Why in the News?

Recently, Punjab Chief Minister led a large prayer gathering of schoolchildren, in which they pledged to reject the scourge of drugs citing that Punjab continues to grapple with the menace that has plagued the state for over a decade. 

Drug Menace in Punjab:

1. Substance abuse is major public health problem in Punjab with One in seven (~15%) people in Punjab are currently dependent on one or more substance.
2. UN report: Punjab has the highest levels of abuse of opium as well as dextropropoxyphene in the country.
3. The burden of cannabis, heroin and injectable use stands at 45.2%, 19.3% and 13% respectively, among the age group of1 8 years and below who have used at least one (excluding tobacco) among them.

What are the reasons for drug menace in Punjab?

1. Porous border of India and Pakistan allowing cross border flow of drugs since 1990s.
2. International network that uses Punjab route for the transit of drug cartels (the Golden Crescent).
3. Nexus with security forces
4. Other factors:
   1. Low schooling level of people have led to impact on the risk of drug or alcohol abuse.

1. 2. Rural unemployment especially among youths.

Steps taken so far:

1. With increasing number of drug addicts in the state constituting about 3% of the total population of the state in de-addiction centres, the local communities have stepped up their fight against the issue.
2. Local Nasha Roko committees have been formed in many districts of the state to

• Inform the police and local anti-drug committee about suspicious entry of persons, news about sales or use of drugs in the local village.
• The committees are connected via WhatsApp and other social media platforms to mobilise the community on spotting a drug dealer.
• It also involves the active participation of local farmers as members of the committee.
• Ever since the formation of the committees, there has been a decline in cases of drug use in the state with almost an end to open use of drugs by the addicts.

3. Increasing the number of de-addiction and rehabilitation centers with recreational facilities.

4. Employing the use of three strategies

5. Drug supply reduction

6. Drug demand reduction

• As demand for drugs have been supply will find its way and can even lead to replacement of a relatively less harmful drug by a more harmful drug. Therefore, demand reduction is a key to control drug menace.

7. Harm reduction

8. Mobilising various non-government organizations and nonprofit organizations to provide vocational training and other employment programs for unemployed addicts. 

9. Appropriate linkages have to be made between health workers, community leaders, religious leaders, and teachers for planning prevention and rehabilitation activities for drug abuse.

10. Periodic outreach awareness camps for antidrug abuse in the community and school-level has to be carried out.