TO WIN THE DRUG WAR

On the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking,
governments around the world need to rethink their strategy on tackling
this social problem. As in the case of the prohibition of alcohol in some
states, the criminalisation of drug use and its sale hasn't been of much
use in mitigating the situation. Despite the best efforts, the world is no
nearer to meeting its target of significantly reducing the supply and
demand of drugs by 2008. On the other hand, its repression has only led to
a proliferation of its illicit trade and given rise to organised crime on a
massive scale. Besides, the social taboo associated with substance abuse
prevents those dependent on certain drugs from coming forward for treatment.

Government strategy in India, for example, does not go beyond the law and
order approach. Surely, there is something lopsided about the National
Drugs and Psychotropics Substances Act that can get you a ten-year jail
sentence for possessing 10 grams of marijuana, a fairly mild drug that has
been legalised in many countries, while a violent crime like rape will
fetch you five-seven years.

India has the misfortune of being sandwiched between two of the world's
largest opium producing areas -- Afghanistan and the Golden Triangle. By
one count there are some four million people who are victims of drug abuse.
Besides the associated health concerns, including the risk of transmitting
HIV/AIDS and other blood-borne diseases through the sharing of needles, it
also takes a terrible toll on families, if not communities. The way out has
to be a combination of counselling, detoxification and rehabilitation
programmes as well as interdiction of hard drugs. It may be a good idea to
decriminalise some of the milder drugs so as to focus the effort on hard
drugs like heroin and cocaine. As in the case of abuse of other substances
like cigarettes and alcohol, the way to go is to build up awareness of its
negative effects through education and family and community efforts.