Mizoram is confronting its most severe drug abuse crisis in twenty years, with official data revealing a tragic milestone. Records from the state's excise & narcotics department and police confirm that at least 111 individuals lost their lives to substance abuse between January and December of this year.
A Deepening Crisis in the Northeast
This alarming figure represents the highest annual death toll linked to drugs that the state has witnessed in two decades. The grim statistics underscore a rapidly worsening public health emergency. Among the 111 victims, 94 were men and 17 were women, with ages ranging from a young 14 years to 57 years old.
The primary cause of death for most was the consumption of mixed drugs, a dangerous cocktail of substances. Separately, heroin abuse was responsible for ending approximately 40 lives this year alone.
Four Decades of a Tragic Epidemic
With the addition of this year's fatalities, the cumulative number of drug-related deaths in Mizoram has climbed to a staggering 1,990 since 1984. That was the year the state recorded its first-ever heroin-related fatality. Over the past 41 years, the epidemic has claimed 1,747 men and 243 women.
Historical data points to specific substances that have caused immense devastation. The painkillers Spasmo Proxyvon and Parvon Spas, once widely abused by the youth, together were responsible for a shocking 1,161 deaths. Heroin has accounted for more than 300 fatalities, while other various drugs have led to over 500 deaths.
Policy Impact and Shifting Trends
A significant intervention came in 2017 when the central government banned the manufacture of Spasmo Proxyvon and Parvon Spas. This move has had a markedly positive effect, with no deaths reported from these specific painkillers since the ban was implemented.
The pattern of drug abuse has evolved over time. Deaths resulting from mixed drug use were not even recorded until 1998. In the period between 1999 and 2006, such combinations led to 17 fatalities, a number that has seen a drastic and worrying increase in recent years, culminating in the tragic record of 2024.
The data paints a clear picture of a state grappling with a persistent and evolving threat. While policy actions like the 2017 ban show that progress is possible, the rising death toll from mixed drugs and heroin indicates that the battle is far from over and requires renewed, focused efforts from authorities and communities alike.
