A drug overdose crisis has gripped Punjab, with five young men dying in a span of three days, four of whom died in Ferozepur. This surge in fatalities has put the spotlight back on the state's struggle with drug abuse and its consequences.
Punjab recorded the highest number of drug overdose deaths for the second consecutive year in 2023, with 89 fatalities. While this number represents a decline from the 144 deaths reported in 2022, it still positions Punjab as the leading state in India for such tragedies. Following Punjab, Madhya Pradesh recorded 85 deaths, and Rajasthan reported 84, contributing to a national total of 654 drug overdose deaths in 2023. In 2022, Rajasthan followed Punjab with 117 deaths, and Madhya Pradesh had 74 fatalities.
The state has been grappling with a severe drug problem for years, struggling to control drug demand, supply, and provide adequate treatment to those affected. A 2023 Parliamentary Panel report estimated that 6.6 million people in Punjab use drugs, including 697,000 children between the ages of 10 and 17 with substance use disorders. From April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2023, 266 drug-related deaths were reported in Punjab.
The state is divided into 29 field units for policing purposes. Bathinda registered the highest number of reported deaths at 38, followed by Tarn Taran (30), Ferozepur (19), and Amritsar (Rural) (17), where 12 deaths occurred in a single year.
Punjab registered the third-highest number of cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in 2023, with 11,589 cases, behind Kerala (30,697) and Maharashtra (15,610). The NDPS Act cases crime rate per lakh population in Punjab was 37.6%, the second highest in the country after Kerala (85.7%). A majority of these cases in Punjab (7,785) were registered for possession of drugs for trafficking, which is the highest across all states and Union Territories in India. In 2023, 3,804 NDPS Act cases in Punjab were registered for personal drug possession.
These statistics underscore the urgent need for a multi-faceted approach to combat drug abuse in Punjab. While enforcement efforts have been ramped up, they have not been able to curtail the rising rates of addiction and drug-related fatalities. A focus on treatment, rehabilitation, and preventive education is essential, along with addressing the systemic failures in the state's drug policy.
Changes in drug markets, such as the rise of synthetic opioids like fentanyl and the use of drones to transport drugs, require a fresh approach to harm reduction. An early warning drug system is needed to analyze changing product dynamics and respond effectively.
