# Government Lays Bare India's Massive Substance Abuse Crisis In New Parliament Data

> The central government has revealed alarming statistics in Parliament based on an AIIMS survey, exposing how tens of millions of adults and children across India are deeply entangled in the abuse of alcohol, cannabis, and dangerous opioids.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Health · **Published:** 2026-07-23 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/health/india-men-nashe-ke-chaunkane-vale-ankare-lok-sabha-men-pesha-karoron-loga-sharaba-aura-ganje-ki-giraphta-men-10208 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, AIIMS Survey, Substance Abuse India, Health Ministry, Lok Sabha Data, Youth Addiction

The true scale of substance dependency gripping India has been officially detailed in Parliament, revealing tens of millions of citizens—including a disturbing number of children—struggling with severe addiction. Official figures presented by the central government paint a grim picture of widespread alcohol, cannabis, and opioid use across the nation's diverse states and territories. This sweeping data, drawn from a comprehensive national survey conducted by the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi, highlights a mounting public health challenge that extends well beyond traditional adult demographics and cuts deeply into the younger, more vulnerable population. The revelation underscores the immense socio-economic burden placed on families and the healthcare system.

## Millions Trapped By Alcohol And Cannabis

In a detailed written response presented to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment B.L. Verma broke down the staggering statistics for lawmakers. The extensive data shows that among the vast adult demographic aged between 18 and 75 years, alcohol remains by far the most widely consumed intoxicating substance. An estimated 15.10 crore adults across the country regularly consume alcohol, posing significant long-term health risks. However, the dependency landscape extends far beyond conventional liquor consumption. Cannabis, commonly known locally as ganja, is actively used by a massive 2.90 crore individuals.

The crisis deepens considerably when looking at harder narcotics and prescription medications, which often lead to more severe physiological dependence. The government figures indicate that a troubling 1.90 crore people are consuming opioids, a highly dangerous category that includes raw opium, illicit heroin, and various other addictive opioid derivatives. Furthermore, dependency on pharmaceutical drugs has emerged as a significant modern concern, with 1.10 crore citizens identified as being addicted to sedatives, encompassing sleeping pills and strong calming medications. Additionally, about 60 lakh people resort to easily accessible inhalants to achieve a temporary high. When these distinct categories are viewed collectively, the total number of individuals grappling with some form of substance use rivals the entire populations of several major global economies. Officials prudently noted, however, that cross-addiction—where a single person simultaneously consumes multiple types of intoxicating substances—makes a simple aggregate tally mathematically imprecise.

## The Alarming Rise In Youth Addiction

Perhaps the most alarming and heart-wrenching revelation from the parliamentary data is the profound impact of substance abuse on the nation's youth. The survey uncovered a deeply concerning trend among children and adolescents falling exactly within the 10 to 17 years age bracket. According to the government's rigorous findings, a staggering 40 lakh minors in this highly vulnerable developmental stage are actively using dangerous opioids. Furthermore, another 30 lakh children and teenagers are sniffing toxic inhalants, often utilizing cheap household products. These disturbing juvenile addiction metrics have significantly escalated the government's concern, prompting an urgent and intensified focus on early intervention strategies, widespread school-level awareness campaigns, specialized pediatric medical treatment, and comprehensive rehabilitation programs specifically tailored for younger, developing citizens who face a lifetime of potential health complications.

## Massive Reach Of The Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan

To systematically combat this escalating national crisis, the government has been rolling out large-scale, coordinated initiatives, primarily driven by the flagship 'Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan' (NMBA). Initially launched with great fanfare on Independence Day, August 15, 2020, this sweeping campaign was subsequently expanded to successfully cover every single district in the country by August 2023. The geographic and demographic scope of this ongoing initiative is vast, with top officials proudly describing it as one of the largest and most comprehensive anti-drug mass awareness movements currently operating anywhere globally.

Since its inception, the NMBA has successfully reached a staggering 29.68 crore citizens with crucial anti-addiction messaging and educational materials. This immense outreach specifically targeted the most vulnerable demographics, successfully engaging 11.43 crore young people and 8.05 crore women, acknowledging the ripple effects addiction has on families. The grassroots momentum of the entire campaign is heavily supported by a dedicated volunteer force, with more than 1.17 lakh concerned individuals formally joining the cause as 'Nasha Mukti Mitras' to facilitate local interventions and community support. On the critical clinical front, the initiative has directly enabled the medical treatment and subsequent psychological rehabilitation of 28.29 lakh people. Preventative education has also remained a major core focus, resulting in the successful organization of targeted, interactive awareness programs across a massive 21.73 lakh educational institutions nationwide.

## Expanding Infrastructure And Erasing Red Tape

Recognizing that public awareness alone cannot effectively cure deep-rooted physical addiction, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is actively expanding the physical and digital infrastructure fundamentally required for effective, long-term treatment. To ensure that individuals actively seeking help can easily locate it without friction, the ministry recently introduced the NMBA 2.0 mobile application, an intuitive digital tool specifically designed to instantly guide distressed users to the nearest available, verified de-addiction and counseling facility.

On the ground level, actual treatment capacity is being systematically and aggressively increased. During the 2024-25 financial period, the government officially approved the establishment of 55 brand-new district-level de-addiction centers to serve high-demand areas. This vital expansion smoothly continued into the 2025-26 period with the formal initiation of 21 additional centers, steadily widening the accessibility of crucial rehabilitation and detox services across various previously underserved regions.

Simultaneously, complex administrative hurdles are being systematically cleared to accelerate the critical flow of resources to those fighting addiction on the front lines. The central government has proactively streamlined the grant release process for Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) that are recognized as instrumental in effectively implementing key supportive schemes like the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) and the Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY). By officially implementing a brand-new, simplified Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), the ministry explicitly aims to drastically reduce bureaucratic paperwork, expedite the timely disbursement of critical operational funds, and ensure that rehabilitation services rapidly reach a much wider net of those in dire need. Ultimately, the government's central strategy clearly underscores that tackling this deep-rooted societal issue requires a multi-pronged, holistic approach that goes far beyond strict law enforcement, placing equal, necessary emphasis on proactive community participation, timely professional medical intervention, and sustained, compassionate rehabilitation efforts.

## What this means for you
- **Across India:** The staggering number of citizens struggling with addiction places immense pressure on national healthcare infrastructure, leading to significant financial burdens for affected families.
- **For ordinary citizens:** Finding help for addicted individuals in your community is now much easier using the government's new 'NMBA 2.0' mobile app, which instantly locates nearby verified de-addiction centers.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. How many people consume alcohol in India?
According to government data, approximately 15.10 crore adults between the ages of 18 and 75 regularly consume alcohol across the country.

### 2. What substances are most commonly abused by young children?
An alarming 40 lakh minors aged 10 to 17 actively use opioids, while another 30 lakh are addicted to inhaling toxic substances.

### 3. When was the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan launched?
The anti-drug mass awareness campaign was initially launched on August 15, 2020, and was successfully expanded to cover all Indian districts by August 2023.

### 4. Which app helps citizens locate de-addiction centers?
The government has introduced the 'NMBA 2.0' mobile application, which allows users to easily locate the nearest verified de-addiction and counseling facility.

### 5. Who conducted this extensive national survey?
The comprehensive national survey was officially conducted by the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) at AIIMS, New Delhi.

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