{"id":73828,"date":"2026-05-16T21:14:43","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T15:44:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=73828"},"modified":"2026-05-16T21:17:06","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T15:47:06","slug":"drug-menace-global-cooperation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/16-05-2026\/drug-menace-global-cooperation","title":{"rendered":"Drug Menace and the Need for Global Cooperation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/ Internal Security<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Union Home Minister Amit Shah called for a <strong>uniform global legal framework, intelligence sharing, and coordinated international action <\/strong>to combat the growing menace of drug trafficking and narco-terrorism.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Menace of Drug Abuse in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>According to a<strong> 2019<\/strong> report by <strong>AIIMS<\/strong> and the <strong>Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment;<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Over <strong>16 crore<\/strong> Indians consume alcohol, with <strong>5.7 crore<\/strong> requiring medical help.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>More than <strong>2.3 crore people <\/strong>use <strong>cannabis and opioids<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>About <strong>1.08%<\/strong> of 10-75 year old Indians (approximately 1.18 crore people) use sedatives (non-medical, non-prescription use).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Inhalants are a concern, particularly among <strong>children and adolescents<\/strong>, with a higher prevalence of use<strong> (1.17%)<\/strong> compared to adults <strong>(0.58%).<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Reasons for drug menace in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Geographical location:<\/strong> India lies close to the<strong> Golden Crescent and Golden Triangle<\/strong>, major global drug-producing regions.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Easy cross-border smuggling in states like Punjab, Manipur, and Assam enables drug inflow.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Youth vulnerability:<\/strong> Peer pressure, stress, unemployment, and curiosity make youth susceptible to drug use.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Weak enforcement:<\/strong> Inadequate surveillance, corruption, and overburdened agencies hinder effective control.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Easy availability:<\/strong> Online platforms, local peddlers, and pharmacies make drugs more accessible.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Social disintegration: <\/strong>Broken families, isolation, and lack of community support increase addiction risks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>Golden Triangle<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It includes the regions of Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is Southeast Asia\u2019s main opium-producing region and one of the oldest narcotics supply routes to Europe and North America.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Golden Crescent<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It includes Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is a principal global site for opium production and distribution.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Impact of Drug Abuse<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Economic Impact:<\/strong> Drug abuse lowers productivity, increases healthcare costs, and weakens human capital.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Health Impact: <\/strong>It causes mental disorders, spreads HIV\/AIDS and hepatitis, and leads to physical deterioration.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Social Impact: <\/strong>It disrupts families, fuels domestic violence, and results in social isolation and stigma.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>National Security Impact:<\/strong> Drug trade fosters narco-terrorism, organised crime, and youth involvement weakens national integrity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Steps Taken<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Indian Initiatives:\u00a0<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act):<\/strong> It prohibits the production, possession, sale, and consumption of illicit drugs and prescribes penalties for violations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan:<\/strong> Launched in 2020, this campaign aims to create awareness about the ill effects of drug abuse and promote a drug-free India.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF):<\/strong> Many states have established ANTFs to strengthen drug law enforcement at the state level.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>DarkNet Monitoring Cell <\/strong>under <strong>Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) <\/strong>tracks online drug sales.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Kashi Declaration: It is a five-year roadmap <\/strong>for drug-free India,<strong> <\/strong>signed during the<strong> <\/strong>Youth Spiritual Summit in <strong>Varanasi.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>India <\/strong>has<strong> <\/strong>set a national goal of achieving a<strong> Drug-Free India by 2047.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Global Initiatives:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC):<\/strong> The UNODC is at the forefront of the global fight against illicit drugs. The UNODC-led campaign aims to raise awareness about the dangers of drug abuse.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>International Narcotics Control Board (INCB): <\/strong>The INCB monitors the global drug situation and assesses countries&#8217; compliance with international drug control treaties.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Way Ahead<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Strengthening Global Governance:<\/strong> Countries need harmonised anti-drug laws and stronger extradition treaties. International institutions should develop common protocols for narcotics enforcement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Expanding Intelligence Cooperation: <\/strong>Establishment of integrated databases and real-time intelligence platforms can improve interdiction efforts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Enforcement with Rehabilitation:<\/strong> Alongside strict enforcement, governments should focus on;\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Rehabilitation,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Awareness campaigns,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mental health support, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Youth engagement programmes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Concluding remarks<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The growing drug menace in India poses a grave threat to public health, societal well-being, and national security.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>However, sustained success will require coordinated efforts across government, civil society, and communities, with a strong emphasis on prevention, rehabilitation, and youth empowerment to build a truly Nasha Mukt Bharat.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/shah-calls-for-uniform-global-laws-coordination-to-end-drug-menace\/article70984504.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong> Context <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> Union Home Minister Amit Shah called for a uniform global legal framework, intelligence sharing, and coordinated international action to combat the growing menace of drug trafficking and narco-terrorism. <\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong> Menace of Drug Abuse in India <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> According to a 2019 report by AIIMS and the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment; <\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> Over 16 crore Indians consume alcohol, with 5.7 crore requiring medical help. <\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> More than 2.3 crore people use cannabis and opioids. <\/li>\n<p><a href=\" https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/16-05-2026\/drug-menace-global-cooperation \" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-73828","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73828","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=73828"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73828\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":73832,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73828\/revisions\/73832"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=73828"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=73828"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=73828"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}