Drug abuse needs to be curbed: Himachal CM

An official said the lure of drugs and quick bucks also attracts foreigners to the largely unexplored areas of Himachal Pradesh where they have become part of unorganised drug cultivation.

Police records show that there were 50,000 acres of cannabis under cultivation in Kullu Valley alone.

In the past five years, 70 foreigners, mainly Britons, Israelis, Dutch, Germans, Japanese and Italians, have been arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

The chief minister admitted that cannabis was widely cultivated in many states, including Himachal Pradesh, and this needs to be curbed by enforcing strict laws.

Addressing the gathering, Justice T.S. Thakur of the Supreme Court said 4,366 cases were registered in the state under the NDPS Act till May 31, 871 cases alone in Kullu district.

"Drug problem is a serious issue. Sixty-seven percent of population in Punjab is addicted to drug abuse, which is not good for a state which is known for its valour," he said.

Himachal Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmed Mir raised concerns over the increasing rate of druggists in the country, said to be around five million.

He said the drug business had a turnover of around $500 billion and was the third largest business next to petroleum and arms trade.

Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda said some 7.3 crore people in India were used to drug abuse and 70 percent of them had become heavy addicts.