-SATISH HANDA

Increasing cases of drug addiction among youths, aged, females and smuggling in India as well as in the world is a matter of concern, which has not spared even our male and female Bolywood stars most of them presently are on Narcotic Central Bureau (NCB) radar of our country. In order to control increasing drug smuggling, Haryana government has decided to have its own Narcotic Bureau in the state as disclosed by Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij. According to National Drug Dependant Board (NDDB) Report – 2019, the annual sale of drugs in the world is over Rs 30 lakh crore, which include business worth Rs 10 lakh crore annual in India and out of total population of nearly 1.30 crore in the country nearly 16 crore people including young generation and females are in the habit of taking drugs and other intoxicated products including liquor, opium, synthetic drugs like smack, heroine, ganja, cocine, and intoxicated drugs swollen or injected in the body.

According to survey report, nearly 20% population in India between age 10 and 75 years are in the habit of taking drugs as well as over 1.5 crore females in the country consume drugs. Information by Burden of Disease Study in 2017 revealed that nearly 7.5 lakh people across the world are reported died due to excessive use of drugs every year, of them nearly 22000 victims were in India. According to report, the trend of consuming drugs has witnessed fast increase since past three years in our country due to fast increasing cases of depression among people and increasing unemployment among youths. .    .

According to information, demand of ganja and charas in our country is constantly rising every year not only in the world as well as in India. NDDB report further reveals, opium is fast selling drug readily available in our country witnessed five times increase during years with effect from 2004 to 2008. The report further stated that over 90 lakh females in India consume wine, nearly20 lakh females take opium and nearly 40 lakh females are addicted to miscellaneous types of drugs. It is observed that every 16^th female in the country takes liquor, whereas on the other hand every 5^th male in the country is in the habit of taking liquor.

NDDB – 2017 report also reveals that 27.5 crore people in the world are addicted to drugs, of them 19.2 crore take ganja, nearly 1.10 crore drug addicts inject drugs in their body through syringe and nearly 13 lakh of them were found suffering from HIV diseases, nearly 55 lakh were found having Hepatitis-C symptoms and in nearly 10 lakh cases the patients were found suffering from both HIV and Hepatitis-C.  According to report, 14.6% people are seen addicted to liquor, 2.8% taking ganja, 2.1% taking opium, 1.8% consume intoxicated drugs and 0.7% inhale intoxicated substances including tobacco.

According to NDPS Act 1985 use, sale, import, export, smuggling and keeping stocks of drugs is prohibited and a serious offence liable for imprisonment up to 10 years and heavy fine under various sections of IPC. According to available data, between years 2013 to 2017 large number of cases under NDPS Act were registered in the country by the police recorded as against 22640 persons in the year 2013, 35140 persons in the year 2014, 52143 persons in the year 2015, 40660 persons in the year 2016 and 36067 persons in the year 2017.