Haryana: Over 1.84 lakh youths treated, 50,628 freed from drug addiction, says govt

As many as 1.84 lakh individuals in the 18 to 30 age bracket have sought medical help at government and private drug de-addiction centres in the state in the past five years, revealed a data of the Haryana government which was presented in the state assembly on Thursday.

The trend, reflected in official year-wise data, highlights the growing scale of drug abuse in Haryana with a sharp rise in the number of youths undergoing de-addiction treatment. According to the data, at least 50,628 youths have been freed from drug addiction or intoxication in the last five years. The state government revealed the number of youths seeking treatment at both outpatient and inpatient drug de-addiction centres from April 2024 to March 18, 2025, had reached 52,207. The data also reflects a sharp rise in the number of youths undergoing treatment, with cases growing steadily year-on-year (see box).

The state government provided this data in response to a question from Arjun Chautala, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) MLA from Rania segment, who sought information on the number of youths affected by intoxication and the steps the government has taken to prevent it.

The data highlights an alarming upward trend in areas like Bhiwani and Nuh, which had reported almost no cases until 2022-23 but saw an increase in the past two years. On the other hand, districts like Mahendragarh, Kaithal, and Rewari continue to report relatively low numbers, which experts believe could be due to limited access to de-addiction services or lack of awareness.

While the rising number of youths seeking treatment is a positive sign, it also underscores the scale of Haryana’s drug crisis.

The health department has launched various awareness drives in colleges and villages, increased funding for rehabilitation centers, and stepped up efforts to tighten the policing of drug supply chains. Despite these measures, experts caution that the challenge is far from over.

“One of the biggest challenges is relapse,” said a counsellor from a de-addiction centre. “Many who seek treatment end up returning to addiction due to reasons such as lack of post-rehabilitation support.”

Currently, there are 30 government drug de-addiction centres across Haryana, with a total capacity of 460 beds. In addition, there are 130 private drug de-addiction centres and 26 counseling-cum-rehabilitation centres managed by the SEWA department.

Health minister Arti Singh Rao has announced the opening of 46 new de-addiction centres across the state. “Urine drug detection kits are being made available in hospitals to enable early detection of drug abuse,” she said.