According to experts, 40% increase in patients have been seen in Ahmedabad de-addiction centre

Government Hospital for Mental Health (GHMH) at Delhi Darwaja in the city is set to ward a ward for the addiction patients later this year. 

Dr Ajay Chauhan, medical superintendent of the hospital, said ever-increasing number of patients has prompted them to take the decision.

As the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking was observed on Monday across various institutions in Ahmedabad and Gujarat, the experts stressed on this year's theme 'People first: Stop stigma and discrimination, strengthen prevention' and its implications.

According to city-based deaddiction centres, the rise in cases range from 25% to 40% compared to 2020.

Synthetic drugs such as MDMA (methylenedioxy-methamphetamine) formed less than 10% in overall volume earlier, which has now doubled," he said.

Experts at the deaddiction centre credit the rise in patients to both high prevalence of drug abuse especially in educational institutes and awareness about its symptoms.