Chennai is witnessing a surge in drug-related cases, marked by an alarming shift toward synthetic substances, higher potency drugs, and deeper community-level penetration. According to a report from The Times of India, this year alone Chennai police have registered over 110 drug-related cases, arresting 228 individuals; seizures include 285 kg of cannabis, 46.5 g of heroin, 49 g of cocaine, and 1,554 tablets. There appears to be an uptick in LSD, amphetamines, and designer drugs previously rare in the city.
While enforcement agencies have stepped up seizures and arrests, the drug crisis in the city increasingly reveals its nature as a public health emergency with far-reaching social implications. The numbers suggest not just an increase in quantity, but a transformation in the kind of drugs consumed and circulated. Cannabis continues to dominate, but it is increasingly being replaced by or combined with prescription tablets and synthetic narcotics, many of which are more addictive, easier to conceal, and deadlier in overdose scenarios. A piece in The New Indian Express estimates that the city police are likely confiscating roughly 5,000 opioid tablets each month. These, the article says, are popular among the youth, including adolescents from the lower-income groups who experiment with and grow habituated to the substance. Reports have also emerged from online communities claiming that teens and young adults are casually buying and consuming narcotics in public spaces, even near schools. Adolescent boys are routinely enlisted by local dealers to serve as distributors – for instance, a Times of India report from 2023 specifies that 1,778 juveniles were arrested the previous year for peddling ganja, illicit liquor and gambling.
Among the upper and middle-class, synthetic and prescription drug use is on the rise, according to community discussions on online chat platforms. Students – from higher secondary to college – appear to be experimenting with substances like LSD, ecstasy, and codeine-based cough syrups. Some cite academic pressure, social anxiety, or access through “friends of friends” as the gateway. Recent high-profile arrests reveal how well-educated, financially stable individuals are participating in recreational drug use. The presence of these users in parties and pubs has led to increased surveillance in nightlife venues across Nungambakkam and ECR.
According to a document from the website of the Health & Family Welfare Department of the Tamil Nadu government, Chennai has around 100 deaddiction-cum-rehabilitation centres. NGOs like TTK Hospital and Banyan Foundation offer services, but their reach remains limited to specific pockets of the city. Most affected individuals – particularly those from working-class backgrounds – either delay treatment or are pushed into informal and often exploitative private ‘rehab’ setups. Rehabilitation is a long-term process, and prevention is much preferred. Experts point out that though the police can help in cutting supply, it is equally, if not more, crucial to cut demand.
The city’s drug crisis cannot be viewed solely through the lens of law and order. It is a problem that encompasses education, health, mental wellbeing and community support. Policymakers, then, must act on multiple fronts. Schools and colleges must be equipped robustly with counselling that educates against the use of narcotics; mental health and addiction counselling services must be provided to students as well. The city needs sensitive awareness campaigns that go beyond warnings and fear appeals to truly educate communities and potential users of the risks associated with habit-forming substances. A collaborative approach among key public institutions – the police, hospitals, schools, colleges, social workers – can help identify early signs of abuse to mitigate or prevent bad habits.
It is important to acknowledge that the city has a drug problem on its hands, and that it cuts across demographic indicators – it can no longer be a subject to shy away from. Only a whole-of-society response can address the layered and growing crisis that threatens to engulf Chennai’s youth across class and community.