In the modern world, we face a number of issues, such as poverty, corruption, begging, underdevelopment, unemployment, and so forth. All of these issues combine to create a new problem, which is drug addiction, one of the issues that is rapidly spreading.
Narcotic; Analgesics, Morphine, Opium, Heroin, Brown Sugar, Pethedine: Stimulants, Cocaine, Amphithemine, Depressants: Alcohol, Barbiturates, Diazepam, Hallucinogens d-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), Mescaline, Phencyclidine, Psilocybin, and Cannabis: Ganja, Charas, Hash Oil, etc. are among the drugs that are regularly abused as time goes on. Drug addiction among young people in the Kashmir Valley is one of the main issues of the day. This issue is not limited to men; it has begun to affect young women as well. There is no denying that drug addiction has an impact on the addict’s quality of life as well as the lifestyle of the entire family. Drug misuse can also lead to a wide range of dysfunctional behaviors that disrupt everyday functioning in the neighborhood, at work, and in the family. Families bear the heavy burden of untreated substance misuse in the form of property crimes, domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, decreased productivity, and even unemployment. According to the 2011 Census, Jammu and Kashmir is the 19th most populous state in India with a population of 1.25 crore, of which 6,640,662 are men and 5,900,640 are women. The state marks the country’s northern limit and is situated in the country’s northern region.
Drug addiction among young people in Kashmir is extremely prevalent and has sparked ongoing national and international discussion.
“The valley’s major problem is the illegal trafficking and sale of drugs, to which law enforcement and the general public play a significant role. The public’s full cooperation and support will enable the police to fight this risk more effectively.”
A survey conducted by the United Nations Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) claims that there are 70,000 drug users in the Kashmir region including 4,000 women. According to a recent survey, between 65 to 70 % of Kashmiri students—around 26 % of them are female—are drug consumers, including those who use drugs. According to data from the Government Psychiatric Disease Hospital (GPDH), 90% of drug abusers are between the age of 17 to 35, so drug addiction is a lifetime condition. Kashmir is well-known for attracting tourists and migrant workers, which raises the prevalence of various drugs use among druggies. Young males between the age of 12 to 15 frequently use substances like cigarettes, paan, gutka, etc. since they are easily accessible, and parents don’t hold them accountable. The depressing image of drug usage in the Kashmir valley has presented numerous difficulties for both government agencies and non-governmental organizations, as well as the valley’s residents in general. The valley’s major problem is the illegal trafficking and sale of drugs, to which law enforcement and the general public play a significant role. The public’s full cooperation and support will enable the police to fight this risk more effectively. The second issue is the scarcity of facilities for drug addicts’ rehabilitation. To rehabilitate the victims, more drug addiction treatment facilities are required. Another issue is a lack of awareness regarding drug addiction as well as the detoxification and rehabilitation processes. People, especially the younger generation, need to be educated about this issue by government agencies, educational institutions, non-governmental organizations, and other social work organizations. Let’s all fight jointly against the substance abuse so that this big menace is kept at bay and our surroundings became worth living and the drug abuse is shown the door
(The author is a resident of Odisha is currently perusing Bachelor of Education at Central University of Kashmir. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
Sujit Kumar Bhoi
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