Over 2,300 people died of drug overdose from 2017-19

Over 2300 people died due to drug overdose from 201719 in India with the highest number of such fatalities recorded in the age group of 3045 years according to the data by the National Crime Records BureauA total of 745 deaths due to drug overdose were recorded in 2017 875 deaths in 2018 and 704 deaths in 2019 it statedThe highest number of deaths was reported in Rajasthan at 338 followed by Karnataka at 239 and Uttar Pradesh at 236 as per the dataThe highest number of deaths from 201719 was recorded in the age group of 3045 years at 784 it saidBelow the age of 14 years as many as 55 children died due to drug overdose Seventy children died in the age group of 1418 yearsA total of 624 people died in the age bracket of 1830 years and 550 people died in the age group of 4560 years due to drug overdose the data saidIn the age group of 60 and above 241 people died it addedTo tackle substance abuse the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment recently launched the Nasha Mukht Bharat Abhiyan NMBA for 272 mostaffected districts The scheme employs a threepronged approach combining efforts of the narcotics bureau outreach and awareness by social justice and treatment through health departmentA senior official said the NMBA will be further strengthened and continued under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction NAPDDR under which 13000 youth volunteers in 272 districts will be trained as community mobilisers against drug abuseHe said around 1180 lakh people would be benefited under the NAPDDR in the financial year 202122Experts say to tackle the issue of substance abuse the government should be looking into longterm intensive treatment and rehabilitationLoon Gangte regional coordinator for South Asia at the International Treatment Preparedness Coalition said employment opportunities must be provided after rehabilitationIt needs to be ensured what happens after rehab rehabilitation Rehabilitation is the easy path After rehabilitation about 8090 per cent fall back into addiction so there needs to be a plan for it The government should think beyond rehabilitation Affected people must be provided employment too which will help in keeping them occupied Gangte saidAkhila Sivadas executive director at the Centre for Advocacy and Research a nonprofit organisation said to prevent deaths caused by drug overdose there must intensive treatment including longterm treatment using state of art regimens and methods for those who are into substance usageThis issue requires both investment and political will she addedThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever