Drug Addiction – UPSC GS2

Punjab facing serious problem of drug addiction. Almost Half of the under trials and convicts in Punjab are jailed under Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

India is sandwiched between two largest Opium producing regions of the world that is the Golden triangle on one side and the Golden crescent on other.

The golden triangle area comprises Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam and Laos.

The golden crescent area includes Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran.

Alcohol is the most abused substance in India.

Around 5 crore Indians reported to have used cannabis and opioids at the time of the survey (conducted in the year 2018).

It has been estimated that there are about 8.5 lakh people who inject drugs.

Of the total cases estimated by the report, more than half of them are contributed by states like Punjab, Assam, Delhi, Haryana, Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim and Uttar Pradesh.

About 60 lakh people are estimated to need help for their opioid use problems.

To be accepted by the peers.

Increasing economic stress.

Changing cultural values.

Experimentation.

Neurotic pleasure.

Ineffective Policing.

Higher risk of unintentional injuries, accidents, domestic violence incidents, medical problems, and death.

Economic potential gets wasted.

Affects relationships with family, friends creating emotional and social problems

Increases financial burden.

Drug abuse seriously affects our health, security, peace and development.

Increase in diseases like Hepatitis B and C, Tuberculosis

Drug dependence, low self esteem, hopelessness can lead to criminal action and even suicidal tendencies.

Legally Available Drugs: Such as tobacco is a huge problem which is usually seen as a gateway drug which children take just to experiment with.

Lack of Availability of Rehabilitation Centres: There is a lack of rehabilitation centres. Also, NGOs operating de-addiction centres in the country, have failed to provide the required kind of treatment and therapy.

Smuggling of Drugs: Smuggling of drugs through the states like Punjab, Assam and Uttar Pradesh which share the border with neighbouring countries.

It constituted the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) in November, 2016 and revived the scheme of “Financial Assistance to States for Narcotics Control”.

Narcotics Control Bureau has been provided funds for developing a new software i.e. Seizure Information Management System (SIMS) which will create a complete online database of drug offences and offenders.

The government has constituted a fund called “National Fund for Control of Drug Abuse” to meet the expenditure incurred in connection with combating illicit traffic in Narcotic Drugs; rehabilitating addicts, and educating the public against drug abuse, etc.

The government is also conducting a National Drug Abuse Survey to measure trends of drug abuse in India through the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment with the help of National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre of AIIMS.

‘Project Sunrise’ was launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 2016, to tackle the rising HIV prevalence in north-eastern states in India, especially among people injecting drugs.

The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, (NDPS) 1985: It prohibits a person from producing, possessing, selling, purchasing, transporting, storing, and/or consuming any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance.

The NDPS Act has since been amended thrice – in 1988, 2001 and 2014.

The Act extends to the whole of India and it applies also to all Indian citizens outside India and to all persons on ships and aircraft registered in India.

Government has also announced the launch of the ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat’, or Drug-Free India Campaign which focuses on community outreach programs.

India is signatory of the following International treaties and conventions to combat the menace of Drug Abuse: