Amisha Singh*
Punjab has been grappling with the problem of drugs for decades now, the extent and severity of which continues to remain pronounced. With the changing governments, the state has seen an assortment of policies, programmes and pilot projects surrounding drug de-addiction, awareness campaigns and incessant promises to free Punjab from this menace. Repercussions of this drug epidemic are variegated, with some individuals being more adversely affected than others. One such group encompasses convicts and under trials of The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, most of whom are housed in prisons in Punjab, excepting those in Drug De-addiction centres. Punjab has an extremely high proportion of NDPS cases and convictions raising serious concerns about the health and welfare of not only the citizens but also prisoners, who are often neglected in the larger scheme of things. Mental well-being plays a significant role in ensuring the success of deaddiction programmes, however, Punjab has failed to provide adequate mental health facilities for addicts or convicts to turn to. The serious shortage of psychiatrists and psychologists in the Indian healthcare system, who can provide the necessary support to drug addicts, necessitates intervention by civil society actors who can facilitate and initiate support programmes for addicts and convicts. While the public still has some access to such programmes, those in prisons have limited healthcare facilities at their disposal making the task of de-addiction extremely difficult. This paper seeks to address the pressing need for a community-based approach towards deaddiction of convicts and under trials, facing charges under the NDPS Act. There are many international frameworks in place that address the rights of prisoners, which will be discussed briefly in arriving at possible solutions to address the mental health needs of NDPS prisoners and protocols that need to be established in this regard.
Published Date: 2025-06-20; Received Date: 2024-04-29
