‘Dangerous cycle that must be broken’: Sameer Wankhede on drug abuse

Mumbai: Delivering a strong warning against the growing menace of narcotics abuse among the youth, Indian Revenue Service officer Sameer Wankhede said drug consumption was not merely a crime but an “anti-national activity” comparable to terrorism, as money spent on narcotics ultimately fuels terror networks and organised crime.

Addressing a drug awareness programme organised by Sajjan Shakti Samarth Samaj in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, Wankhede said every rupee spent on drugs strengthens criminal syndicates and terror gangs operating across borders.

“Drug abuse is not merely a personal choice. The money spent on every gram of narcotics reaches terror groups and their masterminds. In that sense, drug abuse is anti-national like terrorism,” said Wankhede, who handled several high-profile narcotics investigations during his tenure as zonal director of the Narcotics Control Bureau in Mumbai.

Currently serving as Additional Revenue Commissioner in Chennai, Wankhede cautioned that India’s narcotics laws prescribe stringent punishments, ranging from imprisonment to even the death penalty depending on the quantity and category of drugs involved.

He stressed that while enforcement agencies such as the police and the NCB were working relentlessly to curb the menace, society too must play an active role. “Citizens cannot remain silent spectators. Civil society must remain alert to drug peddling and substance abuse in neighbourhoods, schools and colleges,” he said.

Expressing concern over the increasing attraction among youngsters towards vaping and hookah culture, Wankhede warned that many youths initially consume drugs and later enter peddling after exhausting their finances. “This is a dangerous cycle that must be broken,” he said.

He also underlined the long-term impact of drug-related offences, saying those caught consuming or trafficking narcotics risk losing passports, overseas education opportunities and future career prospects.

Social activist B N Kumar said the fight against narcotics should go beyond arrests and focus on exposing the larger ecosystem behind the trade. “The media should not treat drug abuse as a routine crime story. Investigations must expose the supply chains, the gangs involved and the social impact of the menace,” Kumar said.

He stressed that parents, teachers and peer groups all have a crucial role in preventing teenagers from falling into addiction. Invoking the saying, “The family that dines together stays together,” Kumar urged parents to spend more time communicating with their children.

The programme was organised in association with Srujan Sanvedna Foundation. Activist Madhu Shankar said the initiative marked the beginning of a larger nationwide movement for a “Drug-Free India” through awareness campaigns in schools, colleges and other institutions.