War on drugs

THE Punjab government has launched yet another ambitious war on drugs, aiming to eradicate the menace within three months. With 798 raids, 290 arrests and massive seizures, the crackdown has been swift and aggressive. However, such operations are not new. Punjab has long been battling drug trafficking due to its proximity to the Golden Crescent — a hub of heroin production encompassing Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran. Will this time be any different? The Bhagwant Mann-led administration has coupled enforcement with a broader strategy, including deaddiction and rehabilitation. The focus on regulating private drug deaddiction centres and prescription drug sales is a step in the right direction. However, the success of this war depends on addressing the root causes — political complicity, porous borders and lack of economic alternatives for the youth. Punjab has seen such crackdowns before. In 2017, the then CM, Capt Amarinder Singh, promised to break the drug trade in four weeks. His government took several measures, including annual drug tests for government employees and the drug abuse prevention officer initiative. Yet, the drug crisis raged on. Before that, the Badal-led SAD government’s fight against drugs, too, proved to be a sham.

The failure to dismantle large cartels raises doubts about the effectiveness of the campaigns. The end-users, who are often poor addicts, remain easy targets for law enforcement while the ‘big fish’ stay elusive. If this pattern continues, the drug trade will persist under a different guise. Large drug consignments still enter Punjab despite heavy policing, pointing to deeper structural issues. Without a long-term vision, these crackdowns fail to bring lasting change.

A three-month deadline is unrealistic. Instead of quick-fixes, Punjab needs structural reforms, stricter border controls, judicial efficiency and community-led solutions. Otherwise, this latest ‘war on drugs’ will be another political spectacle — one that fails to deliver a drug-free Punjab.