Time to Replace Drugs with Dharma

A short glance at India’s civilisational history will reveal that this land has witnessed various watershed moments that have defined the political and spiritual character of this country. Be it 16-year old Adi Shankaracharya, who set out on a mission to revive the Hindu society or 17-year old Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj who set out to establish swarajya, the youth of yore were inspired by the values that were professed in our ancient texts. It is such youth who determine the future of a nation. However, nowadays, we find the youth unfortunately taking to alcoholism and drug consumption, which are rampantly increasing in India.This is evident by the increasing number of deaths of youngsters due to over-dosage of drugs, as is being reported frequently, and crimes related to drugs and its usage. In fact, a report by the National Crime Record Bureau had revealed that states like Tamil Nadu had registered 4151 cases regarding possession of drugs and its consumption in the year 2020. The arrest of a Tamil film producer Jaffar Sadiq, allegedly linked to a Rs 2,000-crore drugs bust, had raised eyebrows across the country. A few days before his arrest, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) had also confiscated Rs 108 crore worth drugs near Ramanathapuram, a coastal city in Southern Tamil Nadu. Several studies have shown that consumption of drugs causes multiple health and behavioural issues such as mood swings or increased aggression toward others, deteriorating sleep, causes memory problems, mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, and long-term health consequences such as liver, kidney and heart problems or cancer.A nation like India that has the highest youth population cannot afford to have its youngsters prone to such problems. The other problem which is interlinked with drugs trade in India is that the money earned through the illicit sale of drugs is used to fund terrorist activities that are set out to destabilise India. This is a pattern seen world over. Countries like Afghanistan, that are breeding grounds for terrorist organisations like Al-Qaeda and Lashkar-E-Taiba, produce 85 percent of global opium. The drug trade is one of Afghanistan’s primary sources of providing full-time employment to its people. Therefore, it is understood that the illicit sale and consumption of drugs is not a problem that has effects on an individual at the micro level but also on the peace and stability of a nation, at the macro level..Unfortunately, India is also situated between two major drug-producing regions, the Golden Crescent (Iran-Afghanistan-Pakistan) and the Golden Triangle (Thailand-Laos-Myanmar), which makes it vulnerable to illicit drug trafficking. Hence, it is important for the Government to immediately crackdown on the drug cartel that exists in India. In the past few years, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has been making an aggressive push to eradicate drugs in the country. In the past three years, over 89,000 football fields equivalent areas of opium and cannabis cultivation have been destroyed across several states in the country. Apart from this a few preventive measures are also being taken such as National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) and Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (NMBA), which prevent drug abuse and provide treatment and rehabilitation services to drug addicts..However, for a problem like drug abuse to be eradicated from our society, the active participation of both the state and its subjects is required. As citizens, we must impart the timeless noble dharmic values of our ancient texts to the younger population to ensure that their potential is nurtured and utilised properly. A collaborative effort from the Government and its citizens in raising awareness about drugs and crackdown on its illicit sale will result in a drug free society. The youth must wisely choose avenues of engagement that are aimed towards character development and nation building. By invoking higher ideals of God or country, it is possible for the youth to steer clear from the path of ruin. A drug free society where the younger population are inspired by the values of dharma, will ultimately ensure that India stands First.