Stories
Odisha Bans New Liquor Shops for Three Years, Intensifies War on Substance Abuse
- •Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced a three-year ban on new liquor shops in the state, emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy against drugs.
- •The CM launched a special website for the Police Commissionerate dedicated to the 'Drug-free India' initiative.
- •Majhi highlighted that substance abuse is a primary factor in heinous crimes and violence against women, noting 2.60 lakh to 2.80 lakh annual deaths from alcohol consumption.
- •Odisha ranks second in fatalities from drunk driving, prompting directives for stricter measures against alcohol and high-risk drugs like cannabis, opium, and synthetic drugs.
- •The state government has made local administrations accountable for illicit liquor trade and banned tobacco, nicotine-laced pan masala, and gutkha, declaring school and college campuses substance-free zones.
Key Questions Answered
Odisha's new three-year excise policy, effective from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2029, bans the opening of any new liquor shops and prohibits the home delivery of alcohol. Additionally, the policy introduces a 0.5 percent 'de-addiction' cess on excise duty, increases license and application fees, and allows the sale of specific liquor volumes in tetra packs.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi stated that substance abuse is a major factor behind heinous crimes and domestic violence against women, noting that between 2.60 lakh and 2.80 lakh people die annually from alcohol consumption alone. Odisha also ranks second in fatalities resulting from drunk driving, driving the state to adopt a zero-tolerance policy against drugs and tighten local administration accountability.
As part of the state's comprehensive anti-substance abuse framework, school and college campuses across Odisha have been officially declared substance-free zones. Furthermore, the production and sale of tobacco and nicotine-laced pan masala and gutkha have been completely banned to eradicate substance abuse.
