Thiruvananthapuram, Aug. 9 -- Kerala is witnessing a sharp rise in drug abuse cases among children, with a 45 percent increase in 2024 compared to 2023, senior Congress leader and AICC Working Committee member Ramesh Chennithala said. "Drug mafias are attempting to destroy the future of our state by turning today's youth into addicts. Groups that once operated in Mumbai and Goa are now shifting base to Kerala," said the former Opposition Leader in the Kerala Assembly. According to statistics presented in the Legislative Assembly last March, 588 children under the age of 18 underwent de-addiction treatment at state-run centers in 2023. "In 2024 alone, 2,880 children have received de-addiction treatment at government facilities, a 45 percent ...