Punjab Limits Drug De-Addiction Treatment to State Residents Only

The Punjab government has issued an order restricting treatment at its government-run drug de-addiction and Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) clinics exclusively to residents holding valid Punjab domicile. This change affects thousands of patients from neighbouring states like Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Rajasthan who previously accessed these services. Officials state the move aims to obtain accurate data on local addiction rates and improve follow-up programs, which are challenging when treating non-resident patients.