Causes of Drug Problem in Punjab:
- Opium was part of Cultural landscape before partition and ramped up after the Green Revolution
- Cross Border flow of Drugs during 1990s
- Involvement of Political Persons during Elections. Recent instance of capturing of 1.35 lakh kg of drug during LokSabha Election 2014
- Rural Unemployment
- Nexus between politicians and trade cartels
Consequences of Drug Problem:
- Spreading of Diseases like AIDS
- Increase in Criminality. They may support terrorism for the sake of drugs
- Families of drug persons will be affected economically
- Suicides due to drug abuse
- Money from drug trade has been used for spreading terror in other parts of country (narcoterrorism)
- Weakened vision of National Youth Policy 2014. Capable human resource is not being capitalized for productive purposes
Solutions for these:
- Providing clean needles, sterilization equipment and the like to drug users
- Effective affordable rehabilitation centers, focus on high-prevalence drug groups such as sex workers, transportation workers and street children
- Redressal of the unemployment situation.
- The supply side reduction should involve a zero-tolerance policy towards drug cartels, syndicates and peddlers.