People addicted to drugs to be sent in de-addiction center and not jail?

On the wake of the rising menace against drugs, the  Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is planning to implement new changes for those  caught with drugs. As per reports, the govt is likely to rehabilitate drugs addicts rather than send them to prison. The ministry has also made it clear that the change in the law does not mean that people who are engaged in the business of drugs or narcotics should be given any kind of leniency. The ministry believes that those who are engaged in such business should be given more severe punishment.
According to officials associated with the ministry, there is a complete plan to bring a bill related to this in the winter session of Parliament. This bill will be brought by the Revenue Department. It is set to be sent to the cabinet next week as well. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has said that at present there are about 600 de-addiction centers across the country. However, after the change in the law, if needed, more such centers can be opened. Its preparation has also been started. Since coming to power in the year 2014, the Narendra Modi government has been waging a big campaign against drugs. De-addiction centers have been opened to bring people seriously trapped in the grip of drugs out of this addiction. Here is the arrangement for keeping and treating these people. The government had also conducted a survey in association with AIIMS Delhi in 186 districts of the country to identify such people. These included the drug-sensitive districts of all the states.

Earlier, , Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Ramdas Athawale also put forth a suggestion that people caught consuming drugs should be sent to rehabilitation centres instead of jail. He said, "People who drink alcohol are not sent to prison. But there is a provision in the law that people who consume drugs can be sent to jail. Our ministry feels that the accused charged with drug consumption will be not sent to jail but to a rehabilitation centre.""The law needs to be changed," he added. "It is not good to take drugs at a young age. Aryan Khan has a future ahead. I advise Shah Rukh Khan to send Aryan Khan to a de-addiction rehabilitation centre associated with the ministry. He should be there for 1-2 months instead of keeping him in jail. There are a lot of such centres across the country. In 1-2 months, he will be cured of drug addiction," the Union Minister told ANI.