Students of the Government Polytechnic College, Kalamassery, take a pledge as part of an anti-drug campaign | Photo Credit: THULASI KAKKAT Over the past three years, there has been a sudden surge in drug abuse in Kerala, sparking widespread concern. In March, the Kerala High Court warned of the “poisonous fangs of the drug mafia”, while the Governor met with university Vice-Chancellors to address student drug use. The State Higher Education Department launched a ‘Love-a-Thon’ campaign against substance abuse, and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan urged new Sub-Inspectors to take a lead in combating the drug trade. Last month, the State Assembly suspended regular business to discuss the growing crisis. The reactions are well-founded. Chart 1 shows the State-wise number of cases filed under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, between 2017 and 2024. The number of cases under the Act surged from 5,695 in 2021 to 26,619 in 2022 and surpassed 30,000 in 2023. In 2024, over 27,701 cases were recorded. Chart 1 | Number of cases filed under the NDPS Act While drug …