Punjab’s drug crisis traps young lives in endless despair

Drug addiction continues to cast a long shadow despite repeated government campaigns, tougher policing and expanded rehabilitation facilities.

- MIR UMAR

In the early hours of the morning, when most of Punjab is still wrapped in sleep, 28-year-old Harman (name changed) is already awake. Not by choice, but because of the craving coursing through his veins.

“[I] knew the drugs would kill me one day. But when the craving starts, you don't think about death,” said the 28-year-old recovering drug addict from Punjab, who requested anonymity as he continues treatment at a de-addiction centre. Having battled heroin addiction for nearly eight years, he says he lost his job, exhausted his family’s savings and alienated friends before finally seeking help.

“I stole money from my own house. My parents stopped trusting me. I wasn't living anymore, I was just surviving for the next injection,” he said.

His story mirrors that of thousands of young men across Punjab, where drug addiction continues to cast a long shadow despite repeated government campaigns, tougher policing and expanded rehabilitation facilities. While authorities point to major seizures and arrests, experts argue that addiction remains deeply rooted in social, economic and geographical realities that cannot be solved through enforcement alone.