Scheme for Prevention of Alcoholism & Substance (Drugs) Abuse
Revelations under National Survey fail to alert authorities
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 25: Notwithstanding the fact that drugs and substance abuse is adversely affecting the social fabric of the State, the Government has failed to obtain optimum benefit of the Scheme for Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drugs) Abuse of the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
This has clearly established that startling revelations made under the National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use have yet not been taken seriously by all the concerned authorities of Jammu and Kashmir where there is no let up in youngsters continuously becoming drug addicts.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing Scheme for Prevention of Alcoholism and Substance (Drugs) Abuse during the past many years with the objectives of creating awareness and educate people about the ill-effects of alcoholism and substance abuse and for providing the whole range of community based services for identification, motivation, counselling, de-addiction, after care and rehabilitation of addicts.
The target groups under the scheme are all the victims of alcohol and substance (drugs) abuse with a special focus on children both in and out of school, adolescents/youth, dependent women and young girls affected by substance abuse and high risk groups like drivers etc. Under this scheme, financial assistance is provided for setting up/ running of Integrated Rehabilitation Centre for Addicts.
However, Jammu and Kashmir has failed to obtain optimum benefit of the scheme during the past four consecutive years and this can be gauged from the official figures, the copy of which is available with EXCELSIOR.
During the financial year 2016-17, J&K received only Rs 20.04 lakh while as not even single penny was received during 2017-18 financial year. During 2018-19 financial year, the State again received Rs 20.4 lakh although this amount should have been got increased by persuading the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment keeping in view the necessity of establishing more Integrated Rehabilitation Centres for Addicts.
During the current financial year, again no financial assistance has been received by the State Government so far, sources said while disclosing that in Jammu and Kashmir there is only one Integrated Rehabilitation Centre for Addicts although the number should have been much more.
The figures further reveal that neighbouring State of Punjab, which is also facing the menace of drug abuse, has obtained maximum benefit of the scheme only because it has established large number of Integrated Rehabilitation Centres for Addicts.
During 2016-17, Punjab received Rs 76.12 lakh while as during 2017-18, an amount of Rs 75.91 lakh was given to Punjab under this scheme. During last financial year, Punjab received highest ever Rs 96.52 lakh financial assistance from the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
“It seems that startling revelations made under the National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use have failed to alert the concerned authorities of the State”, sources said while disclosing that report has highlighted alarming trend vis-à-vis drug addiction in respect of Jammu and Kashmir. It has mentioned that consumption of Opioids in this State has surpassed consumption of alcohol.
As per the report, 3.5% of population between the age group of 10 to 75 years is consuming alcohol in Jammu and Kashmir while as 4.91% of population of this age group is consuming Opioids (Phukki/Poppy Husk, Heroin (brown sugar/smack) and pharmaceuticals Opioids.
Moreover, 1.54% of population aged between 10 to 75 years is taking sedatives and pharmaceutical Opioids without prescription in a non-medical context. Likewise, 1.31% of population between 10 to 75 years is taking cannabis (Bhang as well as other forms such as Ganja and Charas) and 1.22% of population is using inhalants.
“A substantial proportion of people using Opioids are using it in a dependent or harmful pattern”, the report said, adding “use of drugs through injecting route is a significant public health concern because of the associated risk of spread of infections like HIV and Hepatitis C and B”.
These revelations have already put a big question mark on the present mechanism of fighting the menace of drugs.
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