Dr. Satyawan Saurabh
India is fighting a dual battle today—on one hand there is the flight of technology and development, and on the other hand the darkness of drug addiction is spreading within the society. Drug addiction is no longer just an individual evil, but it has taken the form of an organized industry, an international conspiracy and a social epidemic. From villages to cities, from schools to colleges, and from the parties of the rich to the streets of the poor, drug dealers have spread their network.
The most worrying thing is that now this trap is not limited to alcohol or marijuana. Deadly substances like synthetic drugs, chemical intoxicants, heroin, brown sugar, cocaine are now hollowing out the lives of the youth of India. In states like Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Delhi, Manipur, Goa, this poison has torn the social fabric. On one hand the government talks about “making the youth skilled”, on the other hand lakhs of youth are losing their energy, life and future in the grip of drugs.
There is a whole system behind drug addiction—drug mafias trading humanity for money, collusion between police and politics, consignments of drugs coming from abroad, and agents at the local level pushing the youth into this quagmire. All these together are hollowing out the country from within. It is no coincidence that behind every big drug seizure, the name of some influential person comes to the fore, but the matter is suppressed right there.
There is a class that has started considering drugs as a part of “lifestyle”. Drugs have become a fashion in high class parties. No one there considers it a social crime, rather it has been made a symbol of ‘coolness’. On the other hand, poor youth—who are victims of unemployment, frustration and broken hopes—see drugs as a temporary relief. Both the situations are leading the society towards destruction.
The way in which drugs have entered schools and colleges is a deep warning for the coming generations. Many reports suggest that even school children are under the influence of drugs. Drugs are being served in the form of small pouches, chocolate-like packets, scented powders. And when children fall into its clutches, the family, teachers and society—all become helpless.
The Constitution of India gave us the dream of a ‘healthy nation’, but how can the dream of a nation come true when the youth are sick and addicted to drugs? The youth are the backbone of the country—if they bend, break or become hollow, then the country cannot stand.
Addiction not only kills the body but also the soul. It destroys decision making ability, breaks relationships, gives rise to crime and spreads an atmosphere of violence and sadness in the society. A person addicted to drugs becomes a burden for his family. He steals, lies and even commits suicide.
This isn’t just a health or law and order problem—it’s a moral, social, and cultural crisis.
Talking about police and political protection in the mafia network is not a conspiracy, but it has been clearly revealed many times in the records of the court and investigation agencies. Laws like the NDPS Act (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act) exist, but their implementation is very weak and biased. In many cases, drug smugglers caught are released due to technical flaws. On the other hand, poor or small users rot in jail.
Governments often hold symbolic events like “awareness campaigns”, “slogan competitions”, or “parades” against drugs, but the question is whether this changes anything? What is needed is a strong policy, honest implementation, and most importantly—political will.
Drug smuggling often takes place through border areas—places like the Punjab-Pakistan border, the Manipur-Myanmar border, the Gujarat coast and the Mumbai port. These areas require high alert, but often the security machinery is either lax or corrupt. Despite tons of drugs being seized in the last few years, action against drug lords has been minimal. This further boosts the morale of the criminals.
The role of the media has also been weak in this. In some selected cases, the media shows “drugs drama” for TRP, but most of the time it ignores this serious issue. And when drugs are discussed in a glittering world like Bollywood, it is also made into ‘gossip’, not a real social discussion.
The saddest aspect of this entire crisis is that the person involved does not die alone—the whole family dies with him, and slowly a generation withers away. Parents lose their children to drugs, brothers and sisters turn into ashes of relationships, and villages and cities simply drown in silent mourning after losing their youth.
The solution does not lie in drugs or prisons. The solution lies in empowerment, dialogue, education, and collective social effort.
An honest campaign against drug abuse will have to be run in every Panchayat, every school, every locality. Youth groups, women groups and teachers will have to provide leadership on this issue. Society will have to understand that drug abuse is not just a “weakness of a person”, but it is a conspiracy – the whole society can fall prey to it.
We have to create such an education system that gives the youth the understanding to live life, not just to pass exams. It gives them the courage to fight the struggles of life, the strength to accept failure and the culture of self-control.
Parents also have to be cautious about the mental state, behaviour and company of their children. No solution is possible without communication and trust. Children hide due to fear or punishment, but open up through communication.
And finally, until society views drug addiction not as a “crime” but as a “disaster”—in which the victim must be helped and the mafia punished—this poison will continue to spread.
Addiction is a slow poison-it kills the mind before the body. Today there is a need to awaken that mind which says-quit addiction, choose life.
(The author is a freelancer and can be reached at [email protected])
