Nagpur, Dr. Prashant Joshi, Executive Director of AIIMS Nagpur, shared findings from a 2019 AIIMS Delhi study revealing that 2–3% of Indians—equating to roughly 25–40 million people—are addicted to opioids or cannabis. Disturbingly, 80–90% of those individuals remain untreated, facing barriers like lack of awareness, limited facilities, and a shortage of trained professionals, especially in rural and semi-urban regions .Dr. Joshi emphasized the need for:Early identification and stigma-free, compassionate careExpansion of telemedicine platforms like Tele-MANAS to bridge access gapsTraining paramedical staff to recognize and refer affected individuals .
Maharashtra’s prisons are packed with undertrial inmates, many held on drug-related petty crimes; ## Mission Prayas has rehabilitated over 1,300 prisoners and provided post-release counseling to more than 3,000 .Galabhet, an initiative offering structured rehabilitation with professional counseling, family visits, and community radio support, is gaining traction .
Civic leaders and educators are calling for open dialogues in families and schools, training parents and teachers to spot early signs of drug abuse, and integrating drug education into curricula .
2023‐19 AIIMS/NDDTC survey reported ~15 million adults use alcohol (17%), ~2.9 million use cannabis (3.3%), and ~1.9 million use opioids (2.1%) .
Another expert estimated actual drug user numbers up to 250 million (25 crore), significantly higher than official estimates of 100 million (10 crore), with 40 million fully dependent and 20 million using injectable drugs .
Prevention & awareness: Education in homes and schools plus family involvement are essential for early intervention.Massive treatment gap: Most addicts lack access to care due to resource constraints.
Invest in telemedicine and de-addiction centers, especially in underserved regions.Scale up rehabilitation programs like Mission Prayas and Galabhet in prisons.Train paramedics, teachers, and community workers to spot and refer addicts early.Destigmatize drug treatment to encourage more people to seek help.
This issue isn’t just medical—it spans public health, rural development, law enforcement, education, and social stigma. While the 2–3% prevalence rate may seem modest, the sheer size of India’s population means tens of millions are affected—and most are still left behind.
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