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The lyrical snippet “Powder ki Lino ka Rakhega Kaun Hisaab”, which translates to “who will keep tabs on the use of powder lines”, from the popular film Udta Punjab, questions the status quo of the profusion and easy availability of drugs in the state, on top of reflecting the poor enforcement of the law.
The latest data on Punjab’s drug problem is enlightening.
Alarmingly, a report submitted in Parliament last year revealed that of more than 6.6 million drug users in Punjab, as many as 697,000 are children between 10-17 years of age. Among these, 343,000 children take opioid drugs (including heroin), 18,100 take cocaine and around 72,000 are hooked on inhalants.
It’s not only men, but young women who are targets of drug pushers. Data based on a question in Parliament’s Upper House reveals that of the total female drug addicts in India, 16 percent are from the state.
There’s one other statistic that sets Punjab apart: 75 percent of all drugs seized in India in 2020 were in the state.
And when it comes to drug deaths, in 2022, Punjab’s share was 21 percent. Most of those were people aged 18-30.
Read more at Indian publication – The Probe
https://theprobe.in/public-health/punjab-drowning-in-drugs-police-ineffective-4794890
