A section of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act of 1985 provided the basis for its creation. Its notional corpus was 23 crore.

Funding: In accordance with the NDPS Act, the fund is supported by gifts given by individuals and organizations, the sale revenues of any forfeited property, and the income from the fund's investments. The Act specifies how the fund will be utilized, including how it would be used to fight drug trafficking, treat addicts, and stop drug usage.

National Fund On Control Drugs:

A recent recommendation from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) suggests that the National Fund to Combat Drug Abuse be utilized to implement de-addiction programs rather than only enforcement measures.

Decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of narcotics for personal use is another suggestion made by the Ministry.

Concept:

1. The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act of 1985 included a clause that led to the creation of the fund.
2. The Central Government shall utilize the Fund to pay for any or all of the costs associated with the actions taken to combat the illegal trade in, or regulate misuse of, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances for all or any of the reasons stated in sub-section (1) of section 71.
3. Its notional corpus was Rs. 23 crore.
4. Funding: According to the NDPS Act, the revenues from the sale of any property that has been forfeited, grants from individuals and organizations, and income from the fund's investments all go into the fund.

World Drug Report 2021:

• Globally, 275 million individuals took drugs in the previous year. There were almost 36 million persons who had drug use problems.
• Most nations have reported a rise in cannabis use during the epidemic.
• Over the same time period, there have also been reports of non-medical drug usage.
• According to the most recent figures, 5.5% of people aged 15 to 64 had taken drugs at least once in the previous year.
• The number of persons who inject drugs is estimated to be over 11 million, and half of them have hepatitis C.
• The majority of diseases associated with drug misuse are still caused by opioid abuse.

Indian Government has taken several policy and other initiatives to deal with drug trafficking problem:

1. On August 15, 2020, the "Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan" or "Drugs-Free India Campaign" was launched in 272 districts of the nation that were determined to be the most susceptible based on the data available from various sources.
2. A National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) for the years 2018–2025 has started to be implemented by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.
3. In November 2016, the government established the Narco-Coordination Center (NCORD).
4. The government established the "National Fund for Control of Drug Abuse" to cover the costs associated with fighting the illicit traffic in narcotic drugs, treating addicts, and educating the public about drug misuse, among other things.
5. Border strengthening for surveillance- The National Investigation Agency, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, the Border Security Force, Sashastra Seema Bal, the Indian Coast Guard, and others have also been given authority under the NDPS Act to seize drugs.

Cross-border drug smuggling has been stopped because to this. The newest technology and tools are being utilized by the military.

Drug Use In India:

A total of around 60,000 cases were filed under the NDPS Act, of which more than 33,000 were cases of drug possession for personal use and more than 26,000 involved possession of narcotics obtained through trafficking, according to the National Crime Records Bureau's Crime in India 2020 report.

There were 1 crore cannabis users and 2.3 crore opioid users in 2019, according to a research on the scope of drug use by the Social Justice Ministry and All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

Drug Abuse Reasons:

1. To fit in: Many teenagers take drugs "because others are doing it" or because they believe others are doing it, and they are concerned about being rejected from their drug-using classmates' social circles.
2. Feeling good: Drug abuse affects the neurochemistry of the brain to create pleasurable experiences. Depending on the drug's nature and method of usage, this euphoria's level of intensity varies.
3. To feel better: Several teenagers have physical discomfort, melancholy, social anxiety, and problems linked to stress. It may be an effort to make these distressing sensations go away to use medications. For people in recovery from an addiction, stress, in particular, is a major factor in both beginning and sustaining drug use as well as relapsing.
4. To do better: Because of the high levels of competition in our culture, there can be significant pressure to perform well in both athletics and the classroom. Some teenagers may turn to specific drugs like illicit or prescribed stimulants because they believe the drugs would boost or improve their performance.
5. To Experiment: Adolescents are frequently driven to try new things, particularly those they consider exciting or risky.

National Fund For Control Of Drug Abuse:

The National Fund is established by the Central Government and published in the Official Gazette for the purpose of carrying out different drug addiction control initiatives. The revenue is obtained from:

1. The Parliament-approved gift,
2. Property that the cops seized or forfeited during searches is put up for sale.
3. Financial assistance from individuals or organizations, which is often tax-free.
4. Any investment or investment-related revenue.

The money will be used to educate the public, control drug misuse, prevent or battle the criminal trafficking of NDPS, and provide rehabilitation for drug users, among other things. The Governing Body is made up of a Chairperson who is not below the position of Additional Secretary in Central Government and a maximum of six members.

The Central Government receives the Annual Report detailing the Governing Body's operations and the use of the National Fund, which is also presented to Parliament.

Challenges In Preventing Drug Abuse:

1. Drugs are easily accessible; especially when it comes to narcotics like ganja, rickshaw drivers, market vendors, etc. all sell drugs openly.
2. Drugs that are permissibly sold: tobacco and other drugs
3. Porous Borders: Particularly states around the Golden Triangle (NE state) and the Golden Crescent (NW states)

Society Based Solutions:

• In this context, prevention efforts that involve groups including families, schools, and nearby communities are crucial.
• In raising public awareness of drug usage, the media may be quite helpful.

Legal Based Solutions:

• To stop the drug epidemic in the nation, police officers in the excise and narcotics department must take strict action.
• Another option would be to make radical political decisions like the one that made alcohol illegal in Bihar. A state must intervene when individuals lack self-control in accordance with the Directive Principles of State Policy (Article 47).
• Adequate enforcement of the Narcotics, Drugs, and Psychoactive Substances Act (NDPS).

International Cooperation:

Encourage international collaboration in the fight against the persistent issue of drug trafficking. The ability to intercept would be considerably improved by the creation of global accountability structures and best practices.

Conclusion:
A clause of the 1985 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act authorized the establishment of the fund in 1989. The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (National Fund for Control of Drug Abuse) Guidelines, published in 2006, set forth the basic guidelines for financing, scope, method, assessment, and monitoring mechanisms for handling NFCDA monies. The Ministry of Finance's Directorate of Revenue oversees the fund.

References:

1. https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-news-analysis/the-world-drug-report-2021-unodc
2. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1781352