Udta Haryana: Confessions of a Teenage Drug Addict

A 17-year-old recovering drug addict talks about Haryana’s drug menace.

Confessions of a 17-year-old drug addict from Haryana. (Photo: The Quint)

In 2008, a UNAIDS Survey suggested that the estimated upper limit of Injected Drug Users (IDU) in Punjab was 18,148. Haryana was not far behind, at 15,858 users. The majority of these drug users were between 18-30 years of age.

Ravi (name changed), 17 years old, started taking drugs at the age of 10. Ravi is recovering at a private rehabilitation home in Gurgaon. This is his story; this is Haryana’s story.

When Ravi was brought to rehab, nobody thought he would live. He has been recovering at the facility for the last eight months. Ravi confesses that he started injecting drugs when he was 10 years old, under the influence of a cousin. He has never been to school. He used to rob homes and pick pockets for money to buy drugs. In this exclusive conversation with The Quint, Ravi not only shares his story but also describes in detail how easy it is to procure drugs in Haryana. He confesses that most young addicts bribe local chemists with amounts as little as Rs 50 and can buy drugs without a prescription.

Video Editor: Puneet Bhatia