Extent, Pattern and Trends of Drug Abuse in India

Introduction:

Every year on June 26^th, the International Day Against Drug Misuse and Illicit Trafficking is commemorated with the goal of raising awareness about the problem of drug abuse and addiction, as well as its consequences, among individuals and communities. Individuals, communities, and a variety of organizations hope to use this global observance to not only raise awareness about the issue of substance misuse but also to increase comprehensive action and collaboration in order to attain the goal of a drug-free world. Adolescent substance misuse is on the rise in India, and this is a direct result of shifting cultural values, severe rivalry in the sectors of school and job, increased economic pressure on families, and deteriorating supportive relationships for teenagers in this transitional age. Adolescents are exposed to their initial experiences with numerous drugs, particularly those that are readily available, such as glues, tobacco, cannabis, and alcohol. Street children, child labourers, and teens with a family history of drug misuse and other emotional and behavioural issues are among the most at-risk populations among adolescents.[1]

The United Nations has also held two special sessions to tackle global drug issues in the recent five decades, in 1998 and 2016. By 2008, the UN hoped to diminish the unlawful supply and demand for narcotics and synthetic drugs, as stated in the first session. The World Drug Reports, on the other hand, showed an increase in the use of illicit drugs3,4. There was also a significant differential in access to narcotic medications (particularly opioid analgesics for pain problems) among various countries around the world5. The United Nations organised the second extraordinary session in 2016 in response to the failure on both fronts – preventing misuse and providing access for medical and research purposes. The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.5 is ‘complementary and mutually reinforcing,’ according to the report, with the UN’s commitment to reducing the global drug problem6. In addition, SDG 3.3 emphasises the necessity of treating substance abuse in order to stop HIV and hepatitis epidemics. This year, the result document’s resolutions are expected to be revisited.[2]

Findings from a survey on the prevalence of drug and substance usage in India

• There are six crore alcoholics in India, which is greater than the population of 172 countries.
• Alcoholism is a disease that necessitates medical attention, but only about 3% of those who have a drinking problem receive treatment.
• Addictions: In the recent year, around 3.1 crore Indians (2.8 percent) have reported using cannabis products such as Bhang, Ganja, Charas, Heroin, and Opium. Unfortunately, only one out of every twenty drug user is treated in a hospital.
• Country liquor accounts for 30% of total booze consumption, with Indian-made foreign liquor accounting for the remaining 30%.
• The prevalence of cannabis use disorders is more than three times greater in Punjab and Sikkim than in the rest of the country.
• Heroin is the most often used substance on a national basis, followed by pharmaceutical opioids, then opium (Afeem).
• Sedatives are used by less than 1% of the population, or about 1.18 crore persons, for non-medical or non-prescription purposes. What’s more concerning is that it’s very common among youngsters and adolescents. In Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi, and Haryana, the problem of child addiction is particularly common.[3]

Facts about drug abuse in India

1. A drug misuse research commissioned by the Punjab state government in 2015 revealed that 230,000 people in the state were drug users. This equated to 836 drug users for every 100,000 residents in the state. According to the ministry of social justice and empowerment, the national rate is 250 per 100,000 (as of 2012). When compared to other countries, even the rate of 250 drug addicts per 100,000 is extremely high.
2. The most often used drugs in India are cannabis, heroin, and opium, but methamphetamine is becoming more popular. Injecting drug users have also increased significantly. According to a UN report, India has one million heroin addicts, while unofficial estimates claim that the genuine figure is closer to five million.
3. According to the National Survey on the Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India, approximately 2.1 percent of India’s population (2.26 crore people) utilises opioids, which include opium (or its derivatives, such as poppy husk known as doda/phukki), heroin, and pharmaceutical opioids.
4. According to a national poll conducted in 2019, roughly 2.8 percent of Indians aged 10 to 75 years (3.1 crore people) use cannabis as bhang, ganja, or charas. Cannabis addiction affects 72 lakh persons (0.66 percent).
5. However, the number of suicides in India as a result of drug and alcohol abuse has more than doubled in the recent decade. In 2010, 3,343 suicides were reported, and in 2019, 7,860 suicides were reported.[4]

India’s Drug Abuse Causes

In India, there are several causes of drug misuse, which can be classified as societal, economic, or mental. The following are some of these reasons:

Societal Causes

We may address all of the social issues that are the root reasons of drug usage in social causes. A child’s drug abuse is caused by a poor relationship with his or her parents. In most families, there is a significant lack of communication between the child and the parents, which leads to the child abusing drugs. We’ve seen it become a trend among friends to consume drugs as a result of the influence of friends who already do. Drug users take drugs because they are readily available; we can see this in the border area, where individuals are taking drugs in big quantities because they are readily available. Few drug users take drugs as a result of their environment; we typically observe this in people who grew up in homes where alcohol and drug abuse is regarded as acceptable behavior. People nowadays are more and more drawn to substance abuse as a result of love affairs, the loss of a loved one, and depression. Drug usage is often observed in sex workers, transportation workers, and street children due to their unusual lifestyles.

Economic Cause

Poverty is a burden in India since it causes a slew of issues. One of them is drug misuse; financial concerns lead to drug abuse as a result of mental stress. People produce narcotic drugs to raise their revenue, hence narcotic drug manufacture is to blame for drug misuse.

Mental Causes

There are mental causes that lead to drug abuse. Sadness, depression, and stress are all common causes of drug abuse. Users may misuse drugs as a result of a lack of self-esteem. Academic pressure is causing stress in today’s society, and as a result, people are abusing narcotics.[5]

Addict requires Assistance

Addiction is not an indulgence or a bad habit, contrary to popular assumptions. It is a medical condition. The majority of people’s perceptions of addiction are based on the belief that addicts have a choice. In actuality, it’s a chronic illness characterised by a compulsive desire to consume drugs notwithstanding the risks. An addict is a patient whose life has spiralled out of control and who need professional assistance in order to rehabilitate.

Drug addiction has repercussions not only for the addict but also for his or her family. Family members are subjected to social implications, mental stress, and a significant financial strain. This has an impact on the entire family, and many individuals become helpless or despondent as a result.[6]

International Day Against Drug Misuse and Illicit Trafficking

The International Day Against Drug Misuse and Illicit Trafficking is commemorated on June 26 to promote collective action and cooperation in the pursuit of a society free of drug abuse. Individuals, communities, and organisations from all around the world join forces to raise awareness about the dangers that illegal drugs pose to society. Every year, events are held to raise awareness about the hazards of drug use on this day. To educate people about the topic, events and workshops are held in schools, colleges, public areas, and other places.[7]

What has the government done to address this issue?

1. In November 2016, it established the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) and resurrected the “Financial Assistance to States for Narcotics Control” initiative.
2. The government authorised revised Incentive Guidelines in 2017 that boosted the reward amount for interdiction or seizure of various illicit narcotics.
3. India has inked 37 bilateral agreements/memorandums of understanding with other nations to ensure effective collaboration.
4. The Narcotics Control Bureau has received funding to develop a new programme called the Seizure Information Management System (SIMS), which will generate an online database of drug offences and offenders.
5. The government has established the “National Fund for Control of Drug Misuse” to cover the costs of combating illicit drug trafficking, treating addicts, and educating the public about drug abuse, among other things.
6. The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment is also undertaking a National Drug Misuse Survey with the support of AIIMS’s National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre to measure trends in drug abuse in India.
7. For addressing the problem of drug and substance misuse in the country, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has created a National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (2018-2023), discarding a long-pending draught policy on the subject.[8]

International treaties and conventions

1. The 1961 Convention on Narcotic Drugs.
2. The 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances.
3. The 1988 Convention on the Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.
4. The Transnational Crime Convention was signed in the year 2000.

Central Act

1. The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.
2. The Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988.[9]

Legal Framework

The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act of 1985 established a legal framework for dealing with narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. The 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961 Convention), the 1971 Convention Psychotropic Substances (1971 Convention), and the 1988 Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances are all signed by India (1988 Convention). Domestic law to implement these treaties was not enacted until the 1980s when the 1961 Convention’s “grace period” for prohibiting non-medical use of cannabis and opium expired.

The Indian Parliament approved the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act) quickly and without much debate, using its authority to make law for the country in order to execute “any treaty, accord, convention, or decision reached an international conference.” On November 14, 1985, the NDPS Act took effect, replacing the Opium Acts and the Dangerous Drugs Act. However, the 1940 Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 remains in effect. The NDPS Act was created, according to the official record, to provide suitable punishments for drug trafficking, strengthen enforcement capabilities, implement international accords to which India was a signatory, and enforce controls over psychotropic substances.[10]

Conclusion

Our research found that, despite strict legislation against substance misuse, people are still addicted to alcohol, cannabis, and other narcotics. As a result, prohibition has only served to drive booze underground. There is a need for change, whether in the legislation or people’s behavior in general.

Drug misuse is forbidden for a variety of reasons and should be avoided. We have several mandatory regulations in place to prohibit it, yet we still have a problem with drug misuse due to a lack of implementation and gaps in existing legislation. In Bachpan Bachao Andolan v. Union of India & Ors., the Supreme Court ordered the state to combat child trafficking and drug addiction, and the court recommended the following measures to combat drug abuse among children:

• A national action plan on substance abuse is required.
• A child who has been affected by drug misuse need therapy and rehabilitation.

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References:

[1] Jiloha RC. Prevention, early intervention, and harm reduction of substance use in adolescents. Indian Journal of Psychiatry. http://www.indianjpsychiatry.org/article.asp?issn=0019-5545;year=2017;volume=59;issue=1;spage=111;epage

[2] Barrett D, Nowak M. The United Nations and drug policy: Towards a Human rights-based approach. The Diversity of International Law. 2010:449–77.

[3] https://www.insightsonindia.com/2019/12/11/data-on-extent-and-pattern-of-substance-use/

[4] https://www-giveindia-org.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.giveindia.org/blog/5-facts-you-should-know-about-drug-abuse-in-india/amp/?amp_js_v=a6&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQKKAFQArABIIACAw%3D%3D#aoh=16284023752315&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.giveindia.org%2Fblog%2F5-facts-you-should-know-about-drug-abuse-in-india%2F

[5] http://probono-india.in/blog-detail.php?id=188#

[6] https://www.who.int/teams/mental-health-and-substance-use/alcohol-drugs-and-addictive-behaviours

[7] https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/understanding-drug-use-addiction

[8] 2.Reasons for Substance Abuse, http://alcoholrehab.com/drug-addiction/reasons-for- substance-abuse/.

[9] Dharmendra Kumar Kumawat & Deepak Kumar, Challenging Dimension of the Problem of the Drug Abuse in India: A Socio-Legal Analysis, 4 SCHOLARLY RESEARCH JOURNAL FOR HUMANITY SCIENCE & ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1, 4 http://oaji.net/articles/2017/1201-1509102311.pdf. 

[10] Charles, M., Bewley-Taylor, D. & Neidpath, A., Drug policy in India: Compounding harm?, The Beckley Foundation Drug Policy Programme, Briefing Paper Ten, BECKLEY FOUNDATION (October 2005), https://beckleyfoundation.org/policy/global-initiative-for-