Drug Menace: Issues and Challenges

Relevance: mains: G.S Paper III : science and technology: Health:

Current Affairs

The International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking Day is observed annually on 26 June. Through a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly in order to strengthen global action and cooperation to achieve its aim of making the international society free of drug abuse.

This year’s theme ‘Health for Justice, Justice for Health’ emphasizes that justice and health are “two sides of the same coin” when it comes to addressing the problems associated with drugs.

 

 

AIIMS submitted its report “Magnitude of Substance Use in India” that was sponsored by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. 

The study found that around 5 crore Indians reported to have used cannabis and opiods at the time of the survey. About 60 lakh people are estimated to need help for their opioid use problems and nationally, it is 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 Assam, Delhi, Haryana, Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim and Uttar Pradesh. Punjab ranks consistently at the top or in the top five in many of the surveys conducted.

 

DRUG MENACE

India being located between two high drug producing regions e.i Golden Crescent in the west and Golden Triangle in the east, is highly vulnerable to drug trafficking.

• 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.

• More and more children are taking to alcohol consumption and the highest percentage of children who are addicted to alcohol are in Punjab followed by West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.

Reasons

• Stress Buster:
  • Sometimes students tend to get into drugs if they are in a technical institute (medical or engineering), because of their studies or work pressure. Such students are generally alone and away from homes, therefore to cope up with all the stress around them, they end up using drugs.
  • Also, students coming from other states find it difficult to cope up in metropolitan cities like Delhi.
  • It is generally seen that an unemployed youth, out of frustration, ends up in taking drugs.
• Peer pressure and other psychological factors can cause teens to engage in risky behaviours, leading to substance abuse.
  • Youth can get attracted to the glamour attached to drug taking.
  • Sometimes also, out of fun or in order to experiment, a youth ends up in taking drugs.
  • When children see their elder ones consuming drugs, they also try to do the same.
• Suffering and deprivation: People in the lower income group who cannot have an adequate amount of food, take drugs to sleep or relax.
• Drug subculture that is prevalent in the country.
• Flaws in the legal system:
  • The cause behind drug menace is the drug cartels, crime syndicates and ultimately the ISI which is the biggest supplier of drugs.
    • Rave parties have been reported in the country where intake of narcotic substances is observed.
    • These parties are orchestrated by the drug syndicates who have their own vested interests.
    • Social media plays an important role in organising these parties.
    • The police have not been able to control such parties.
    • Smuggling of drugs through the states like Punjab, Assam and Uttar Pradesh which share the border with neighbouring countries.
  • Normal food products like noodles, pan masala and gutka laced with drugs are sold to school and college students.
  • The African as well as the South-Asian route being misused to bring drugs into the country.
• Ill Effects of Drug abuse:
  • Drug abuse seriously affects our health, security, peace and development.
  • It can increase risk of HIV, hepatitis and t
  • Drug dependence, low self esteem, hopelessness can lead to criminal action and even suicidal tendencies.
  • Massive amount of life is lost due to abusive drug use.
  • Higher risk of unintentional injuries, accidents, domestic violence incidents, medical problems, and death.
  • Illicit drugs may pose various risks for pregnant women and their babies.

 

Recent move by the government done in this regard.

1. 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.
2. 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 public against drug abuse.
3. For effective coordination with foreign countries, India has signed 37 Bilateral Agreements/Memorandum of Understanding.
4. The government approved new Reward Guidelines with increased quantum of reward for interdiction or seizure of different illicit drugs.
5. It constituted Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) and revived the scheme of “Financial Assistance to States for Narcotics Control”.
6. The government is also conducting National Drug Abuse Survey to measure trends of drug abuse in India through Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment with the help of National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre of AIIMS.
7. The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, prohibit a person to produce, possess, sell, purchase, transport, store, and/or consume 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.

Status of drug de-addiction centres:

• Rampant irregularities and torture of inmates are prevalent at New Delhi’s de-addiction centres.
• An inspection report submitted by Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) revealed how inmates are being ill-treated, subjected to sexual and physical torture, asked to perform sexual favors, and not allowed to contact their families.
• Most of the centres do not have adequate infrastructure, including toilets and ventilation.
• The report also alleged some inmates have allegedly died from the torture they were subjected to.
• The right of basic human dignity of persons desperately in need of care and treatment is being violated with impunity.
• Violations of fundamental rights to life, liberty and dignity, as enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution.
• There are unauthorised and illegally run centres, charging money and subjecting such persons to inhumane and degrading treatment.

 

Concerns / Challenges:

• The major challenge is the alarming increase of alcohol and drug addiction.
• Drug abuse has become common in children and adolescents and causes serious ramifications on their physical and mental health and overall well being.
• The non-availability of government sponsored de-addiction centres is paving way for private centres to exploit patients.
• Instead of medical care, “punishments” are meted out to patients, inflicting severe torture and, in some cases, causing death.
• People seem to forget that drug users are human beings first. By using drugs a person doesn’t cease to be human.
• Those who become chronic drug abusers have rare chances of complete de-addiction.
• Proximity to the largest producers of heroin – the Golden Triangle and Golden Crescent (Afghanistan-Pakistan-Iran) -has made India’s border vulnerable to drug trafficking.
• Strict action is required from police officers at the excise and narcotics department to curb the problem of drug menace in the country.
• Radical political decisions like that one of alcohol prohibition in Bihar may be another solution. When people do not exercise self-control, a state has to step in, as part of the Directive Principles of State Policy (Article 47).
• Education curriculum should include chapters on drug addiction, its impact and also on de-addiction. Proper Counselling is another alternative.
• There is a need to strictly implement the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

Way Forward:

• Along with Prevention and solid support is required through which drug abuse can be dealt with.
•  Programmes of prevention should involve families, schools and the immediate communities which plays an important role in this regard.
• Minimum standards must be notified by the Government for running de-addiction centres.
• Fast track courts should be established.
• Integrating drug de-addiction centre’s with rehabilitation centres.
• Unlicensed centres and those committing human rights violations must be liable to closure.
• A chapter on the impact of drug abuse should be included in school curriculum so that children understand how addiction destroys lives of people.
• Focused sensitisation programmes on drug abuse in schools and a substance abuse policy could go a long way in curbing the menace.
• Parents must consult specialists in case there is change in behavior of their children as it could be signs of drug abuse.