Kashmir’s war against drugs a collective battle to save the youth

By| Farooq Ahmad Lone

Almost on every day we hear the news of drug peddlers being arrested by Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) somewhere in the valley. The most everyday common news in Kashmir nowadays is the seizure of drugs by police in an operation against drug trafficking. The rising addiction of drugs and its consequences on youth has become the main writing target of writers and columnists of the valley.

Seminars to raise awareness about drugs are being regularly held all over the valley. Reports are being issued from government about the statistics of drug users and its harmful consequences. Doctors at rehabilitation centers are expressing alarming bells over the physical and psychological threats of drug use. The religious clericals are also raising voices against drugs. The media fraternity too is busy to cover the stories of drug addicts.

It has been estimated by surveys of various institutes that there are approximately 10 lakh drug addicts in Jammu and Kashmir, 8% of the total population. Various types of drugs are being used by drug addicts including the deadly heroin. According to Institute of mental health and neurosciences ( IMHANS) the only government drug rehabilitation centre of Kashmir ,the institute is receiving 150 drug addicts daily among which 70 are old cases.

Also it has found that 15 i.e. 10% among the new daily cases are teenagers. This shows the seriousness of the situation. Moreover I am personally of the opinion which is based on common sense that more the number of drug addicts, higher will be the rate at which this addiction will spread among people especially youth.

Although the situation is no less than a crisis but as a nation with strong will power and collective actions we can make efforts not only to stop our youth from becoming victims of drug addiction but through strong activism we can prevent drugs and drug peddlers from reaching the youth.

It is not only the duty of the government to curb drug trafficking to save people from drug use. People too have to play a part in this campaign to help the government to catch drug peddlers and propagate strong awareness about effects of drug use.

While spreading awareness about drug addiction through seminars, programs, and peaceful protests is very important however efforts must be made to bring more and more people especially parents in such activities. This will both widen the awareness and make parents to monitor their children carefully.

This should happen at community level and people including women should be encouraged to participate in such activities and programs. Besides raising awareness about harmful impact of substance use, speakers should advise people to treat rehabilitating drug addicts with love and sympathy.

Drug addicts who have successfully rehabilitated too should be invited in the seminars so that they can explain the situation by heart. Moreover their stories how they got addicted and then rehabilitated can be uploaded on social media so that other drug addicts who want to quit too can take bold steps towards rehabilitation.

The role of social media is very important not only to spread awareness but to mobilise public opinion to put pressure on the government so that harsh steps are taken against drug peddlers.

If most of the drug peddlers of the valley get arrested within months, the trafficking of drugs will automatically stop and there will be massive improvement on ground.

Although it is difficult but with the collaboration of people and police this can be done smoothly without shedding a single drop of blood.Both state and social media are powerful enough to bring radical changes on the ground and save this generation of Kashmir from losing to drugs.

This will boost the morale of Jammu and Kashmir Police in all over the country.According to experts J&K could do well to engage civil society players in its endeavours . Experts are also sharing that J and K could take a leaf out of the Chandigarh-based Post Graduate Institute Of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) study’s recommendations for Punjab- build the capacity of teachers, health inspectors and block-level officials for prevention activities and rope in religious leaders to advocate “tandrust atey nasha mukt Punjab (healthy and drug-free state)”.

A sincere and collective effort to aware people about the menace of drugs with doctors and psychotherapists helping drug addicts to rehabilitate while as police being busy in arresting drug peddlers can ultimately bring this drug epidemic to an end.

Let’s hope the best and act to beat drug peddlers and control drug addiction with the tools and weapons of knowledge, faith, science, state might etc.

Author: Farooq Ahmad Lone has done BA and is writing on various issues. He can be reached at lonefarooqahmad80@gmail.com.