The Kerala High Court Today (Feb 18) flagged a shocking 330% rise in drug cases, with synthetic drugs replacing ganja. Justice VG Arun warned that courts must step in as drug abuse spreads to schools.
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KOCHI: The Kerala High Court raised serious concerns about the increasing number of drug-related cases in the state.
Justice VG Arun pointed out that drug abuse has become a major social problem and cannot be ignored anymore, especially when even the State Assembly had to put aside its regular work to discuss this issue and its impact on schools.
“We have reached a stage where the State Assembly had to suspend its regular business to consider this social menace. I read in the newspaper that on February 8th, the session was suspended to consider this issue because it has now reached the schools. This is the reality we have to deal with. We have been pushing it off saying that in Kerala it is not happening,”
-the judge said.
The court was hearing a bail request from a person who was arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act).
Justice Arun shared shocking statistics about the rising NDPS cases in Kerala. He also mentioned that drug users are now shifting from ganja to even more dangerous synthetic drugs.
“The statistics are alarming. There were 27 thousand odd arrests in NDPS crimes in 2024 alone. The increase from 2021 to 2024 is 330 per cent. There is also a marked shift from ganja to synthetic drug use. Its common use in parties and what they are calling in after parties is concerning,”
-he said.
At first, the court was going to reject the bail plea. However, it later decided to review the case again next week.
Justice Arun also stressed that when the same people keep getting involved in NDPS crimes, courts must take strict action.
“These NDPS offences are offences against society as a whole and there is an alarming rise in such cases … When it comes to subsequent crimes for NDPS offences, the court has to step in and cancel the bail,”
-he said.
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