A surge of attention has recently been drawn to several villages within Jodhpur district’s Bilara block in Rajasthan, where the local community has initiated a determined stand against drug addiction among their youth. This grassroots action features a boycott of individuals indulging in alcohol, tobacco, and narcotics use and has established stringent penalties for both sellers and buyers of these substances.
Understanding Drug Addiction
Drug addiction pertains to the compulsive dependency on drugs, notably narcotic drugs which are typically illegal and influence an individual’s mood and behavior drastically. These substances are often abused for their capacity to stimulate pleasurable effects on the user’s brain. Currently, there are an estimated 190 million drug users globally with rising statistics, alarmingly so, among young adults below 30 years of age.
The Threat of Drug Addiction in India
India is grappling with rampant drug addiction among its youth. Geographically, India is situated between two of the largest opium-producing regions globally – the Golden Triangle (comprising Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Laos) and the Golden Crescent (inclusive of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran).
According to the report titled ‘Magnitude of Substance Use in India’, published by the All India Institute Of Medical Science (AIIMS) in 2019, alcohol is the most frequently abused substance in India. Approximately 5 crore Indians were reported to have used cannabis and opioids during the survey conducted in 2018. The report further estimates that there are around 8.5 lakh individuals who inject drugs.
Reasons and Impact of Drug Abuse
Factors such as peer pressure, growing economic stress, evolving cultural values, neurotic pleasure, experimentation, and ineffective policing contribute significantly to drug abuse. The associated consequences include higher risk of injuries, medical issues, domestic violence incidents, wasted economic potential, strained relationships, increased financial burdens, aggravated health conditions, and even the possibility of criminal actions and suicidal tendencies.
Challenges to Counteract Drug Addiction
There are various hurdles that need to be overcome in the battle against drug addiction. Legal drugs like tobacco often serve as gateway drugs for minors experimenting with substance use. Furthermore, there is an evident lack of reliable rehabilitation centers, and even NGOs operating de-addiction centers have been unable to provide necessary treatment and therapy.
Efforts by the Government
To combat drug addiction, the government has launched several initiatives, including the formation of the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD), reinstitution of the scheme of Financial Assistance to States for Narcotics Control, development of Seizure Information Management System (SIMS), creation of the National Fund for Control of Drug Abuse, and launching of the Nasha Mukt Bharat, or Drug-Free India Campaign.
The legal framework to tackle drug abuse includes the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, (NDPS) 1985, which has undergone amendments thrice – in 1988, 2001 and 2014.
The International Perspective
India is a signatory on several international efforts to fight drug abuse. These include the United Nations (UN) Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961), the UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances (1971), the UN Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (1988), and the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) 2000.
Way Forward: Changing Perception and Implementing Measures
Society must recognize that drug addicts are not criminals; rather, they are victims. Strict implementation of the NDPS Act, inclusive education around drug addiction, proper counseling, and political decisions, such as alcohol prohibition, may form vital parts of the solution in the fight against drug menace.
