If renowned poet Zhaverchand Meghani immortalised the drink with his symbolic Pidho Kasumbi No Rang (I drank the nectar of opium), the government chips in only in the name of health and custom. Observers of the practice estimate its licensed prevalence between 500 and 1,000, while the figure of unofficial users is pegged at in several thousands.

The provision finds mention in the 2008-09 Budget estimates of the Home department in the demand number 45. While a sum of Rs 15,000 was allocated for purchasing opium in 2007-08, for the commencing fiscal year, the allocation is Rs 20,000-- an increase of

33 per cent. The major head is identified as State Excise (Sector-A: General Services and sub-sector B: financial services).

The government officials maintain it is just like permits given for liquor despite prohibition. “It's purely for health reasons. Like alcohol is misused, so can this, but it has been in practice for decades,” said a Home department official.

Radhanpur MLA Shankar Chaudhary claimed the practice is on decline, with his own efforts bearing fruits in this direction. "I run camps to get people off this practice. I had even sat on a fast to sensitise people in my area last year," he said.

The practice is prevalent in pockets of Banaskantha, Patan and Surendranagar districts. Kailashdan Gadhvi, an anti-addiction counsellor at Palanpur-based Navjivan Vyasan Mukti Hospital, gets cases from Deodhar, Bhabhar, Tharad, Vav and Dhanera regions, all bordering Rajasthan and Pakistan. "Some of them are permit holders, but most are illegal addicts. While the permit holders get anything between 1 to 2 kg depending on their needs, illegally it is available in even more quantity depending on how much one pays," he said.

"If they don't take their daily dose, it can be harmful to their routine, sometimes even causing illness," added Gadhvi.