Nagaland University researchers pitch ‘Digital Rehabilitation Law’ to modernise India’s addiction recovery framework
In a move that could reshape India’s approach to drug addiction recovery, researchers from Nagaland University have proposed a pioneering “Digital Rehabilitation Law” that seeks to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI), telemedicine and mobile health technologies into the country’s rehabilitation ecosystem.
The proposal, developed by Dr Rumi Dhar and Tania Anya from the Department of Law at Nagaland University, offers one of the earliest comprehensive legal analyses on how India’s existing laws can be adapted to technology-driven rehabilitation models. The study responds to the country’s growing drug dependency crisis, arguing that conventional rehabilitation systems remain overstretched, inaccessible for many, and burdened by social stigma.
Published in the KDU Law Journal, a peer-reviewed and internationally indexed journal of the Faculty of Law at General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Sri Lanka, the research positions rehabilitation as a critical pillar of public health and drug policy—rather than a peripheral intervention.
Welcoming the initiative, Nagaland University Vice Chancellor Prof. Jagadish K. Patnaik said the work reflects the institution’s commitment to socially relevant scholarship.
“I congratulate our researchers for proposing the innovative concept of a Digital Rehabilitation Law, which explores how ethical AI integration can strengthen India’s drug addiction recovery ecosystem. This forward-looking research upholds patient rights, expands access to care, and supports evidence-based policymaking,” he said.
The study examines how existing Indian laws—including the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, Telemedicine Practice Guidelines, 2020, and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985—intersect with emerging digital rehabilitation tools. It highlights significant legal gaps in areas such as privacy, informed consent, algorithmic transparency, and accountability, particularly as AI-powered relapse prediction systems and virtual counselling platforms gain traction.
Explaining the motivation behind the research, Dr. Rumi Dhar, Assistant Professor at Nagaland University, said the proposal aims to balance innovation with ethics.
“Technology can dramatically improve access to addiction treatment, especially for rural and underserved communities. But without strong legal safeguards, patient rights and dignity could be compromised. Our proposed Digital Rehabilitation Law seeks to harmonise existing legal provisions to ensure safe and ethical tech-enabled care,” she said.
Co-author Tania Anya, a research scholar in the Department of Law, outlined key recommendations from the study. These include setting up a National Digital Rehabilitation Regulatory Authority, amending the NDPS Act to formally recognise digital rehabilitation pathways, launching pilot programmes for AI- and telemedicine-based interventions, and improving digital literacy among healthcare providers and patients nationwide.
While the research is doctrinal—offering legal and policy insights rather than clinical findings—it strongly advocates a collaborative, stigma-free approach involving lawmakers, technologists, medical professionals and academic institutions.
The study also highlights global examples that demonstrate the practical impact of digital rehabilitation tools. Mobile health applications such as Australia’s Daybreak app, which has reportedly halved alcohol consumption among users, and peer-support platforms like Sober Grid, show how everyday technology can boost motivation, community support and long-term recovery.
International models from the United States and the European Union further illustrate how AI-based relapse prediction systems can enable early interventions by monitoring behavioural and physiological indicators. Telemedicine initiatives like Project ECHO and the Vermont hub-and-spoke model show how specialists can digitally support frontline healthcare workers, ensuring quality care even in remote regions.
The researchers suggest that adopting similar frameworks within India’s existing platforms—such as e-Sanjeevani—could significantly expand access to addiction treatment, particularly in underserved and rural areas.
As India grapples with rising substance abuse challenges, the proposed Digital Rehabilitation Law offers a roadmap for blending technology, law and compassion—placing recovery, dignity and access to care at the centre of national policy discussions.
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