Gangtok/New Delhi
Since 2005, Hissey Bhutia has been running a drug addiction recovery centre at Ranipool, a town which lies outside Sikkim’s capital Gangtok. It is a private rented initiative entirely run on personal funds and time to time monetary aid from friends and well-wishers.
Bhutia himself fell a victim to drug addiction in 1998, and in 2003, he spent time in rehab. Later, his own experience inspired him to help others in need.
“I used to get drugs from Siliguri in West Bengal. A few peddlers I knew back then used to sell drugs, especially Proxyvon, which comes in the capsule form. Now, it is banned in Sikkim under the Sikkim Anti-Drugs Act and also in India,” Bhutia told The Indian Tribal.
Bhutia also serves as the president of the Drug Recovering Users’ Network (RUN) in Sikkim, which is an advocacy network. According to him, Sikkim has an estimated 1500 addicts who are, at present, undergoing recovery.
In Sikkim, drugs are easily available as it shares border with West Bengal and most users buy them in Siliguri, roughly 132 kilometres away. “Many youths cannot get out of drug addiction as relapse happens. Now, instead of Proxyvon, brown sugar is in demand in Sikkim as a narcotic substance. Mostly, the age group using drugs falls between 13 and 25. It is a terrible thing to witness minors taking drugs. Sometimes, besides drugs, even adhesive and glue are used by addicts for sniffing,” Bhutia shared.
Trying To Overcome Addiction
Jigme Dorji (name changed) is in his early 20s and is an inmate at Bhutia’s centre for recovery since the past few months. He is a resident of Gangtok. Over a conversation, Dorji admitted to the use of brown sugar under the influence of his friends. “Initially, my father did not know and used to give me pocket money. But now I want to reform myself. After I get out from here, I want to study sound engineering. Though relapse happens at times, I feel that I can finally recover completely.”
At present, the youth has to follow a strict routine. Like other inmates, he wakes up at 5.45 am, enjoys tea with breakfast, then takes part in meditation and yoga sessions in the morning. In the afternoon-evening hours, he takes rest, plays games and completes dinner by 7.30-8 pm. The lights are off by 9.15 pm. Apart from him, there are 45 other addicts at the centre.
A 17-year-old, Karma Bhutia (name changed), is a resident of Rangpo, which lies on the West Bengal-Sikkim border. Karma shared that the Sikkim police sent him for recovery at the centre, as he had one gram of brown sugar on him which he had purchased from Siliguri at Rs 1,800. The minor, whose family runs a meat shop in Rangpo, admitted that he had purchased brown sugar a few times. “It comes in a foil. But now I want to be normal again and help others through my services.”
Centre owner Hissey Bhutia clarified that when the quantity in possession is small and a minor is involved, the police gives a chance. “For his voluntary services at my centre, I want to pay him (Karma) pocket money, but at first he has to complete his stay here and fully recover.”
He clarified that the cost of the inmates at the centre is usually borne by their families which is a one-time payment of Rs 30,000. But some cannot pay the full amount and so he agrees to keep at even Rs 10,000-Rs 15,000. The duration of the stay is about three months to six months.
Apart from Bhutia’s centre which is called the Jeevan Marg Rehabilitation Centre, there are several others across Sikkim. “As many parents are unable to spend time with children, the latter fall for drugs. Friends too, play a role. I always advise youths to avoid bad company,” the centre owner pointed out.
Like Hissey Bhutia, Karma Chewang Nima also belongs to the tribal community of Sikkim. His recovery centre is named Freedom, and is located on the outskirts of Gangtok at Tathangchen. It was started in 2015 and runs as an individual venture.
“Right now, there are 55 inmates and they stay for 120 days. The focus is on healing of the mind as well as the body through a holistic approach,” Nima informed. He shared that when patients come for treatment, their families have to pay a certain amount. There is a need to create a drug-friendly environment which will enable addicts to recover.
One of his inmates is government employee David Lepcha (name changed), who is 33 and had been at the centre for the past three months. He started on drugs at the age of 15. “I was caught at the Rangpo check post but the police offered me a chance. At that time, I had in my possession seven grams of brown sugar,” the addict shared.
Lepcha shared that in his 20s, he tried weed and later started on brown sugar which is inhaled. “It comes in powder form wrapped in a foil. It is heated and the smoke inhaled.” This is not his first time in a rehab. In 2011, he was at a rehab centre at the age of 18. “I relapsed due to weak willpower. My family gave me everything and I took things for granted.”
The centre has morning-prayer sessions for its three groups, Nirvana, Blessed and Phoenix. Lepcha now has a month left at the centre. “All inmates here are kept busy throughout the day. But they watch movies twice a week.” He sounds confident of a full recovery. “I think I can carry on in life without a relapse again. Though a Buddhist, I believe in Jesus Christ.”
Police Action Against Drugs
The fight against drug abuse in Sikkim is a multi-departmental effort heavily driven by the Nasha Mukt Sikkim campaign, launched by the social welfare department.
Tenzing Loden Lepcha, Sikkim’s first IPS officer, said that apart from police action, the state’s social welfare and the health and family welfare departments are heavily involved in eradication as drug addiction is a social issue. The government approach works through three basic areas: supply reduction which involves cases registered against drug suppliers and peddlers, then demand reduction through the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) committee, which involves awareness campaigns, educational programmes and counsel at mental health branches, and finally harm reduction through therapy.
Drug consumers are increasing, driven by minimal family restrictions, intense gratification and exposure through the internet. The police carries out intelligence-based follow-ups and makes arrests to curb drug use. Brown sugar was much less in use before 2020, but now there are many addicts.
Station House Officer of Singtam police station Kishore Chettri informed that he had busted many drug rackets in Sikkim. Chettri added that there are many outsiders in Sikkim these days. Many of them work as drivers, as tourism is popular, while others are involved in construction work. The officer shared that arrests happened in January 2026. He had also seized 815 grams of drugs in 2025 and sent over 150 addicts to rehab centres in three months. Sometimes, it is difficult even for the police as drugs enter the state hidden inside the tyres of vehicles.
A skateboarder, who wished for anonymity, admitted that the drug user base is growing among Sikkimese youth. He said that Lal Bazaar is one of the main hub for drugs in Gangtok.
“When I obtained a parking tender in the area, I saw peddlers there. Unemployment is definitely an issue behind drug addiction. Some users have too much leisure at hand.” Skateboarding, which is immensely popular across Sikkim, can help cure drug addiction by helping youths channel their energy into sports.
Climate Change Impacts And Recovery
Though not much talked about, climate change can impact both addiction as well as recovery, says Elizabeth Bowen. For example, the social and economic changes driven by climate change—including climate-driven migration—may be a trigger for problematic substance use and can create barriers to recovery.
“Climate change and extreme weather events can make it harder for people to access treatment, attend recovery meetings or access other kinds of support for recovery. A changing climate is threatening people’s employment options, livelihoods and housing stability in many places. Not having stable housing, income, or transportation can make recovery a lot harder,” the associate professor at the School of Social Work, University of Buffalo, USA, said.
The Eastern Himalayan state of Sikkim is undergoing severe climate change impacts. The Glacial Lake Outburst Flood or GLOF, which happened in October 2023 at the South Lhonak Lake, was a major devastation in the state. To respond to such natural disasters, the state now focuses on high-altitude rescue missions, drills and awareness campaigns in collaboration with the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force.
Geography teacher Roshan Rai shared that awareness sessions were conducted at his school last year during the months of August-September. It is the PM Shri Government Senior Secondary School in Soreng district in Western Sikkim.
When asked about erratic weather patterns, Rai said that rainfall had increased in Soreng, with rains mostly heavy at nights, thus creating risks of flash floods and landslides.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) data shows that while Namchi (+49%) and Pakyong (+44%) districts recorded excess rainfall between June 1 and June 22, 2026, Soreng (+62%) witnessed a large excess during the same period. IMD data further shows that Soreng received 570 mm of rainfall between June 1 and June 29, 2026, against the normal 368 mm, making it 54.89% above the normal baseline.
Bowen pointed out that climate change may enhance vulnerability among addicts and those undergoing recovery. “These days anxiety about climate change is increasingly common, and can worsen other mental health challenges that many people with addictions struggle with.”
She also clarified as to why the climate change-drug link is not discussed more often. It is because the impact of climate change on other areas of health, such as cardiovascular conditions that can be affected by extreme heat, is more obvious. But research shows that climate change affects virtually all areas of human health, including drug addiction and recovery, by impacting drug routes and distribution patterns.
