A data point that also reflects the growing drug abuse in Jammu and Kashmir, over 31,000 individuals have been treated for drug de-addiction under initiatives like the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) and the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) during 2023-24. The programmes run by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment focus on preventive education, awareness generation, rehabilitation, and treatment facilities. They have so far covered over 98 lakh people in the region, including 8 lakh youth and 9 lakh women.
While the ministry’s initiatives are welcome, the scale of the drug addiction in Kashmir is troubling. This is an alarming number and must otherwise prompt an immediate government response with a proper roadmap to address the situation. But that hasn’t happened.
Last year, a study found that around 52,000 people alone are using IV Heroin, among whom 34 percent are unmarried. What is more, while a study of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi said that Punjab has 1.2 percent of opiate users, Kashmir study has revealed the percentage at 2.87 percent. Another addiction that has caught on is the growing use of synthetic heroin in recent years. Incidentally, 90 percent of all users are young men, with a mean age of about 28 years.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police have ramped up their efforts to combat drug abuse and trafficking, conducting multiple operations that have resulted in arrests, confiscation of contraband substances, and the seizure of vehicles involved in the illegal narcotics trade across the region.
The problem of drug abuse in Kashmir is complex and multifaceted, with a range of factors contributing to its prevalence. One of the key drivers of drug use in the region is poverty and unemployment, which leave many young people feeling hopeless and marginalized. In addition, the ongoing conflict in the region has created a climate of fear and instability, which has further exacerbated the problem.
This calls for a pro-active government response to the lingering crisis. It needs both security and social intervention. According to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, the union government has collaborated with international law enforcement agencies, including signing of an MoU with Pakistan’s Anti-Narcotics Force and participating in forums like the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. At a community level, we also need to step up and face the humongous problem head on.
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