Consumption of drugs and narcotics is the gift of modern age. The youth are most vulnerable to the menace just because they are young, ambitious and impatient. They want to realize their dreams and ambition in the twinkling of an eye. That does not happen. Social dynamics is not that simple and smooth. Therefore, out of frustration they take to drugs and narcotics. The result is that the number of drug addicts in our State is increasing at a rapid pace. In past three years, according to official data, police arrested 3473 persons for peddling narcotics and drugs. They belong to Jammu as well as Srinagar.
The fact is that drug peddling has become a very vicious business and a mafia has come up in our state that has links with their conduits in the rest of the country and even abroad. It is a very lucrative business and heroin, brown sugar and opium fetch hefty amounts to the suppliers. What is more alarming is that some farmers illegally cultivate opium and they bribe officials to close their eyes to this unauthorized activity. We would propose that exemplary punishment is given to the people who cultivate narcotics and those who become suppliers. The end users are just lured to narcotic addiction, initially against their wishes. Essentially, the onus should rest with the suppliers and peddlers of drugs. The police have to control the very origin of the menace. It is all right that there are homes for drug addicts to help them overcome addiction. That is what the Government should do. However, the practical remedy of eradicating this menace is to bring the peddlers to book for indulging in anti-social activity.
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