MINORS SUCCUMBING TO DRUGS: A PRESSING ISSUE IN CONTEMPORARY INDIA
AUTHOR – KHUSHBOO SHARMA* & DR PUJA PAUL SRIVASTAVA**
*LLM-CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, CENTRE FOR LEGAL STUDIES, GITARATTAN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS SCHOOL
** ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, GITARATTAN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS SCHOOL
BEST CITATION – KHUSHBOO SHARMA & DR PUJA PAUL SRIVASTAVA, MINORS SUCCUMBING TO DRUGS: A PRESSING ISSUE IN CONTEMPORARY INDIA, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 6 (6) OF 2026, PG. 01-05, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344. DOI – https://doi.org/10.65393/IJLRV6I617
ABSTRACT
India has a huge population base estimated to be approximately 142.11 Cr as of 20261, according to the Census of India. Much of this population today is constituted of minors and youth. The problem of drug abuse is not new, as the cases of drug and narcotic abuse are reported almost every other day around the world. On the other hand, the same has now become an issue of growing concern in India among the young population. It is crucial to understand that the use of drugs and narcotics at a comparatively younger age has a far more devastating impact not only on the individual’s own personal life but on society at large. Use of drugs has been reported to cause crucial side effects such as withdrawal from society, serious physical health issues, increased dependence on others for normal tasks, increased mental health disorders such as cognitive impairment, developmental delays and anxiety and depression.
Not only this, if we take the example of minors having easy access to drugs, it causes them to grow morally corrupt, drop out of school and limit their future employment possibilities, eventually contributing to a never-ending cycle of poverty. This dependence on drugs also makes them more susceptible to committing crimes and aids in criminal activities such as drug trafficking and peddling. Use of drugs has often been seen to contribute to rising healthcare concerns such as malnutrition, spread of infectious diseases and overdose incidents fatal to life.
The factors that contribute to the growing cases of drug abuse often are reflected due to lack of education, socio-economic differences, easy availability and peer pressure. It is observed that drug-consuming minors are more prone to resorting to crimes like theft, violence and drug peddling in order to sustain their addiction, contributing to increased incidents of juvenile delinquency. Timid enforcement, social vulnerability and drug trafficking networks exploiting children have increased the abuse of drugs among minors despite stringent legislation like the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. This study explores the socio-legal drivers of easy drug availability at children and the links between drug addiction and criminal behaviour. The law enforcement agencies like the Narcotics Control Bureau have had a role to play in containing the drug menace apart from stronger preventive strategies, rehabilitation mechanisms and policy reform.
Keywords: Drugs, Narcotics, NDPS Act, judicial decisions, protection against drug abuse Minors