The rise in illicit poppy cultivation has posed a threat to the already conflict-ridden Manipuri society. It further positions the state as the next possible hub for drug production, rather than just being a spot on the trafficking route. In the fight against drugs, various measures have been adopted by the government to combat it, aligning more with a coercive approach. This paper questions the efficacy of those measures adopted as part of the government’s ‘War on Drugs’ campaign, principally on the means to curtail illicit poppy cultivation.