NARCOTICS USE IN KERALA IS REALLY GRAVE

This must be the right time for the government, all concerned departments, the whole media of the state, social organisations and the people as a whole to concentrate on the narcotics use in the state of Kerala. The input network of various narcotics drugs getting thicker, wider and stronger. If we fail to ckeck the menace now, the upcoming generation will be lost for ever.

According to a Global Drug Survey conducted among 1,15,000 respondents from 28 countries, in 68 percent male and 32 per cent female with a mean age of 29.1 years, use the the following drugs.

Cannabis - 60.0%

Cocaine - 19.1%

MDMA - 19.0%

Amphetamines - 12.2%

LSD - 11.4%

Magic mushrooms - 10.4%

Prescription opioids - 8.9%

Ketamine - 6.8%

Poppers - 3.8%

Crack - 2.1%

According to an updated report by The New Indian Express dated 20 December 2019, the state police have reported to the High Court that drug abuse among students on rise in Kerala. Observing that the "scale of drug usage in Kerala is unacceptably high" the Kerala High Court has issued a slew of directions to control drug abuse among youngsters and students in educational institutions. Notable among the directions is the one given to the State Government to establish campus police units in all educational institutions to prevent drug abuses in campus. The Court ordered.

According to a state official the most popular drug in Kerala is heroine. This is coming from Pakistan and Iran via Sri Lanka through fishing boats to Kerala. These consignments are also coming by air cargo through people coming from Africa on medical visa, it is said. 

We have police, excise and customs, NCB etc to check the drug abuse, but unfortunately, the inflow and the users are on the rise. If this is left unchecked most of our youth will fall preys to the combined operations of national and international criminals. An effective method is suggested below to prevent narcotic crimes.

Government may recruit 100 qualified and healthy young men as police apprentices for a period of two years. Give them two weeks classes about the basics about narcotic drugs and other relevant matters. Their only goal will be to get arrested maximum people involved in the distribution of these drugs. Let them have a  nodal officer to pass information and take instructions as and when required. Those who help to nab good number of criminals in this trade should  be appointed as Sub Inspectors on completion of two years apprenticeship. If this could be arranged we may be able to keep an effective check of narcotic drugs inflow to the state. We may use them initially as informers only. Government can try this.

These drugs must have significant influence in the high rate of crimes committed in the state especially the huge numbers of murders and rapes taking place in the state.

K V George

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