In a case that blends legal urgency with human suffering, a 65-year-old Odisha man, Ramachandra, has approached the Orissa High Court seeking an increase in his daily opium dosage, arguing that the current allotment is inadequate to manage withdrawal symptoms from a five-decade-long addiction.
A Lifetime of Dependency
Ramachandra has been dependent on opium since his youth. Like other medically certified addicts in the state, he receives the substance through a special Excise Department card, issued only after a doctor confirms addiction.
Currently, he is allotted 40 grams per day, but he insists that it is insufficient to cope with his chronic dependency.
His plea highlights the physical torment he experiences when deprived of opium:
-
Persistent insomnia
-
Severe dizziness
-
Breathlessness
-
Difficulty controlling body movements
Unable to function without regular doses, he describes his existence as “living but not alive.”
Excise Department’s Strict Allocation Rules
The Excise Department maintains rigorous regulations for opium distribution.
Across 23 districts, a total of 112 registered dependent users receive controlled quantities—typically around 14 grams per day—based on medical evaluation.
Ramachandra argues that his condition has worsened over time, pushing him to request 60 grams daily, up from the original 15 grams prescribed in earlier years. He says he is not seeking escape through addiction but stability within it.
High Court Responds With Compassion
Moved by the gravity of his condition, the Orissa High Court acknowledged the seriousness of the case. Rather than immediately granting increased dosage, the court emphasized the need for rehabilitation, suggesting that treatment—not more opium—might be the path toward recovery.
However, the case opens a wider conversation about how long-term addicts—especially elderly ones—navigate rigid state policies that prioritize regulation over individualized care.
A Larger Question of Justice and Compassion
Ramachandra’s plea raises a moral dilemma:
Should the system provide more opium to ease suffering, or should it focus solely on de-addiction efforts?
His story is a stark reminder of lingering social problems in rural Odisha, where generational addiction often clashes with policy frameworks that are slow to adapt.
As the court considers the petition, one man’s desperate cry for relief echoes a deeper issue—balancing law, health, empathy, and justice in a system that struggles to accommodate all four.