Drug Abuse

Need to rehabilitate youth instead of demonising their substance abuse: SC

The Supreme Court on Monday expressed concern over the illicit drugs trade substance abuse in the country and said there was a need to rehabilitate the youngsters affected instead of demonising them. A bench of Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice N Kotiswar Singh said drug abuse should not be considered a taboo but an open discussion was required to tackle the issue. "We note our disquiet regarding substance abuse in India. Profits are being used to support terrorism and leading to violence. Academic pressure and family disturbances are also leading to the same, which is leading to long-term social and economic instability. Peer pressure, stress from academics and easy availability of drugs is a trigger and adolescents are also using it as emotional escapism," the bench said. "The youth must not follow those who resort to drug abuse and victims of substance abuse are not only limited to the downtrodden but cuts across economic barriers. We need not demonise the ones who have resorted

DRI seizes 123 kg Methamphetamine in H1FY25; max cases in Assam, Mizoram

Seizures of the narcotic drug Methamphetamine have increased in the northeastern states of Assam and Mizoram in the current year, with the DRI confiscating 123 kg of the contraband during April-September. Methamphetamine, also known as 'ice' or 'crystal meth', has become a significant challenge for law enforcement agencies in India, particularly through the porous northeastern borders. According to a report by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the smuggling trend indicates that Methamphetamine is being illegally brought into India through sea routes in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal. For smuggling, the drug is brought to coastal hamlets like Rameswaram, Tuticorin and Nagapattinam, concealed within specially designed compartments in buses, trains, or cars. From these locations, it is smuggled across the maritime border to Sri Lanka through mid-sea transfers involving Indian fishing boats. In the first half of FY 2024-25, DRI seized 123 kg of methamphetamine in 11 cas

Doctor charged in Matthew Perry's death admits guilt over Ketamine supply

Although Dr Chavez has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors, he faces a potential prison sentence of up to 10 years when he is scheduled for sentencing on April 2, 2025

Radical preacher Amritpal's brother held by Jalandhar police in drug case

Radical Sikh preacher and Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh's brother Harpreet Singh has been apprehended by Jalandhar police in a drug case, a senior police official said on Friday. Harpreet Singh was nabbed along with another accomplice, identified as Lovepreet Singh alias Luv, by Jalandhar Rural police on Thursday evening, the official said. Four grams of ICE (methamphetamine) drug was recovered from him during checking of the car in which the duo was travelling, he said. The official said that Harpreet Singh is aged between 30-35 and "was into some dispatching work in transport". Both Harpreet Singh and Lovepreet Singh hail from Amritsar, he added. Amritpal Singh is currently lodged in a prison in Assam's Dibrugarh district for offences under the National Security Act (NSA). Recently, he was flown to Delhi on a four-day custody parole for taking oath as a Lok Sabha member. Having fought the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as an independent, Amritpal Singh won from the Khadoor Sahib se

Oppn protests over drug menace, claims ministers shielding Lalit Patil

Leaders from the Opposition parties staged a protest against the Maharashtra government over the drug menace in the state, and alleged that some ministers were shielding drug racketeer Lalit Patil. Leaders from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), Nationalist Congress Party's Sharad Pawar faction and the Congress, gathered on the steps of the Vidhan Bhavan here and raised slogans against the government. Leader of opposition in the legislative assembly Vijay Wadettiwar, leader of opposition in the council Ambadas Danve, MLC Satej Patil and several other legislators took part in the protest. "The youth of Maharashtra is getting addicted to drugs, and the state is on the verge of becoming 'Udta Maharashtra' like 'Udta Punjab'," said Wadettiwar, referring to the 2016 Bollywood film about a drug crisis in the northern state. Talking to reporters, the Congress leader alleged that some ministers were shielding drug racketeer Lalit Patil and demanded action against

Long use of e-cigarettes may lead to drug addiction, say health experts

Expressing concern over rising use of e-cigarettes among youths, health experts on Wednesday warned that practising such vaping methods may lead to addiction to drugs like cocaine and nicotine. 'Mothers Against Vaping' (MAV), a platform of concerned mothers combatting vaping among youths, cited several studies and said these devices harbour around 900-2,000 chemicals and can penetrate deep into the lungs, causing extensive and detrimental respiratory damage. "There exists a looming threat of an entire generation becoming addicted to these new-age tobacco devices, posing a significant risk to their health and well-being," Gauhati Medical College and Hospital Superintendent Dr Abhijit Sarma told PTI. It is imperative to take urgent comprehensive action to prevent the emergence of a new generation of e-cigarette smokers, he added. "Alongside this concerning trend, another issue is that these devices become gateway devices to more serious addictions like using cocaine and nicotine," Dr

Drug abuse takes centre stage in Ganganagar ahead of polls in Rajasthan

Ramesh Kumar started injecting heroin while working in Bikaner and remained hooked to the needle for five years, before he decided to go cold turkey. He battled the worst of pangs when he could not get his fix, at times spiralling into a debilitating despondence. Kumar is now on a steady yet precarious road to sobriety having seen the abysmal depths of heroin addiction. In Ganganagar, there are many like Kumar, who throng its deaddiction centres in the hope of recovery, having fallen prey to the drugs being brought into the district from across the border. With the state Assembly poll in the offing, locals in Ganganagar district, situated close to the India-Pakistan border, are pressing for a permanent solution to the drug menace. Kumar, who is undergoing treatment at a rehabilitation centre, urged the government to proactively work to end the drug abuse in the district. "I was addicted to heroin. I used to do job in Bikaner and my friends made me try it there. Initially, I tried

Mizoram polls: Congress leader blames MNF government for drug abuse problem

Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee leader Zodintluanga said the MNF government had failed to take substantive steps to tackle the problem

Drug abuse likely to explode among adolescents in next decade: Study

The government data showed that 14.8 million children and adolescents (10-17 years) used various psychoactive substances in 2018

Problem of drug abuse in adolescents may explode in next decade: Study

The problem of drug abuse is likely to explode in the next decade, particularly affecting children in the 10-17 age group, as the societal construct undergoes a massive shift, preliminary findings of an ongoing study released on Wednesday stated. Mental health issues, performance pressure, growing emptiness and changing socio-economic conditions are having a toll on this very impressionable age group the most, making them vulnerable to addictive distractions, the study by independent think tank Think Change Forum has found. The impact of the increasing drug abuse will be seen in both urban and rural India, the study said. In view of the alarming growth in the consumption of substances in post-pandemic India, particularly among adolescents and youth, Think Change Forum has initiated a national study based on expert consultations to decode the problem of rising addiction and recommend solutions. The think tank's 'Ideas for an Addiction-Free India' initiative entails drawing learnings

'Centre, states should take steps to tackle drug abuse among children'

The regional judicial colloquium on "POCSO Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act), Juvenile Justice & Drug Abuse among Children" organised by the Kerala High Court has decided to make recommendations to the Central and State governments to adopt certain measures for tackling the issue of drug abuse amongst children.

LS Speaker Om Birla expresses concern about cyberbullying, drug abuse

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla urged for collective efforts to tackle the problem of cyberbullying and drug abuse

No mercy for NGOs seeking demographic change: Amit Shah in Lok Sabha

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said the government will show no mercy towards non-government organisations trying to change the demography of the country and create societal disturbances through foreign funding. Responding to a debate on drug abuse in Lok Sabha, Shah said the government has roped in a number of NGOs to create awareness about drug abuse, but it cannot remain a silent spectator to unmonitored foreign funding of such organisations in the country. "There are many NGOs that want to disintegrate India's society. There are some NGOs that want to torture India's society. For these NGOs, the Indian government's policy can't be the same. "For those who don't abide by the FCRA (Foreign Contribution (Regulatory) Act), strong action will be taken against them. There will be no mercy to them," Shah said. "Flow of funds from foreign lands cannot remain unmonitored. Enough had taken place during your (UPA) rule. This is Narendra Modi's government. We will not allow any

AIIMS-Delhi issues directions for sensitisation against drug abuse

To make the All India Institute of Medical Sciences-Delhi campus free of drug abuse, the hospital administration on Tuesday issued directions for sensitisation of staff members and students about various punitive provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. In an office memorandum, AIIMS Director M Srinivas asked all heads of departments to bring to the attention of the staff and students working under them the various provisions including that of fine and imprisonment under the NDPS Act. He also instructed all security personnel not to allow patients, attendants, visitors and staff members to use drugs, in any form, in the hospital premises. If outside personnel or any drug peddler found selling above mentioned drugs, the security personnel to be instructed to take video/photograph of the culprit and he/she should be handed over to the police immediately and completely banned from entering the AIIMS premises in near future, according to the memorandum. Any ...

Lok Sabha members demand 'Covid-like strategy' to curb rampant drug abuse

Lok Sabha members on Tuesday demanded that the government build more rehabilitation centres for drug addicts instead of sending them to jail. They also sought the construction of more sports complexes to keep youngsters away from substance abuse. Participating in a short-duration discussion in the Lok Sabha on the drug-abuse problem in India and steps taken by the government to control it, members cutting across party lines demanded that the Centre adopt a Covid-like strategy to wean the youth away from drug abuse. "Drugs have even entered schools. No one feels safe here. People are leaving the state and going abroad because of the drug menace," Akali Dal member Harsimrat Kaur Badal said. Congress member Gurjeet Singh Aujla demanded stricter law enforcement to check drug abuse and also highlighted newer routes such as Gujarat used by traffickers. "Jails are a breeding ground for drugs. It is better that small criminals and first offenders be sent to juvenile or correctional ...

Parents have crucial role in safeguarding children from drug abuse: Experts

Raja Shanmugam from FWF said the age of a child is a sensitive factor which should be taken into serious consideration by the parents

Around 13% drug abuse victims in India are below 20 years: UN official

Child trafficking, child labour and exploitation by criminals often result in poor mental and physical health of children, leading to high risk of drugs and alcohol abuse

Watch closed factories to contain drug menace: Navi Mumbai Commissioner

Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Bipin Kumar Singh has asked officials to keep a watch on closed factories in the town to check narcotics are not manufactured there, in the wake of a number of cases of drugs seizure in neighbouring Mumbai in the recent past. During a meeting of the district-level narcotics committee on Wednesday, Singh said several containers arrive at Uran and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust in Navi Mumbai, and asked the Coast Guard to keep an eye on them to prevent any movement of narcotics. Singh also directed the officials to check if narcotics were being manufactured at chemical factories in industrial zones in the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation limits. He said a large stock of banned drug MD was recently seized in Mumbai and officials should check if drugs were being manufactured in the chemical and pharmacy units in Navi Mumbai. During the meeting, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Suresh Mengde said 20 out of the total 83 units in Navi Mumbai region

CM seeks legislators' cooperation in eliminating drug abuse in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday called upon the state's legislators to extend their full cooperation to the government initiatives in eliminating drug abuse. Drug abuse was a threat to the society and it has to be completely eliminated, he said. In a letter addressed to the lawmakers, the Chief Minister highlighted the evils of substance abuse and sought the MLAs support for the government to effectively tackle this menace. "It is the most important duty of the government to create awareness about the dangers of drug abuse. We have a duty to prevent people, especially the youngsters from getting addicted," he said. As part of a state-wide programme, it has been planned to observe an awareness day on the dangers of drug abuse on August 11, he said in a release here. The MLAs should participate in the awareness programmes in their respective Assembly constituencies without fail, the Chief Minister urged.

Texas board withdraws pardon recommendation for George Floyd over drug case

A Texas board that had unanimously supported a posthumous pardon for George Floyd over a 2004 drug arrest in Houston backpedaled in an announcement Thursday