Government likely to ask addicts to submit for rehabilitation to avoid jail time

The department is looking to tie-up with spiritual and faith-based organisations or any organisations, including private ones, that have their own hospitals, educational institutes, counselling facilities, etc.

As the Union government debates decriminalising consumption of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, it is likely to bring in a policy where addicts and users will have to submit themselves before treatment centres and declare themselves as such in order to escape criminal prosecution.

In the past two years, the number of vulnerable districts (for drug use) have gone up from 272 to 372, with Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Goa, Chandigarh, Puducherry, and Tripura having 100% districts marked as vulnerable. These are followed by Uttarakhand and Punjab, where 92.30% and 86.95% districts have been marked vulnerable, respectively.

According to the substance usage survey conducted by the Social Justice Ministry through AIIMS in 2018, alcohol had emerged as the most used substance among adults at 17.1% prevalence. Apart from this, the survey showed that cannabis use had the highest prevalence at 3.30%, followed by opioids (2.10%), sedatives (1.21%), inhalants (0.58%) and cocaine (0.11%).

Currently, under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, the consumption of any narcotic drugs or psychotropic substance may attract a jail term of up to one year and/or fines up to ₹20,000.

As of now, while enforcement agencies are targeting supply chains, the Social Justice Ministry is concurrently running country-wide awareness and rehabilitation campaigns to treat users and addicts like victims and not criminals.

Citing examples of countries that have followed the total decriminalisation path, a senior government official argued that it was an “ineffective policy”. The official said that under the scheme that is being considered, consumers who are caught must submit themselves to treatment facilities and can only be be back into society once cleared by the rehabilitation centre.

For minors who are caught consuming illegal substances, the onus will be on the parents to declare their wards as users or addicts and check them into an appropriate facility.