As Goa joins the rest of the world in observing International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June 26, familiar words echo once again – “zero tolerance,” “war on drugs,” “awareness drives.” But beyond the public relations blitz, the reality is deeply troubling: drugs continue to flow through Goa, and the state remains a haven for both traffickers and users. The rising number of drug seizures is often spun as a success story, but the truth is far more disturbing—seizures are up because the trade is thriving, expanding, and growing more brazen.
What’s worse is that the drug ecosystem is evolving rapidly. Goa is no longer just a transit point or a consumption zone. It’s becoming a production hub, too.
Homegrown horror: cannabis cultivation in Panaji
In what should serve as a loud wake-up call, cases of cannabis being cultivated right within the city limits of Panaji—Goa’s “Smart City”—have come to light. While these incidents may involve only one or two plants in isolated cases, their implications are nothing short of alarming. This is no longer about drugs being smuggled in; it’s about drugs being grown in our backyards, in residential areas, in plain sight.
Yes, the quantities are small for now. But that’s precisely what makes it more dangerous—because it signals a dangerous shift. It shows that peddlers and users feel so emboldened, so fearless of legal consequences, that they’re willing to experiment with cultivation. Today it’s a few plants. Tomorrow, it could be organised farms hidden in the hinterlands or vertical grows in urban apartments. It’s the mindset of impunity that is most frightening.
From foreigners to locals – the shift is complete
There was a time when the drug problem in Goa was largely blamed on foreigners—an issue imported along with rave parties and freewheeling backpacker culture. But that narrative no longer holds. Today, more and more Goan youth are being caught—both as consumers and low-level peddlers. Drugs have become a shortcut to money, escape, and status in a system that offers few opportunities and even fewer safeguards.
Arrests in Margao, Mapusa, Vasco, and even remote villages of Sattari and Quepem prove that this is no longer confined to the beach belt. It is local. It is widespread. And it is growing.
The law doesn’t bite
Despite the stringent provisions of the NDPS Act, drug offenders in Goa often walk free due to shoddy investigations, poor follow-up, and weak prosecution. In many cases, accused individuals are released on bail and return to the trade with even more caution and cunning.
Worse, there are persistent allegations of nexus between drug lords and corrupt elements within the law enforcement machinery. When criminals are shielded rather than pursued, the rule of law collapses. And the message that goes out is loud and clear: “Don’t worry. You won’t get caught. And even if you do—you’ll be out.”
The ritual of inaction
Every year on June 26, we hear the same slogans. Marches are held, posters go up, and photos are clicked. But after that? Silence. The rest of the year sees little to no consistent action. Awareness campaigns die down. Rehab infrastructure remains inadequate. Local panchayats and MLAs avoid accountability. And the drugs keep flowing.
What Goa needs now
We must stop celebrating seizures as if they’re wins. Each seizure represents a system failure—of prevention, detection, and deterrence.
Here’s what the government must urgently do:
* Treat even small-scale cannabis cultivation as a major red flag and investigate it thoroughly.
* Set up fast-track NDPS courts to ensure swift convictions.
* Launch real, year-round anti-drug campaigns in schools, colleges, and vulnerable communities.
* Create and empower a clean, dedicated anti-narcotics task force.
* Strengthen de-addiction and rehabilitation centers, especially in rural areas.
* Make panchayats and local MLAs answerable for drug activity in their jurisdictions.
This is not just a law and order issue. It’s a public health crisis. A social emergency. A generational threat.
Goa’s future is not just about tourism and development—it’s about saving its people, especially the youth, from the grip of narcotics. Small plants in Panaji may seem insignificant to some. But in the fight against drugs, every sign of audacity must be taken seriously—because every neglected warning today becomes tomorrow’s crisis.
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