punjab

Updated: Apr 06, 2017 23:30 IST

A delegation led by the member of Parliament from Patiala, Dr Dharamvira Gandhi, met chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday on the issue of drug menace and its planned tackling in Punjab.

Gandhi, elected on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ticket but since estranged from it, called upon the government to have scientific solutions to such problem instead of tightening noose against the drugs addicts. “Drugs cannot be banned or eliminated overnight. Moreover, insensitive dealing of the issue would lead to serious aftermaths,” Gandhi told the CM.

He said the recent crackdown by the state police on drug smugglers not only created panic among addicts but multiplied the black-marketing of drugs.

Dr Gandhi (second from left) and others with the CM in Chandigarh on Thursday. ( Photo: Facebook )

He explained that there is a need to make a distinction between natural and the “lesser harmful natural intoxicants including opium, poppy husk and marijuana”.

“A liberal and scientific approach should be adopted towards opium and poppy husk addicts and their drug demands must be fulfilled through the health care system,” he said.

“All deaths in the age group of 15 to 50 whether by illness or suicide or accident or homicide or custodial be prime facie be considered drug-related; be investigated and recorded in a database specially created for this purpose,” he suggested.

Dr Gandhi has also moved a bill in Parliament for legalisation and regulation of natural intoxicants.