The Supreme Court of India expressed strong disapproval of the Punjab government's handling of the drug crisis during a hearing on May 8, 2026. Chief Justice Surya Kant, leading a Bench with Justice Joymalya Bagchi, pointed out the alarming human cost of drug addiction, citing a heartbreaking case of a mother who lost all five of her sons to substance abuse. The Chief Justice criticized law enforcement for only apprehending small-time peddlers while failing to target the major players in the drug trade. The court suggested that the situation is deteriorating to the extent that federal intervention may be necessary. It called for a collaborative approach between Central and State agencies to combat the drug menace, which is severely affecting society. Furthermore, the court noted the significant backlog of cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and advocated for the establishment of specialized courts to expedite these cases.