New Delhi, July 22
India’s escalating drug crisis has sparked alarm across enforcement agencies, with over 20.8 lakh kilograms of narcotics seized in 2022 alone - as compared to 11.37 lakh kilograms in 2021.
The sharp spike reflects not just growing trafficking networks, but also a significant rise in drug use, especially among the youth.
According to data tabled in the Lok Sabha by Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai on Tuesday, the total drug seizures in 2018, 2019 and 2020 were 39.19 lakh kgs, 11.11 lakh kgs and 13.16 lakh kgs, respectively.
The number of registered drug cases also soared - from 63,137 in 2018 to a record 1,15,236 in 2022, marking an 84 per cent increase in five years. Among states, Uttar Pradesh led the tally in 2022 with a staggering 10.5 lakh kg of drug seizures, followed by Andhra Pradesh (1.69 lakh kg), Odisha (1.44 lakh kg), and Rajasthan (1.55 lakh kg).
In terms of growth in enforcement, Kerala saw the sharpest spike in cases - from 8,724 in 2018 to 26,619 in 2022, a 205 per cent surge. Similarly, Karnataka recorded a sixfold increase, from just 1,030 to nearly 6,399 cases in the same period. But the most disturbing trend is the age breakdown of drug users.
A national survey conducted by AIIMS and the Ministry of Social Justice in 2019 revealed that 40 lakh children (10-17 years) were already using opioids, while 20 lakh used cannabis.
Among adults (18-75 years), an estimated 2.9 crore were cannabis users, and 1.9 crore consumed opioids. Sedative, cocaine, and ATS use was also reported in both age brackets.
To combat this, the government has launched a multi-pronged approach. The Narcotics Control Bureau has registered 116 major international cases since 2020 to 2025 (up to May), seizing over 1.09 lakh kg of narcotics and targeting financial networks through the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act), 1988.
Meanwhile, the ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan’ has reached over 16.49 crore citizens, including 5.51 crore youth, aiming to shift the narrative from addiction to rehabilitation and awareness.