New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Monday said that substance abuse has regrettably become a symbol of being “cool”, while expressing its discontent regarding the alarming increase of drug abuse among the youth in the country.
A bench comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and N Kotiswar Singh warned about the severe socio-economic and psychological effects of drug abuse. The bench said that drug abuse threatens to “corrode the shine of the nation’s youth”, and added that it promotes “dangerous lifestyles”.
The top court made these observations while affirming a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe against Ankush Vipan Kapoor. Kapoor has been accused of involvement in a drug trafficking network that smuggled heroin from Pakistan into India via sea routes.
The bench stressed that there should be a collective action from multiple stakeholders, including parents, society and state authorities, to stem the menace. The bench also issued guidelines to the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) to lead a coordinated response.
Justice Nagarathna, who read out the operative part of the judgment, while emphasising on consequences of drug trade, said it funds violence and terrorism while destabilising society. The judgment linked the issue of drugs, among the youth, to factors such as peer pressure, academic stress, and cultural influences.
"We note our disquiet regarding substance abuse in India. Profits are being used to support terrorism and leading to violence. Academic pressure and family disturbances are also leading to the same, which is leading to long-term social and economic instability. Peer pressure, stress from academics and easy availability of drugs is a trigger and adolescents are also using it as emotional escapism," the bench said.
The bench, stressing on the importance of destigmatising addiction, observed that victims of drug abuse should be treated with empathy and supported through rehabilitation.
The bench emphasised on parents playing a vital role in curbing substance abuse and insisted that they should provide an emotionally secure environment for their children. The bench said the most important yearning of adolescents is love and affection from parents.
The bench, in the 84-page judgment, said for youngsters just beginning to explore the world, the consumption of drugs in popular culture has propelled the cultural push towards a dangerous lifestyle, one that incorrigibly applauds drug use as ‘cool’ and a fashionable display of camaraderie.
“We implore the youth to take charge of their decisional autonomy and firmly resist peer pressure and desist from emulation of certain personalities who may be indulging in drugs”, said the bench.
The bench said arc and web of drug trade cannot be permitted to corrode the shine of the youth of India. “It is a need of the times that the end consumers of the illicit drug trade exercise community-friendly decision-making and refuse to sustain the bottom line of drug traffickers," remarked the bench.
The bench also said once there was such a connection between a scheduled offence and a non-scheduled offence, for all practical purposes, the non-scheduled offence would come within the connection of a scheduled offence.
The bench further said it is held that the accused who may have committed a non-scheduled offence having a connection with a scheduled offence can be investigated by the NIA in respect of a non-scheduled offence.
"It is reiterated that, while investigating the accused regarding scheduled offences, if the NIA submits a report about some other accused who may have also committed certain offences connected with the scheduled offences under investigation then the Central government on a consideration of such a report may exercise suo motu powers and direct the NIA to also investigate the other accused also provided the offences alleged against the other accused are offences, having a connection with the scheduled offence already under investigation," it said.
The bench said the NIA would be enabled to also carry out an investigation of any other accused who have committed an offence connected with the scheduled offence under investigation.
