Thiruvananthapuram, April 04: The Kerala government is preparing a large-scale awareness campaign as drug abuse spreads among children and fuels violent crimes, officials said. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan recently held a meeting with law enforcement and directed the chief secretary to draft a blueprint for an anti-narcotics initiative.
Excise Minister M.B. Rajesh told the Kerala Legislative Assembly on March 24 that 588 children sought therapy for drug addiction in January and February. In 2024, 2,880 children were admitted to de-addiction centers, a 45% increase from 2023.
Authorities say drug addiction is contributing to violent crimes. On February 24, a 23-year-old man in Venjaranmoodu confessed to killing six family members, including his grandmother, mother, and 13-year-old brother. Police linked the crime to drug addiction and debt.
Drug trafficking remains a challenge in Kerala. Between January 2024 and January 2025, the excise department seized 4,370 kg of ganja, 35 kg of MDMA, and 5.8 kg of methamphetamine, among other narcotics. In 2024, officials registered 27,530 cases under the NDPS Act, compared to 30,232 in 2023.
A Kerala police survey identified 1,377 drug-peddling hotspots across 472 police station limits, with Thiruvananthapuram district reporting the highest number at 235.
The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has called for a statewide study to understand the rising trend of drug abuse among children. A recent excise department survey of 62,691 individuals found that 9% had tried drugs before age 10, 70% by age 15, and 20% by age 19. The survey also found that 46% used drugs multiple times daily, and 79% were introduced to drugs by friends or acquaintances.
“Kerala has slowly migrated to the psychedelic world, and the drug syndicate is trying to take grip of the state,” Rajesh said.
A senior excise official warned that drug suppliers often provide free narcotics to teenagers in exchange for acting as carriers. Psychiatrist Dr. C.J. John stressed the urgency of intervention, saying, “The drug abuse situation in Kerala demands high surveillance of teenagers. Otherwise, an entire generation will be lost forever.”
Authorities attempted to monitor drug use in schools in Thiruvananthapuram, but some elite institutions opposed the move.
