«——【Preamble】】 ——»
India, a large country in South Asia with a population of 1.3 billion, has made great strides in the economic and technological fields, but it is also facing a worrying social problem: drug epidemics.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, about 60 million people in India use drugs, including 30 million people who use cannabis and 2 million who use opium and heroin.
«——【Causes of the Drug Epidemic in India·】——»
Cannabis has a long history in India, dating back to around 1500 BC. In the ancient Hindu scriptures, the Vedas, cannabis is worshipped as one of the five sacred plants.
It was given the sacred status of "giving liberation". Hindus believe that smoking marijuana can help them enter a meditative state and communicate with the gods.
Cannabis plays an important role in many important festivals and religious ceremonies in Hinduism. For example, during the festival of "Holi" in March every year, people burn marijuana in bonfires and smoke it as a sign of reverence for the main god Shiva.
Shiva is affectionately known as the "god of marijuana" by Hindus because of his love of marijuana. Over time, cannabis has become more than just a religious item in India, but also a lifestyle and cultural symbol.
In some parts of northern India, smoking marijuana is seen as a symbol of "masculinity". Some Hindu monks and ascetics even regard marijuana as a "soul mate", day and night.
This deep-rooted cultural tradition has given cannabis a "legal" and "sacred" status in India, making it a hotbed for drug abuse.
To this day, cannabis is still widely used in India and has become one of the most common drugs. In addition to religious and cultural factors, the opium trade during the British colonial rule also laid the foundation for India's drug problem.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the British East India Company cultivated opium poppy on a large scale in the Indian state of Punjab in order to reap the windfall profits from the opium trade.
At that time, the British not only forced Indian farmers to abandon their food crops in favor of opium poppy cultivation, but also imposed a monopoly on the purchase of opium poppies. This led to a sharp drop in India's food production, which led to catastrophic famines.
Between 1837 and 1901, it is recorded that there were 25 great famines in India, resulting in the deaths of millions of people. The British turned a blind eye to this and only cared about the opium business, which was outrageous.
One British official even publicly declared: "We are concerned about the poppy, not the Indians." "This dark history has not only brought deep trauma to the Indian people, but also laid the root cause of India's drug problem.
Large-scale opium poppy cultivation has led to the widespread spread of opium and heroin in India. Even after the end of British colonial rule, the root cause of these drugs has taken deep root in the land of India.
«——[Promoting opium poppy cultivation during the war]——»
During the war in Afghanistan in the 80s, the CIA taught the anti-Soviet Afghan armed forces to grow opium poppies and make heroin.
At that time, the CIA provided Afghan militants with a lot of money and weapons to counter the invasion of the Soviet army in Afghanistan.
But these funds were far from enough, and the CIA came up with a "clever plan": to instigate the Afghans to grow opium poppies, sell drugs around the world, and use the money to buy weapons.
Under the manipulation of the CIA, Afghanistan soon became the world's largest opium poppy cultivation area, known as the "Golden Crescent" drug producing area. Huge quantities of heroin flow from here to all parts of the world, and India, as its neighbor, naturally suffered.
This has not only exacerbated the instability in Afghanistan, but also added fuel to the fire of India's drug problem. Large quantities of cheap Afghan heroin have been smuggled into India, making the drug more widespread and accessible in India.
To this day, Afghanistan remains the world's largest opium poppy grower, accounting for more than 90 per cent of global production. And India, as its largest neighbor, naturally bears a heavy price.
Despite the growing drug problem, the Indian government has long adopted a conniving and laissez-faire attitude towards it, which is undoubtedly another important reason for the drug epidemic in India.
It was not until 1985 that India enacted its first national Drug and Psychotropic Substances Act, but the penalties for this Act were extremely limited.
For those who smuggle drugs in quantities of less than 1,000 grams, the maximum sentence is 6 months, and the fine is even smaller. Such a law is simply a "pass" for drug dealers.
What is even more absurd is that some Indian officials have gone so far as to publicly call for the legalization of drugs. They claim that drug use is part of Indian culture, and that marijuana, opium and the like are less harmful than alcohol and tobacco. Not only is legalization harmless, but it also generates significant tax revenue for the government, so why not?
For those who are hopelessly addicted to drugs, the Indian government's approach is even more ridiculous. Instead of severely punishing drug dealers, they are giving clean needles to drug users in an attempt to "regulate" drug use and avoid spreading AIDS and other diseases.
This practice is tantamount to conniving at and encouraging drug abuse. In general, the Indian government's long-standing attitude towards the drug problem has been either indulgent or soft-hearted, and it has no determination to solve the problem fundamentally. This is undoubtedly an important reason for the drug epidemic in India.
«——[The absurdity of India's anti-drug measures]——»
In the face of the growing drug problem, the Indian government has adopted some seemingly "iron-fisted" anti-drug measures, but in fact they are absurd.
One of the most representative is the "public drug burning ceremony" held every year. During the ceremony, law enforcement agencies burn seized marijuana, heroin and other drugs in public to show the government's determination.
However, this practice not only did not have the deterrent effect it should have, but instead became a "feast" for drug addicts. Large quantities of drugs are burned at high temperatures, which can release intoxicating smoke.
Some drug addicts take the opportunity to inhale this smoke deeply at the scene for a "temporary high". What's more, some people even pick up the burned drug residue and take it home to continue smoking.
It can be said that this kind of "burning ceremony", which should have a warning significance, has become a strange "way of drug use" in India. This is nothing less than a mockery and blasphemy of anti-narcotics work.
What is even more bizarre is that some Indian officials have publicly called for the legalization of drugs in order to increase government tax revenues. In 2016, for example, a minister in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan publicly stated that marijuana should be legalized and taxed.
He claimed that marijuana has a long history and cultural tradition in India, and that it is less harmful than alcohol and tobacco. Not only is legalization harmless, but it also generates significant tax revenue for the government, so why not?
This kind of remark is undoubtedly giving the green light to drugs, which completely goes against the original intention of drug control. In fact, despite its special cultural status in India, marijuana is a drug that can seriously damage physical and mental health if abused over time.
Legalizing it is tantamount to encouraging drug abuse, with dire consequences. In addition, some officials have called for the "modest legalization" of hard drugs such as opium and heroin.
They believe that for those drug addicts who are already hopeless, it is better to let them use legally under "supervision" so that they do not go down the path of crime. This idea is certainly motivated by a "humanitarian" consideration, but it puts the cart before the horse.
«——【·Conclusion·】——»
The drug problem is a global challenge, and India, as a populous country, is particularly affected by drug epidemics. From the influence of religious culture, to the cultivation of opium poppy during colonial rule.
From the CIA's promotion of the drug economy during the war in Afghanistan, various historical factors have added fuel to the fire of India's drug problem.
What is even more distressing is that some of the Indian Government's anti-narcotics practices are not only absurd and ridiculous, but also put the cart before the horse, which is counterproductive.
The public burning of drugs has become a "feast" for drug addicts; Calling for the legalization of drugs to increase tax revenues is tantamount to giving the green light to drugs; The distribution of needles to drug addicts and the establishment of "injection rooms" are conniving and encouraging drug abuse.
This approach stands in stark contrast to China's iron-fisted anti-drug policies. China has adhered to its determination to "fight narcotics to the end" and has severely punished drug-related crimes, and at the same time has intensified education, publicity, and drug rehabilitation, and has achieved remarkable results.
The drug problem has a bearing on national security and the future of the nation, and we must not be soft-hearted. India should learn from China's experience and tackle the drug problem at its roots.
Only by severely punishing drug traffickers, intensifying propaganda and education, and cutting off the sources of narcotics can we truly reverse the situation of drug proliferation and restore India to its former glory.
Information sources:
Zhang Li, Opium Production and Trade with China in India during the British Colonial Period[J], Journal of Sichuan University (Philosophy and Social Science), 1985.04