Drug abuse of harmful cannabis commonly known as Marijuana or ganja has increased approximately 30 times in last five years in Jharkhand according to annual statements of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act cases record available with the State police.
The NDPS Act prohibits cultivation, distribution and consumption of drugs which includes marijuana, opium, danthal & doda, posta, heroine, brown sugar and other drugs. While in 2008, 33kg and 51 pudia (sachets) of ganja was seized only first four months of 2013 (till April) witnessed a whopping 950 kgs 730 grms and 80 pudia being seized from different locations across the State.
The confiscation of large amount of cannabis can also be reflected in the increasing number of drug addicts. Director In-charge of the Ranchi Institute of Neuro-Psychiatry & Allied Sciences Amool Ranjan said, “The number of drug addicts has grown at his centre. 1434 drug addicts visited our centre in 2012 whereas in 2013 till now above 600 patients have been reported to consult centre for de-addiction.”
He further added, “Out of total number of patients that consult our centre for de-addiction 50 percent of them are cannabis addict. Cannabis addiction is a weird kind of addiction initially patients feel high and seems to attain spiritual hallucination but gradually condition of patients degrade and shifts to the state where they flip. Cannabis addiction has become major challenge in de-addiction centres. ”
Major drug hubs identified in the state are latehar, Khunti,Gumla, Chatra, Hazaribagh and almost entire rural parts of Jharkhand . In these places incidents of cultivation, peddling and consumption of Cannabis have been reported.
“Gumla, lohardaga and Bokaro in Jharkhand, whereas rural parts of Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Bihar are the prominent drug centres from where drug hawking takes place and we have destroyed poppy cultivation in large scale this year,” said Sampat Meena, IG, Crime Investigative Department.
She further added, “Rural youths are more prone to cannabis. Neglected children get easily trapped in the vicious cycle of substance abuse and deviant behaviour.” She added that “awareness and education can only help children indulged in such activities. Health is wealth.”
