Authorities say the most vulnerable target group are youngsters.
Kerala has seen a 78 per cent increase in drugs and narcotics related crimes since 2014 and Kochi now ranks third in India when it comes to drug related crimes.
Authorities say the most vulnerable target group are youngsters. An estimated 5 per cent of children between the age of 6-17 years are victims of substance abuse in Kerala.
At the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram, a psychology student in his twenties, admitted at a de-addiction centre tells NDTV that access to banned substances is not a difficult task at all.
"I have used LSD and other substances. Access is very easy once you get the contacts. It could be from auto rickshaw drivers to receptionists or waiters. There are many who can lead you. The network is well spread. In Kerala there are not much codes. Agents identify you based on your physical features," he says, sitting in a dark room, on condition of anonymity.
While cases of drug related crimes has witnessed a surge in 'God's Own Country', authorities claim to be registering 10-15 cases in a day in this regard. They blame low staff strength for their inability to curb the menace.
"We are registering 10-15 cases everyday. In 60 days, we have registered 3,000 cases under Abkari Act and 500 cases against drug abuse. We are registering cases and conducting awareness camps. We are determined to take strong action but we can't do everything just with our small team," Excise Commissioner Rishi Raj Singh said.
A drive to Kerala-Tamil Nadu border with an excise team revealed that school children are the most vulnerable. A couple was caught smuggling 4,500 packets of banned tobacco based substances and pharmaceutical drugs into the state during the investigation.
While there have been strict orders given to medical shops across the state, in a hidden camera operation, NDTV could easily buy heavy dosages of pharmaceutical drugs without the mandatory doctor's prescription. There are only 46 drug controllers for the entire state having 19,000 medical shops.
"But despite the increasing cases of substance abuse among the young, there are no statistics, neither state wide research or a road map with the state government," says Dr Johnson Edayaranmula of Alcohol and Drug Information Centre.