![]() Drug addiction, in all its forms, must be discouraged, while support should be extended to drug addicts during their rehabilitation and relapse periods. Professional psychologists and counselors should be involved at the school level to break the chain. While the role of law enforcement agencies is essential, rigorous and continuous programs of awareness and education are needed to combat this nuisance. Eradicating drug addiction requires a collective effort at the societal level. During relapse or recidivism, drug dependents require social and moral support in addition to treatment. Furthermore, society plays a vital role in the rehabilitation process. ![]() Parents cannot evade their responsibility in this regard. Timely intervention by parents, teachers, and elders plays a crucial role in preventing a significant number of individuals from falling into the trap of drug addiction. ![]() The harmony and happiness within the family unit are disrupted, and the drug addict experiences a lack of concentration, diminished decision-making abilities, and disregard for personal responsibilities, ultimately becoming a burden on society. The primary target of drug addiction is an individual’s health, which in turn affects the family’s economic stability. Irritability, aggression, and lethargy become evident, eventually leading to involvement in criminal activities. They may isolate themselves and change their social circles, leading to irregular eating and sleeping patterns. But it impacts inversely and the drug addicts exhibit noticeable changes in their behavior, losing interest in their daily routines and neglecting self-care. ![]() Young people, particularly adolescents, are easily exploited by drug mafias, initially using drugs for pleasure and hallucination in order to fit in with friends and succumbing to peer pressure. Tobacco, cannabis, alcohol, benzodiazepines (alprazolam, diazepam), opiates (codeine, heroin, morphine), brown sugar, and inhalants (glue, paint thinner, petrol, shoe polish) are reported as major drugs of abuse in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The range of drugs being used has expanded alarmingly, with substances such as narcotics, brown sugar, opium, morphine, depressants and alcohol being commonly used in the Kashmir Valley. However, drug addiction continues to be a rapidly growing problem among youth at large. ![]() To address this issue, the state government has implemented several measures aimed at curbing drug addiction, including the establishment of drug de-addiction centers throughout the Kashmir Valley by the J&K Police Department. Various studies conducted in the region have identified other causes such as unemployment, relationship problems, and other factors as significant influences. While the prevailing turmoil in the state has been considered a contributing factor to the increase in drug addiction, it is not the sole cause. The youth, particularly those aged between 17 and 35, are disproportionately affected, as reported by the Government Psychiatric Hospital in Srinagar, where approximately 90% of drug abusers fall within this age group. According to a report available from the United Nations Drug Control Programme (UNDCP), the valley of Kashmir alone has approximately 70,000 drug addicts, with women accounting for around 31% of this population. The Kashmir Valley, facing the additional challenges of ongoing turmoil, is considered one of the most severely affected regions in terms of drug abuse. The World Health Organization defines substance abuse as the persistent or sporadic use of drugs that is inconsistent with or unrelated to accepted medical practices. Substance abuse refers to the chronic and patterned use of drugs in amounts or ways that are highly hazardous and detrimental to both the individual and others. Drug addiction or a substance use disorder, is a significant and avoidable cause of illness and death on a global scale. ![]()
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