CHANDIGARH: Admissions to Punjab government-run de-addiction centres rose by greater than 164 % in a yr, with 25,290 folks admitted in 2025 in contrast with 9,577 in 2024, in line with information launched by the state authorities on Monday.The Punjab authorities mentioned the figures point out rising public confidence in its therapy and rehabilitation community below its anti-drug marketing campaign, ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’, launched in March 2025. Greater than 14,000 folks had already been admitted to authorities de-addiction centres by July 2026.The federal government mentioned the rise in admissions instructed that extra people and households have been approaching formal therapy as a substitute of permitting stigma round dependancy to stop them from in search of assist.Admissions to authorities rehabilitation centres additionally recorded a pointy improve, rising from 2,644 in 2024 to eight,574 in 2025 — a bounce of greater than 224 %. By July 2026, over 5,800 folks had been admitted, practically 68 % of the entire admissions recorded in 2025.The state’s outpatient opioid-assisted therapy (OOAT) community has additionally seen a rise in registrations. New registrations rose from 13,033 in 2024 to 17,702 in 2025, whereas greater than 12,500 new sufferers had registered by August 2026, the federal government mentioned.Punjab has additionally invoked provisions below the Narcotic Medication and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act to facilitate therapy. As of August 27, greater than 11,000 people had been granted immunity below Part 64A of the Act, which gives authorized immunity to folks affected by drug dependancy who’re charged with consumption or possession, topic to its situations.
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Well being and household welfare minister Balbir Singh mentioned the rise in admissions was among the many most encouraging indicators of the anti-drug marketing campaign, as extra folks have been in search of institutional assist and coming into the formal therapy system.“Yudh Nashean Virudh stands on three pillars: strict enforcement towards smugglers, therapy and rehabilitation for the affected, and prevention to guard our kids earlier than medicine ever attain them,” Singh mentioned.He added that the federal government’s focus was to assist folks recuperate from dependancy, restore households and supply these battling substance abuse a pathway to restoration.