City Pulse

All through my childhood and even now, I consumed Western media. I watched shows like Narcos and Skins, where drug use and manufacturing were parts of and critical to the story arc. It wasn't an issue - drug abuse felt so far away from my life and my country - because they were just stories and couldn't possibly be real. Then last year, I watched Udta Punjab, and was absolutely shocked.

Udta Punjab made headlines last year due to the CBFC's attempt to censor the film to remove all mentions of Punjab and its politics. The film, however, was leaked before the 89 cuts were made. An emotional and raw film, it forced me to delve deeper into the world of drugs in India. I was, once again, absolutely shocked.

How could drugs be such a big issue in India if I never heard about it? I watched and read the news everyday, but the drug epidemic somehow existed right under my nose. I read articles and articles about drugs in India, especially in cities like Mumbai and Bengaluru. Mentions of Bengaluru becoming the drug capital and articles detailing how easy it was to buy cheap, bulk quantities of drugs in Mumbai terrified me.

The problem with this is that anyone can buy drugs - even children. Children, regardless of social class, are getting addicted to drugs at a younger rate faster than ever. Reports of nine year olds using marijuana and 12th graders dying from drug overdoses fill our news feeds and timelines; but what can we do? Drug addiction isn't something that can be alleviated overnight.

The only "cure" to the current drug epidemic across India is education and more effectual legislation. Educating students and adults alike about the implications and effects of drugs upon the physical, emotional and personal health of users. While having a national campaign against drugs, like Nixon's War on Drugs, may not always be effective, it would be a step forward, and in the right direction. The National Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act of 1985 has been amended three times since its conception, however, it still has flaws. This can only be made competent if there are serious revisions made to the act with a sole focus on public health and safety in cognizance, rather than political gain.

There is no doubt in anyone's mind that the drug industry in India is a way for people to make large financial gain, and it could be argued that the banning of drugs is classist, to an extent. However, unemployment and financial instability should be solved in ways that benefit all parties involved, instead of a threat to national wellbeing.

Very often, children are the victims of others' vices, and this phenomenon is extremely common in the business of psychotropic affluences. But, it is up to society as a whole to ensure that we do not let the future of our nation end up as Balli from Udta Punjab, alone and afraid.