National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction

Drug and substance abuse is a serious problem adversely affecting the social fabric of the country.

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has prepared a National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) for 2018-2023 so as to focus on preventive education, awareness generation, identification, counselling, treatment and rehabilitation of drug dependent persons and training and capacity building of the service providers through collaborative efforts of the Central and State Governments and Non-Governmental Organizations.

Policy Commitments

Article 47 of the Constitution provides that "The State shall regard the raising of the level of nutrition and the standard of living of its people and the improvement of public health as among its primary duties and, in particular, the State shall endeavor to bring about prohibition of the consumption except for medicinal purposes of intoxicating drinks and of drugs which are injurious to health."

India is a signatory to the three UN Conventions namely, Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971 and Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, 1988.

The Government of India has enacted the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in the year 1985 to make stringent provisions for the control and regulation of operations relating to narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

The Government of India has also brought out a National Policy on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) in 2012 to serve as a guide to various Ministries/Departments, State Governments, International Organisations, NGOs, etc. and re-assert India’s commitment to combat the drug menace in a holistic manner.

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has been implementing a Central Sector Scheme of Assistance for Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drugs) Abuse since 1985-86 for identification, counselling, treatment and rehabilitation of addicts through voluntary and other eligible organizations.

Objectives of NAPDDR

• Create awareness and educate people about the ill-effects of drugs abuse on the individual, family, workplace and the society at large and reduce stigmatization of and discrimination against, groups and individuals dependent on drugs in order to integrate them back into the society;
• Develop human resources and build capacity for working towards these objectives;
• Facilitate research, training, documentation, innovation and collection of relevant information to strengthen the above mentioned objectives;
• Provide for a whole range of community based services for the identification, motivation, counselling, de-addiction, after care and rehabilitation for Whole Person Recovery (WPR) of addicts;
• Formulate and implement comprehensive guidelines, schemes, and programmes using a multiagency approach for drug demand reduction;
• Undertake drug demand reduction efforts to address all forms of drug abuse;
• Alleviate the consequences of drug dependence amongst individuals, family and society at large

Components admissible for financial assistance

The following components are admissible for financial assistance under the NAPDDR:

• Preventive Education and Awareness Generation
• Capacity Building
• Treatment and Rehabilitation
• Setting quality standards
• Focussed Intervention in vulnerable areas
• Skill development, vocational training and livelihood support of ex-drug addicts
• Survey, Studies, Evaluation, Research and Innovation on the subjects covered under the Scheme.
• Programmes for Drug Demand Reduction by States/UTs
• Programme Management
• Any other activity or item which will augment/strengthen the implementation of NAPDDR

Implementation agency

The National Institute of Social Defence (NISD), New Delhi, an autonomous body under the administrative control of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, is the nodal training and research Institute for interventions in the area of Social Defence.

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Source : Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment