Delhi High Court Criticizes Drug Addiction Among Youth

• The Delhi High Court while dismissing the bail application of a man accused of supplying drugs to peddlars for distribution to customers on 6 December, 2021 in the case of Ram Bharose vs. State has observed that “the organised activities of the underworld and the clandestine smuggling of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances are resulting in addiction among the public, particularly students and adolescents”.
• While discussing the effects of drugs on society, Justice Subramonium Prasad observed that drug trafficking is “resulting in drug addiction among a sizeable section of the public, particularly the adolescents and students of both sexes. The menace has assumed serious and alarming proportions in recent years which has a deadly impact on the society as a whole”.
• In April, a Bench comprising Hon’ble Justices D.Y.Chandrachud and M.R.Shah in Gurdev Singh vs. State of Punjab (6 April, 2021), while considering the plea of minimum punishment to be awarded to the accused, had observed-

“It should be borne in mind that …. persons dealing in narcotic drugs are instruments in causing death or in inflicting deathblow to a number of innocent young victims who are vulnerable, it causes deleterious effects and deadly impact on the society, they are a hazard to the society … Therefore while awarding sentence in case of NDPS Act, the interest of the society as a whole is also required to be taken into consideration. While striking a balance between mitigating and aggravating circumstances, public interest, impact on society as a whole will always tilt in favour of a higher punishment”

Let”s see if you can answer the following question relating to NDPS Act-
1) When did the NDPS Act come into force ?