Odisha sees alarming spike in youths seeking drug de-addiction treatment
According to the reports from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, a staggering 48,306 youths were admitted to drug de-addiction centres in the last year alone. This marks a significant rise from 24,497 admissions in 2020. A majority of this population is in the 18 to 30 years age group. The addictions are primarily related to use of brown sugar, ganja, alcohol and sedatives.
This sharp rise has placed Odisha at the fourth spot nationally for the highest number of admissions to drug de-addiction centres in the last financial year, following Madhya Pradesh (one lakh), Uttar Pradesh (96,749), and Rajasthan (71,355).
The state currently has 51 de-addiction centres operating under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) scheme, with the highest concentration, five centres each, in Khurda, Cuttack, and Puri districts. In addition, nearly 30 de-addiction centres are run by NGOs with government support, and several more operate privately.
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