Government Supplying Opium to Registered Addicts: Shocking Revelation Through RTI

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Bhopal: In a startling revelation, it has come to light that the Government of India continues to supply opium as a medicinal substance to registered addicts. This information surfaced in response to a Right to Information (RTI) query filed with the Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN), headquartered in Gwalior.

According to the CBN, the government provides a controlled quantity of opium to officially registered opium dependents as part of a regulated medical assistance program. The policy is designed to ensure that individuals dependent on opium receive their dosage through legal and monitored channels, thereby reducing illicit consumption and related crimes.

Six States Receive Official Opium Quota

The CBN disclosed that six Indian states — Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Punjab — have been allocated opium quotas for the financial years 2024–25 and 2025–26.

For FY 2025–26, Tamil Nadu received 7.763 kg, Odisha 14.628 kg, and Himachal Pradesh 0.624 kg of opium.
In FY 2024–25, Haryana was allotted 0.267 kg, Maharashtra 26.142 kg, and Punjab 0.846 kg.

Allocation Controlled by State Excise Departments

As clarified by the CBN, its role is limited to distributing opium quotas to state excise departments. The actual allocation to individual users is determined by each state government’s excise department. The CBN maintains no record of the number of registered users or the distribution specifics.

The opium distributed under this policy is cultivated under license in government-supervised farms, ensuring full regulatory control. Each year, the quota is revised based on state-level demands and health department recommendations.

This revelation has sparked debate on the ethical and administrative aspects of continuing opium distribution in modern India — a practice that traces its roots back to colonial-era narcotics control systems.

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