Now Reading: Half of Indian prison inmates have substance abuse history
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Half of Indian prison inmates have substance abuse history
A new study in the Indian Journal of Medical Research finds that 51 per cent of inmates across Indian prisons reported a history of substance abuse. Among alcohol users, nearly 32 per…
The Story in Brief
A new study in the Indian Journal of Medical Research finds that 51 per cent of inmates across Indian prisons reported a history of substance abuse. Among alcohol users, nearly 32 per cent were drinking daily in the month before arrest. The survey also found 11 per cent of cannabis users and 7.2 per cent of opioid users were consuming substances daily before imprisonment. The Deccan Herald reports that the data covers respondents from multiple states and was collected through interviews and medical records.
The Indian Opinion
The survey confirms what jail officials have long whispered: addiction and crime are entwined. But headlines risk blaming prisoners alone. India’s treatment infrastructure remains woefully inadequate, fewer than one de-addiction centre per district. The Home Ministry must now deliver what it promised in 2022: mandatory screening and counselling at every prison gate. The real test will be Parivartan, the pilot programme in six high-burden states.
Source: deccanherald.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
