Drugs & Law in India w.r.t. Treatment of Drug Addicts /Abusers

Drug addiction causes immense human distress and the illegal production and distribution of drugs have spawned crime and violence worldwide. Today, there is no part of the world that is free from the curse of drug trafficking and drug addiction. Millions of drug addicts, all over the world, are leading miserable lives, between life and death. India too is caught in this vicious circle of drug abuse, and the numbers of drug addicts are increasing day by day. The development of contemporary treatment responses to drug abuse at the local, regional or national level is required to develop the strategic framework for providing rehabilitation of the drug addicts. The most important principle of an effective drug treatment programme is to attend the multiple needs of the individual and not just his/her drug abuse. Treatment can be defined in general terms as the provision of one or more structured interventions designed to manage health and other problems as a consequence of drug abuse and to improve or maximize personal and social functioning. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on Drug Dependence, the term "treatment" refers to "the process that begins when psychoactive substance abusers come into contact with a health provider or any other community service, and may continue through a succession of specific interventions until the highest attainable level of health and wellbeing is reached. Although drug policy in India provides for treatment, it is not prioritized in enforcement. This paper critically examines the legal framework for drug treatment and offers suggestions for developing a strategic framework for meeting the health and rehabilitation needs of the drug abusers.