Srinagar, Dec 8: Expressing deep anguish and sorrow over the health department’s “complete failure” in controlling drug addiction in J&K, the Civil Society Forum Kashmir (CSFK) on Friday said all the three regions of the State are suffering to the maximum.
“Thousands of lives are getting wasted yet health department is just a mute spectator,” the forum said in a statement issued here. “The pattern of drug addiction in J&K is that an addict starts with psychotropic medicines like corex, codine and capsules and eventually reaches to the level of using heroine.”
“If the health department would have played a responsible role from beginning to control sale of such medicines over the counter and even in open markets, lots of lives could have been saved. But unfortunately health dep’t continues its role as a mute spectator to the problems on our repeated request to health department.”
Holding health department “completely responsible” for the spread of drug abuse in the State, CSFK demanded action against all those officials who are holding important chairs in department and are acting as mute spectators to this problem.
“Last six months have been catastrophic as there is a huge shift to use of heroine instead of psychotropic drugs,” the forum said. “Heroine is one of most lethal drugs in the world yet our government is a mute spectator. 70 patients are admitted in one hospital and 80 in other hospital who are addicted to heroine.”
CSFK reiterated its appeal to government to “save lives by controlling spread of drug abuse”.
