The Supreme Court on Monday expressed grave concern over the rising incidence of drug abuse among India’s youth, condemning the increasing association of substance abuse with being “cool”.
A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and N Kotiswar Singh made these remarks while affirming a National Investigation Agency (NIA) investigation into
Ankush Vipan Kapoor’s alleged involvement in a drug trafficking ring smuggling heroin from Pakistan.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Nagarathna warned that drug abuse has severe socio-economic and psychological consequences, threatening to “corrode the shine of the nation’s youth”.
The full text of the judgment is expected later on Monday.
The Court also highlighted the urgent need for collective action to tackle the issue.
“This menace transcends age, community, and religion, and is spreading rapidly across the country,” Justice Nagarathna observed, noting that the drug trade is linked to violence, terrorism, and societal destabilisation.
She urged parents, society, and state authorities to take immediate action to combat the growing problem. The Court issued guidelines to the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) to coordinate a comprehensive response.
In its judgment, the Court linked the rise in drug abuse among young people to peer pressure, academic stress, and the influence of certain cultural factors promoting “dangerous lifestyles”.
The bench expressed particular concern over how “escapism” has become a default coping mechanism for many adolescents, urging the younger generation to exercise greater autonomy in their decisions.
Justice Nagarathna emphasised the crucial role of parents in curbing substance abuse, urging them to foster a loving and emotionally secure environment.
“The most important yearning of adolescents is love and affection from parents,” she noted, suggesting that compassion can counteract the lure of drugs.
The Court also stressed the importance of destigmatising addiction, calling for empathy towards victims and support through rehabilitation.
Further, the judgment called for an open dialogue around drug abuse, encouraging preventive measures and community-based interventions.
“This is the need of the hour – to create constructive citizens and to cut off the profit supply of drug traffickers,” it stated.
The Court also urged the youth to resist the glorification of drug use and to strive towards becoming responsible citizens.
The Court’s observations, though part of the specific case involving Kapoor, extended far beyond the matter at hand, addressing the broader societal challenges posed by drug abuse.
The NIA probe into Kapoor’s alleged drug trafficking activities continues.
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