*Head, PG Department of Public Administration, G.N.Khalsa College, Yamuna Nagar, Haryana, India
Online published on 21 September, 2017.
Addiction is a complex syndrome that not only cripples the life of the abusers but also poses serious problems for the society and the nation as a whole. While at the individual level it impairs the productivity and earning capacity of the person, at the societal level it entails heavy emotional, social and financial cost to the families. An addict becomes more vulnerable to the influence of deviant sub-cultures. Though alcohol and tobacco are the mot common sources of addiction yet cannabis, opiates and other sedatives are more lethal for addicts. Moreover, the induction of drug like heroin, LSD, hashish etc. is a new trend in our country. While on an estimate around 75 million people in India are addicts out of which 12.5 million are dependent on drugs excluding those addicted to alcohol and tobacco. This paper is an effort to portray the scenario of drug addiction in India and the remedies being applied by the government and the people to combat the malady.
Though there are number of causes why people go for drugs, yet it has been found that this evil prevails among all regions- developed and developing, among all classes - rich and poor, among all age groups-young and old. Being a welfare state, the government has to make efforts for the welfare of addicts. Among different ministries working for the welfare, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is playing a pivotal role by assisting voluntary agencies as well as providing community based services for the treatment and rehabilitation of addicts.
