No day in India passes without a disturbing headline—another drug bust, another fatal road accident, another teenager falling prey to substances. What is most worrying is not merely the frequency of these tragedies, but how comfortably we are adapting to them as if they are a routine part of life. When the wrong becomes normal, society quietly slips into a crisis.
This silent acceptance must be challenged. Because while governments may tighten laws and bolster enforcement, this war cannot be won without the active cooperation of citizens.
Take Greater Hyderabad, for instance. City police are among the most aggressive in the country in implementing drunk-driving laws—consistent prosecution of offenders, hefty penalties, and even imprisonment in serious cases. Yet, the menace continues unabated. It is little surprise that even the most frustrated law enforcement authorities sometimes look at repeat drunk drivers as nothing short of “road terrorists.”
But then arises the uncomfortable question: If drunk driving is such a national threat, why does a responsible government aggressively promote liquor outlets and issue new bar licences every year?
If the intent is to discourage alcohol abuse, the message is terribly mixed. When revenue generation overrides public health and safety, where does accountability lie? With the government seeking profits? With consumers who willingly indulge? Or with enforcement agencies stretched thin between conflicting priorities?
The truth is, it is a collective responsibility—and currently a collective failure.
Consider the reality beyond alcohol. Across India, law-enforcement agencies seized narcotics worth ₹25,330 crore in 2024—a staggering 55% rise from the previous year. Between 2020 and May 2025, authorities cracked 116 major narcotics operations, confiscating over 1.09 lakh kg of illegal drugs nationwide. These figures indicate a stronger crackdown—but they also expose the alarming scale of the crisis poisoning India’s youth.
Telangana is no exception. In just the last two years, Hyderabad has witnessed a surge in organised drug trafficking networks targeting college students and young professionals. From high-end parties to online delivery networks, drug syndicates are using technology faster than society is responding to protect its children.
What’s worse is the social attitude.
Drug addiction or drunken driving is rarely seen as a community problem—until a tragedy hits home. We tut-tut at news headlines, then move on. Parents hesitate to confront warning signs in their own homes. Schools and colleges often prefer silence rather than acknowledging a festering reality. And society doesn’t want to discuss addiction—unless it can be mocked or moralised.
The government alone cannot man every corner, monitor every nightclub, or counsel every teenager. The police cannot become permanent guardians of personal behaviour. And no number of seizures will stop the supply chain unless demand is crushed from within.
The challenge therefore calls for:
– Parents are willing to openly confront substance abuse
- Educational institutions are conducting continuous awareness and rehabilitation outreach
- Neighbours and peers reporting suspicious behaviour
- Religious and community leaders are breaking the stigma of early intervention
- Media highlighting the problem responsibly, without sensationalising it
- Governments prioritising human well-being over excise revenue
A society’s strength is not tested by how loudly its leaders speak, but how actively its citizens participate in protecting one another.
India’s youth represent its future. Every life lost to addiction is not just a personal tragedy — it is a national loss. Every accident caused by intoxication is not fate, but preventable negligence. Every drug bust is not a success, but a reminder of the threat lurking in every city street.
This is a war that enforcement alone cannot win. It demands vigilance in every home, responsibility on every road, and awareness in every classroom.
Because when wrong becomes normal, we don’t just lose safety. We lose the future itself.
