PATHANAMTHITTA: The young generation of the state has begun seeking shelter on drugs irrespective of gender. When the police unexpectedly saw some students in a building at the main town of the district and asked them why they had come there, they retorted, who are you to question us? On being questioned about the drugs in their hands, they said, “We know what to do with it”. According to local traders, it is a common site in the area. It is a place where girl students indulge in fights regularly. Several such cases have been reported in different parts of the district.
Before the opening of schools, there were 80 cases of cannabis reported within six months, but now the figures have gone up to 100. A similar number of agents are also involved in the case. Incidents of school students operating as drug agents have surfaced before as well. Most of the students brought for counselling by parents are drug addicts. During counselling, a ninth grader once said that ganja and alcohol are like normal food. A case can be registered only if a person is in possession of more than one kilogram of cannabis. In other situations, they are asked to pay a fine and leave. Drug mafia are taking leverage out of the loophole.
Figures from Jan 2022 till June 2022
Cannabis cases: Above 100
Accused: 97
Arrested: 92
A cannabis plant and 5.42 kg cannabis were seized
One MDMA case and 1.16 gram hashish oil
23 sets of drug tablets seized
“If these many cases are caught despite having so many facilities, double the numbers would be going unnoticed. Young people are getting addicted to drugs in a large scale”, said excise officials.