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Monday, February 16, 2026
TopicDrug addiction

Topic: drug addiction

Punjab’s war on drugs forgot women addicts. Only 1 govt clinic, endless stigma

‘Smackan’, ‘blackiya’, ‘dangerous’— Punjab’s female drug addicts fight a lonely battle. For many, a Kapurthala de-addiction centre is the only option.

Punjab’s war on drugs is an asymmetric fight. Poor infra, not enough doctors or data

Punjab reported 33,000 drug-related cases between 2022 & 2024, second only to Kerala. While a police crackdown is limited to choking the supply of drugs, the demand remains intact.

Punjab’s booming de-addiction industry has spawned far greater threats—illegal centres, monopolies

Amidst a deepening drug crisis, Punjab’s crackdown reveals a grim underbelly of unlicensed de-addiction centres exploiting desperate families and flouting regulations.

No. of Haryana youths reporting at drug de-addiction centres surged almost 5-fold in last 5 yrs

Assembly told that Sirsa, with 7,020 affected youths this year, has just 80 beds in 2 facilities. Panchkula’s 10-bed general hospital woefully insufficient for its 13,442 cases.

Now Haryana has a drug problem too. And unique ways of fighting it

Haryana villagers have taken the fight against drugs into their own hands. Vigilante groups across the state are naming and shaming users and peddlers, but caste plays a part too.

More Indians getting hooked on opioid painkillers. Doctors warn of possible ‘pharma opioid epidemic’

Addiction treatment centres across India are observing an uptick in patients grappling with abuse of opium-derived painkillers like Tramadol, specialists say.

New drug to treat cannabis addiction shows promising results, no withdrawal symptoms in trials

French biotech firm developed & tested drug which blocks human body’s cannabinoid receptor pathway that causes addiction, according to report in Nature Medicine journal.

‘Fancy cars, guns, clout’ — in Amritpal’s militia, ‘brainwashed’ youth & addicts in awe of his ‘rebel’ image

Residents of Jallupur Khera village said Amritpal's influence extended only to the youth, and elderly members of the village had long since distanced themselves from his talks of Khalistan.

Smack & ‘solution’ are consuming Delhi’s homeless kids. For them it’s a refuge

Chasing the next high is the only thing that ‘makes life worth living’ for many of Delhi’s street children, some as young as 8. Most don’t want to be ‘rescued'.

Scientists identify brain pattern for drug & food craving, can be used to diagnose addiction

Dubbed ‘Neurobiological Craving Signature’, this brain pattern can track the degree of craving and differentiate drug users from non-users.

On Camera

The debate about spheres of influence reorders India’s position

New world reordering tests New Delhi’s strategic autonomy, balancing ties without succumbing to exclusive dominance zones.

Andhra proposes Rs 100-cr wealth fund, eyes Norway-style sovereign fund model to drive growth

Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav presented a Rs 3.32 lakh crore budget for 2026–27 in the assembly Saturday.

Top US military commander applauds ‘India’s tactical execution’ during Op Sindoor; adds ‘there’s lessons too’

On bilateral ties, Admiral Paparo said India-US ties have an exponential effect on deterrence, because it demonstrates a unity of purpose among us to maintain the peace.

The new Great Game—Trump’s playing for time, China for leverage & India for wiggle room

This is the game every nation is now learning to play. Some are finding new allies or seeing value among nations where they’d seen marginal interest. The starkest example is India & Europe.