for their opioid use problems.
Counteractive Measures in Place
Various steps have been taken to mitigate this pressing issue. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has coordinated with several international organisations for sharing information and intelligence to combat transnational drug trafficking. The NCORD mechanism established by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in 2016 promotes coordination between various Central and State Agencies for efficient drug law enforcement. Moreover, to digitise pan-India drug seizure data, MHA launched the ‘SIMS’ e-portal in 2019 for all drug law enforcement agencies.
Initiatives towards Drug Control
The National Fund for Control of Drug Abuse was created to finance efforts aimed at combating illicit drug traffic, rehabilitating addicts, and raising public awareness against drug abuse. Regular surveys are conducted to measure drug trends in India. Notably, Project Sunrise was launched in 2016 to tackle rising HIV prevalence, particularly among people injecting drugs in north-eastern states.
Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act
The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, (NDPS) 1985 prohibits a person from producing, possessing, selling, purchasing, transporting, storing, and/or consuming any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance. This law has been amended three times since its enactment and applies to all Indian citizens, regardless of their locations, and individuals aboard Indian-registered ships and aircrafts.
‘Nasha Mukt Bharat’, Drug-Free India Campaign
This campaign emphasizes community outreach programs in a bid to create a drug-free society.
International Treaties and Conventions
India has signed several international treaties and conventions to counter the drug menace, including United Nations (UN) Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961), UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances (1971), and UN Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (1988).
The Way Forward
While stern actions are required to curb supply, imposing harsher NDPS Act penalties, or enhancing drug enforcement, it is equally important to address the demand side of the issue. Society needs to perceive addiction as an ailment, not a character flaw, reducing the stigma associated with drug use and treating drug users as victims, not criminals. Education curriculums should integrate topics on drug addiction, its effects, and de-addiction process. Ensuring stricter enforcement by police officers, excise, and narcotics department and providing proper counselling are key to combat this national issue.