Shimla, Mar 26 (PTI) Health Minister Dhani Ram Shandil on Wednesday introduced the Himachal Pradesh Drugs and Controlled Substance (Prevention, De-addiction and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2025.

The proposed law is aimed at controlling and preventing drug abuse through stringent legal measures and promoting rehabilitation and reintegration of addicts.

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It also seeks to provide harsher punishment on drug quantity with stricter penalties for repeat offenders, enhanced penalties for selling drugs to minors, trafficking near educational institutions and using their premises for illegal activities.

The owner or occupier of any house, room, enclosure space, animal or conveyance, knowingly permitting for use for commission of offence by any other person shall attract imprisonment of five years, which can be extended to ten years and any person indulging directly or indirectly in financing illicit traffic or harbouring offenders shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for not less ten years and extendable up to 14 years and fine up to Rs 5 lakh, according to the Bill's provisions.

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Other provisions of the Bill include the establishment of a state fund to finance de-addiction, rehabilitation, preventive education and livelihood support for recovered individuals, the creation of de-addiction and rehabilitation centres, offering detoxification, counselling, skill development and vocational training for reintegration and introduction of Special Courts to expedite drug-related offences are other provisions of the Bill.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)