Jammu & Kashmir’s drug problem is serious

Drug addiction in Kashmir has assumed alarming proportions. According to doctors at the de-addiction centre of the Srinagar-based Institute of Mental health & Neurosciences (IMHANS), the number of drug addicts seeking help has been rising since 2016. The number of patients who registered for Opioid Substitution Therapy at the de-addiction centre surged from 139 in the 2012-15 period to 309 in the 2016-19 period. Even more alarming are the figures since. Over 495 patients sought OST in 2020. This figure has jumped to 500 in just the first five months this year. The magnitude of the drug addiction problem in Kashmir is likely to be higher than what the IMHANS figures reveal. Given the social stigma attached to drug addiction, most people prefer to suffer in silence rather than seek medical help for the problem. Hence, the IMHANS figures probably indicate just the tip of the iceberg of the narcotics problem in Kashmir. Worryingly, unlike in the past when many Kashmiris turned to cough syrup, heroin has become their preferred narcotic in recent years.

There are strong links between conflict zones and narcotics. An important reason for addiction in areas of armed conflict is that many people here suffer from mental health problems given the constant and prolonged state of anxiety and trauma they live in. The Kashmir insurgency has impacted every family and individual in the Valley. People have lost close kin or are survivors of blasts and gun battles. Many are grappling with the impact of torture and detention. These challenges are not easy to cope with and they end up turning to narcotics to calm their thoughts and mental anguish. Narcotics are also easily available in conflict zones as the drug trade often finances the purchase of weapons.

Law enforcement officials in Kashmir say heroin and other narcotics are making their way into the Kashmir Valley from Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. The narcotics problem in Punjab, another state that borders Pakistan, too, is serious. This underscores the need for India to step up vigilance along the border in Punjab and the Line of Control in Jammu & Kashmir. Importantly, it needs to crack down on the network in India that facilitates the transport of drugs from the LoC. This is a lucrative trade and the involvement of politicians and security officials in it cannot be ruled out. Importantly, more counselling and de-addiction centres are needed in Kashmir’s smaller towns and villages. There is a need to spread awareness about the nature of the problem. Substance use disorder is a disease and needs medical treatment.