Drug Menace Worsens in Himachal, No Dedicated De-addiction Wards in Govt Medical Colleges: Jairam

Shimla Nov 24

Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur has expressed serious concern over the growing menace of ‘chitta’ (synthetic drugs) in Himachal Pradesh and alleged violence in private de-addiction centres. He said that out of 412 panchayats in Shimla district, drug abuse has already spread to 265, with 145 badly affected. Instances of deaths and abuse inside private rehabilitation centres have further raised alarms.

He pointed out that none of the six government medical colleges in the state has a dedicated de-addiction ward, forcing families to depend on expensive and often unsafe private facilities, where treatment can cost up to ₹25,000 per month. Accusing the government of focusing only on “headline and event management”, he urged the state to establish proper, government-run rehabilitation facilities, increase psychiatric beds, and treat drug addicts as patients rather than criminals.