Drug abuse in Kashmir is taking a heavy toll on youth, especially on students and unemployed youth. Drugs fuel a life of addiction and crime. The strange fact is that kids of 9 to 12 years of age have already started consuming tobacco whereas kids as young as 13, even 14, are said to be turning to drugs. It starts off as an experimental thing and in most cases, turns into a dangerous habit. One might does not realize at the early stage that when the usage of drugs might turn into an addiction and the moment it becomes an addiction it is very late.
The youth have become the target of major drug peddlers. These peddlers sell drugs and package them as symbols of revolution and freshness but have no regard for the consequences of their actions. The youth that takes to drugs are more likely to commit suicide because of the harmful effects of the drugs they are taking. Misinformation about drugs is another reason for these deaths as the addict or user may take the drugs in the wrong doses, which can then lead to a fatality.
The drug problem in Kashmir is getting extremely serious, The situation is grave in every part of the valley. Drug addiction is a curse for any person because it not only spoils but destroys a life. Youngsters are innocent and they thoroughly need the right guidance, moral education and a healthy environment in their homes, schools and workplace. Parents, teachers, religious heads and elders should always be empathetic and communicative with the youngsters so that they can easily talk out their issues and feelings. All they need is a good listener and a guide who can hold their hands and show them the right path. If the youngsters are saved and they know that they have some trustworthy people in their lives with whom they can freely express their feelings and problems, then there is no scope for any wrong way to intervene in their minds and life.
Unless serious measures are taken now, the very future of a large chunk of today’s youth will be severely compromised. The problem of drug addiction is too real and serious to be ignored. The administration of Jammu and Kashmir needs to involve communities, media and religious heads, NGOs, and civil society in highlighting the perils associated with drug addiction. Media and religious heads have a responsibility to highlight such issues with a view to educating people and building a consensus among them to forge a united stand against such scourges. The perpetrators of doom and gloom are well entrenched in the power structures and have formed transnational partnerships for their nefarious purposes. The response to deal with such an organized menace should also be concerted for effective output. Individual efforts cannot produce desired results. For a long, we have turned a blind eye to such critical issues. Now it is time to become serious in our actions.
Author is an Environment Science Lecturer at Govt Higher Secondary School Khellani Doda. Feedback at [email protected]

Mool Raj