Dr Dharamvira Gandhi Member Parliament from Patiala in a letter to Chief Minister Punjab Captain Amrinder  Singh...

Dr Dharamvira Gandhi Member Parliament from Patiala in a letter to Chief Minister Punjab Captain Amrinder  Singh, has asked Chief Minister to take immediate measures to prevent drug overdose deaths in the state. Describing the spate of drug overdose deaths in the state as a humanitarian crisis, he termed such deaths of the young people mostly from poor families as a criminal racket of drug mafia which has pushed the young into this habit and has now pushed the families off the edge. 

CM Amrinder Singh

He reminded the Chief Minister of his earlier meeting and proposal to curb the mafia by legalizing natural intoxicants like Apheem, Bhukki and Bhang. Dr Dharamvira pleaded with the Chief Minister that the seriousness of the situation has forced to request you take certain urgent measures so as to prevent this imploding humanitarian crisis.

Firstly immediate arrangements should be made to supply Apheem and Bhukki at OST centers at District and Tehsil level and these should be distributed free in measured daily dose to the drug users registered earlier or the new ones who come to seek help. Such a step shall go a long way in reassuring the affected families, preventing further deaths and ward off the humanitarian crisis.

Prevent Drug-Related Deaths Calls

Secondly the cases registered thus in due course be evaluated by a psychotherapist and a committee of local eminent persons to fix the dose and periodicity of issuance of drug and monitoring the case. Thirdly the police must be instructed not to harass anybody approaching the OST centre or hospital, rather should protect drug users and a public statement is issued personally by your honorable self as a confidence building measure.Dr Gandhi added that the drug users should be considered as sick, a patient and not as criminals.

Fourthly, every death on account of drugs be registered as Drug related Death and a special registry be introduced immediately. Anybody between the young age of 15 to 50 dying of overdose, withdrawal, accident, quarrel or murder, long drawn illness or violence under intoxication should be deemed as Drug related Death and investigated as such and be registered under the Registry. Such Registry and the data generated by it shall go a long way in helping understand the problem and working out solutions, Dr Gandhi said. 

Every death on account of drugs be registered as Drug related Death

Dr Dharamvira asserted that after preventing the humanitarian crisis long term measures like amending the NDPS Act and legalizing natural intoxicants for medical use shall have to be undertaken.Dr Dharamvira expressed earnest hope that Captain Amrinder Singh shall act fast, take effective measures and prevent further deaths due to drugs.