Uncontrolled dug abuse in Valley, Jammu

Doubtless to mention is the fact that the drug abuse has increased manifold in Jammu and Kashmir as even Director General Police has many a times in recent months voiced his concern over the rapid expansion of drug abuse in both Kashmir valley and as well as Jammu province. Historically, a low drug addiction zone, Kashmir has lost its innocence. The official figures revealed so for show that most of the youth in the 18-35 age group are addicted to drugs in both Kashmir and Jammu region. If experts are to be believed use of opium is the one of the bigger causes of spread of drug addiction in Jammu & Kashmir. The trends indicate that school and college students have fallen in the trap of drug addiction. The availability of illicit drugs in the open market is an area of high concern but unfortunately the concern is restricted to drug policies changed from year to year. Though popular governments also used to talk much about drug policy but strong curbs against the alarming rise in drug addiction are yet to show any perceptible change on ground in Jammu & Kashmir. This speaks of the inconsistency coming in the way of the execution of a drug policy devised to curb the menace of drug addiction in Kashmir. Helmsmen blaming militancy for the rise in the menace of drug addiction and social activists seeing the failure of parents a big reason for rise in drug addiction can’t take the fight against drug abuse to logical conclusion in the absence of political and religious involvement in a mass awareness campaign. Absolutely shocking for the government is the fact that the menace of drug addiction is spreading at a faster pace in Jammu region than Kashmir valley.
Though parents are to be blamed for the spread of drug addiction in valley but equally undisputed fact is that religious preachers too have failed to carry out a regular awareness campaign for stemming the rot. Unfortunately this social evil threatening the lives of thousands of youth in Kashmir is being patronised by a flourishing nexus of illicit drug dealers, small scale narcotics producers and market networks. Not only an effective drug policy, but the involvement of police in curbing the menace of drug addiction has become imperative. A concerted joint effort by the government, law enforcing agencies, the civil society groups and religious clerics to stem the rot in Kashmir is needed. Only a focused drive would ensure menace of the drug abuse in Jammu and Kashmir. Awareness, identification and eradication by understanding all nuances of the menace could be the only way out.