Himachal's New Drug Policy: From Criminalization to Rehabilitation

Himachal Pradesh police are shifting their approach, treating drug addicts caught with small contraband quantities as individuals needing rehabilitation rather than as criminals. This move aims to address the rising drug abuse problem, reflected in an increase in Narcotic Drugs cases from 644 in 2014 to 2,147 in 2023.

Himachal Pradesh is adopting a new policy to combat drug abuse, focusing on rehabilitation rather than criminalization for addicts caught with small quantities of narcotics, the state's police chief announced on Thursday.

The change comes amid a significant rise in cases filed under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, growing from 644 in 2014 to 2,147 in 2023. Authorities believe that punishment alone has failed to deter the spike in drug-related offenses.

Three commandants and Inspector General Northern Range Abhishek Dhullar will oversee the initiative. Director General Police Atul Verma highlighted that this policy shift will leverage Section 64 A of the NDPS Act, offering immunity from prosecution for addicts seeking medical treatment, a clause previously unused in the state.

(With inputs from agencies.)