Sir,
It is most worrisome and unfortunate that the teenagers and youth are becoming increasingly dependent on drugs in our country and of course in Jammu and Kashmir State also.
This drug menace is rapidly spreading its roots in Jammu and Kashmir. The youth are suffering from drug abuse. Issues like lack of employment, family tensions, dark future, relationship, tensions are adding to their woes. An alarming situation is observed in Kashmir region. Jammu region is also confronted with cases of drug addiction followed by Kashmir. According to a survey 40 percent of the youngsters fall in this category. Women, girls are also increasingly following the menace of drugs. The graph of drug abuse is rising at an alarming pace.
It is worthwhile to mention here that easy availability of drugs in respective areas, smuggling of drugs like cannabis, opium, heroine even brown sugar from across the border is of course a worrisome issue and has to be tackled on very urgent basis. In Jammu addicts are dependent on cough syrups, neuro toxic tablets which are available with chemists. According to a survey conducted by united Nation International Drug Control Program(UNDCP) sponsored survey Kashmir division alone had 7000 drug addicts including 4000 women in year 2008. What is more worrisome is that users include students of schools below 12th standard.
It becomes the moral duty of State Government and Government of India to bring in strict laws and rehabilitation of drug addicts along with de addiction policy in the state. Although state government is working on this issue by opening de addiction centres in Kashmir and Jammu but much more is needed to be done as these de addiction centres needed to be increased in number in rural, urban and far flung areas of the State and by providing specialised staff in the centres for de addiction. Also the people of the state and young generation needed to be educated about the ill effects of drug abuse.
Yours etc…
Kaushal Kotwal
SDAO retd,
Jammu
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