Beyond rallies and raids: J&K’s 5.4 lakh drug users demand deeper intervention, say experts

VIKAS SHARMA

SAMBA, JULY 20: With the conclusion of Jammu and Kashmir’s 10-day anti-drug campaign, experts have welcomed the awareness drive but cautioned that sustained preventive measures and community-based interventions are essential to tackle what is rapidly emerging as a deep-rooted public health and security crisis.

The campaign witnessed rallies, seminars, awareness programmes, and student-led initiatives across districts, aiming to educate people—particularly the youth—about the dangers of substance abuse. However, specialists believe the real challenge lies beyond such short-term initiatives, stressing that schools, families, healthcare institutions, and local communities must play a more active role in preventing addiction before it takes hold.

A government-backed national survey highlights the alarming scale of the crisis. Nearly 5.4 lakh people in Jammu and Kashmir are using opioids, making them the most commonly abused category of drugs in the Union Territory. Cannabis accounts for around 1.4 lakh users, while nearly 1.7 lakh people are dependent on sedatives.

Experts also expressed concern over the increasing presence of harder substances, including cocaine, amphetamines, and hallucinogens, indicating a shift towards more dangerous patterns of drug abuse.

District-wise data reveals that Jammu continues to record the highest number of drug-related cases, followed by Baramulla, Srinagar and Kathua. Authorities, however, point out that the issue extends beyond the number of cases.

A significant proportion of registered cases relate to drug trafficking rather than personal consumption, suggesting that Jammu and Kashmir is increasingly emerging as an important corridor in the wider narcotics trade network, posing serious law-and-order and public health challenges.

Over the past five years, enforcement agencies have intensified operations, destroying 1,143 acres of illicit opium poppy cultivation and 3,540 acres of cannabis crops. Despite these efforts, experts believe that resilient trafficking networks continue to sustain the supply of narcotics.

“The awareness campaign has generated public discussion and encouraged participation, but lasting success will depend on strengthening preventive mechanisms at the grassroots level,” experts said. “Short-term campaigns must be followed by year-round interventions involving schools, parents, community organisations and healthcare professionals.”

The human cost of the crisis remains equally alarming. Behind every statistic are individuals battling addiction, distressed families and communities struggling with the long-term social and economic consequences of substance abuse.

Official figures also indicate a sharp increase in cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, rising from 1,173 cases in 2019 to 2,232 cases in 2023. Experts say the increase reflects both intensified enforcement and the expanding scale of the drug menace.

They attribute the growing crisis to multiple factors, including easy availability of drugs, cross-border smuggling, unemployment, and rising psychological stress among young people. The transition from traditional intoxicants to synthetic and opioid-based drugs has made addiction more severe, treatment more difficult and rehabilitation more complex.

To strengthen the response, authorities have established specialised units such as the Anti-Narcotics Task Force, while central agencies have expanded investigations to dismantle organised trafficking networks by targeting entire supply chains instead of individual offenders.

On the rehabilitation front, the government has enhanced treatment facilities under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction. Jammu and Kashmir now has multiple de-addiction centres, outreach programmes and treatment facilities. A dedicated drug treatment clinic in Kashmir alone has recorded more than 11,000 patient visits, highlighting both the extent of dependency and the increasing demand for treatment.

Despite these initiatives, experts insist that rehabilitation and law enforcement alone cannot solve the problem. They advocate an integrated strategy that combines continuous awareness, early identification of vulnerable individuals, counselling, school-based interventions, skill development, employment opportunities and strong family support systems.

“What Jammu and Kashmir is confronting is not merely a law-and-order issue but a generational challenge,” experts said. “The campaign may have concluded, but the fight against drug abuse must continue every day through sustained prevention, effective rehabilitation and coordinated action across society.”