Drug addiction : A huge challenge in Valley

A dreadful surge in drug addiction cases in Kashmir has become a major challenge to our society which day after day is ringing alarming bells for the present generation. Not only that lives of these youngsters who have fallen prey to the drugs are at stake, but their families are also crumbling down .I have seen numerous victims struggling with the dreadful issue. The rate of increase of drug addiction is so high in Valley that experts and academicians are warning that after “one generation lost to bullets, another may be lost to drugs” Here, the drug addiction has been on the rise for last few years and almost 3 lakh youth turned part of addicted or affected population in the Valley. With a few de -addiction centres, we Kashmiris’ have been left to God’s mercy in both the cases ,to curb the menace and to get proper medical facilities involved in this social and healthy evil. Drug addiction is considered as a neurobiological disease .when a person becomes a drug addict it is very hard for him to spend a day without taking the drug. Drugs that are main cause of addiction are heroin, opium, morphine, inhalants, brown sugar, cocaine, diazpham, marijuana (ganja) hash oil etc. A recent data of the Srinagar police control rooms drug-de addiction Centre reveals that of the entire lot, most drug abusers fall in the age group of 17-35 years.
NGOs, government, schools and colleges should regularly organise programs and seminars to make aware students and the general masses about the repercussions of drug addiction. Job opportunities should also be increased so that unemployment does not become a cause for depression and stress. It is essential to eradicate the roots of drug addiction so, that the future of Valley can be saved.
While the number affected is very high, the patient flow at the de-addiction centre is alarmingl too. In the year 2019, 633 were registered at the PCR, which has gone upto 1978 while 81% were male, there were over 19% females suggesting that the number of female drug abusers too is on the rise in the otherwise conservative society. Started in 2008,the PCR’s de-addiction centre has treated 10,000 above users till date. There are many reasons for the addiction, unemployment, lack of morality, availability of finance more than the need, living lives apart from religious rules. bad company or peer pressure also considered as the reason for drug addiction ,many studies have suggested that drug addiction begins with smoking, which is considered as a fashion among the youth. It is the need of an hour that the 0ace of this drug abdication should be reduced. In order to curb this evil the first and foremost step which the govt has to take is strict action against drug peddlers, opium cultivators and chemist shops .that sell psychotropic medicines. Another important responsibility is of parents and teachers instead of scolding their wards who have become addicted to drugs, they have to deal with them with love and patience. They should try to increase the morale and confidence of drug addicts that they can shun this vice. We must abstain from this evil as it is totally prohibited in our religion .Allah almighty says in the noble Quran what means “o you who believe! Indeed, .intoxicants, gambling, (sacrificing on) stone alters (to other than Allah),and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of shaitan, so, avoid it that you may be successful (Quran 5:90) . NGOs, government, schools and colleges should regularly organise programs and seminars to make aware students and the general masses about the repercussions of drug addiction. Job opportunities should also be increased so that unemployment does not become a cause for depression and stress. It is essential to eradicate the roots of drug addiction so, that the future of Valley can be saved.
(The author is a freelancer. Views are his own)