A Prohibition Enquiry Committee was formed in 1956 to examine this problem and suggest steps to control it. The recommendations of this committee were accepted in 1956 and a resolution was passed in Lok Sabha to make it a part of our Development Programme. Prohibition of liquor has also been made a part of our Five-Year Plans. Several states have made attempts to introduce partial or total prohibition. But their attempts have not been very successful for various reasons.

The addiction to drugs is another problem that affects the lives of many people. Drugs like hashish, brown sugar, and smack are being widely sold, particularly to young people and even children. Smugglers and drug peddlers make a lot of money out of this trade and for this reason they try to get more and more people addicted to drugs. Drugs are not only harmful to health but have lead to spread of serious diseases like AIDS through the use of contaminated syringes. It is very hard to cure drug addicts who ruin their families by spending all their money on this habit. They even commit crimes to obtain money for the purpose.

Social awareness is very important to control harmful habits like drinking and drug addiction. Many voluntary agencies are doing a lot of work to help alcoholics and drug addicts to give up these habits. However, the government also needs to take stern measures against those who deal in illegal distribution of liquor and drugs.