For drug-hit Punjab, syringe ban a double-edged sword: Is there a fix?

On winning state assembly elections in March 2017, chief minister-designate Capt Amarinder Singh had claimed he would wipe out Punjab's drug problem "within four weeks"

Health experts have welcomed the Punjab government’s decision to reverse its recent ban on the sale of syringes without a prescription. The ban had been an attempt to control rampant drug abuse, but critics had said it would force addicts to reuse and share syringes, causing a spurt in hepatitis B and C and HIV infections, which are commonly transmitted among intravenous drug users.

Public health advocates are now calling for the state to ensure all private and public health facilities adopt auto-disable (AD) syringes, which are fitted with safety plungers that break off after a single use–to ensure there