Civil Society Forum for Health, Kashmir (CSFK-Health) has said that Jammu and Kashmir is on the brink of an epidemic as a result of ever-increasing cases of drug abuse which is gradually emerging as a big disaster. It called for immediate and drastic measures for its control.
A spokesperson of the Forum has in his statement expressed concern over the dangerous rise in the number of drug addiction cases in the UT and has linked it with a proportionately alarming rise in the crime rate in the society, a glaring example of which are the recent incidents of acid attack and day-time burglary in the city. Therefore, CSFK-Health has called for unprecedented measures on behalf of the government to tackle the same on war-footing basis. Referring to the recent news reports that Jammu and Kashmir has six lakh people affected by drug-related issues and 90 per cent of the substance abusers are from 17-33 age group, spokesperson of the forum expressed concern that almost 80% the total number of addicts comprise of heroin abusers now showing an alarming shift from psychotropic substance abuse to heroin addiction, whereas 30% of addicts are not even 18 years of age. Forum has called for breaking the vicious circle of drug abuse and crime in the society by taking a slew of measures as suggested by the Chief Secretary recently including formulation of a multi-faceted strategy including proper training of enforcement agencies, enhancement of drug testing capacity, assessment of illicit production and trade, seizure and destruction, arrest and conviction of accused, and counselling and rehabilitation of the victims. It has expressed apprehensions that if concrete measures are not taken immediately on ground, the situation will erupt in the form of a disaster of crime in the society.
