Fighting drug abuse

india will launch three projects to control drug abuse, said Asha Das, secretary, ministry of social justice and empowerment. She stated that accurate statistics of abusers and the demand for illicit drugs is necessary and would also be of great help for the government in formulating effective drug control policies. One of the three projects will focus entirely on the northeastern states and the other two will relate to the rehabilitation of the drug addicts and their families.

According to Devender Dutt, deputy director general of Narcotics Control Bureau, India is very close to the world's largest suppliers of illicit drugs -- Afghanistan, Myanmar and Pakistan -- and is vulnerable to trafficking. Besides, the four common illicit drugs -- opium, heroin, cannabis and marijuana -- there have been two additions lately: cocaine and amphetamine-type stimulants like ecstasy, she said.