Today (June,26) is being observed as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking and for the people of Jammu & Kashmir this is the day to reiterate commitment to strengthen action and cooperation to a society free of drug abuse. Though drug Addiction has assumed the magnitude of a silent epidemic in Jammu & Kashmir but despite its high prevalence, the awareness about the fight against unprecedented rise in drug addiction among youth is very low. Unfortunately uncontrolled 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 .The intensity of the drug addiction is so high in Valley that drug addiction has according to experts effected 3 lakh youth so for in Kashmir valley. With the facility of only a few de -addiction centres more remedial measures are needs to curb the menace. Never forget that 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. Though Police is continuing it’s crackdown on drug peddlers, opium cultivators and chemist shops .that sell psychotropic medicines but much greater onus lies on parents and teachers who have a greater role in containing and controlling the spread of drug addiction. To generate awareness among youth the teachers of schools and colleges should regularly organise programs and seminars to make aware students and the general masses about the consequences of drug addiction. Quite satisfying it is that Jammu and Kashmir government has put in place its maiden drug de-addiction policy with the intent of involving both stakeholder departments and as wells the people in fight against drug abuse.
Since the menace of drug-addiction is spreading widely and quickly taking the form of an epidemic and places where a bus cannot go, the deadly drugs reach, the Government has taken remedial measures to supervise and review implementation of Drug De-addiction Policy and has even roped in civil society members in several districts in both Kashmir valley and Jammu division with an intent to fight drug menace effectively.
The drug de-addiction of the government lays emphasis on social, medical and legal aspects to address the issue better and while stressing the need to have standards of care in drug de-addiction centers and remove the taboo surrounding the menace the policy underscores the need for setting up drug de-addiction centers with proper guidelines and standards of care. The drug abuse if not controlled in time could also lead to unprecedented rise in social crimes, increase in moral degradation and lower participation of the youth in economic activities. Drug addiction if not controlled and contained through immediate remedial measures can lead to annihilation of youth. Since the menace of drug-addiction is spreading widely and quickly taking the form of an epidemic and places where a bus cannot go, the deadly drugs reach, the Government has taken remedial measures to supervise and review implementation of Drug De-addiction Policy and has even roped in civil society members in several districts in both Kashmir valley and Jammu division with an intent to fight drug menace effectively.
