Time For A Coordinated War On Drugs

The revelation that nearly 70,000 persons, predominantly youth, are trapped in substance abuse in Kashmir, with 50,000 using heroin intravenously, is a chilling portrait of a generation in peril. This is a public health emergency of the highest order, a social catastrophe unfolding silently in our communities, destroying families, and stealing futures. The fact that the majority are intravenous drug users amplifies the horror, exponentially increasing risks of HIV, hepatitis, and fatal overdoses. The government’s response, as outlined in the Assembly, acknowledges the multi-pronged strategy required—awareness, enforcement, treatment, and rehabilitation. The establishment of de-addiction centres and the treatment of nearly 69,000 patients are commendable efforts. Yet, the sheer scale of the problem, with active users far exceeding treatment capacity, reveals a critical gap between intent and impact. We are, at best, containing a wildfire with garden hoses. This crisis demands a war-footing response on multiple fronts simultaneously. First, prevention must begin in schools and homes. The ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan’ must be intensified into a permanent, high-visibility campaign, integrating drug education into school curricula and empowering parents with knowledge to recognise early warning signs. The battle begins before the first dose. Second, enforcement must be ruthless and intelligence-driven. The supply chain, from peddlers to kingpins, must be systematically dismantled. Porous borders and local networks require constant, coordinated surveillance by police, narcotics agencies, and border security forces. Impunity must end. Third, treatment infrastructure must be radically expanded and de-stigmatised. The sanctioned Rs 5 crore for a dedicated de-addiction building at GMC Baramulla is a step, but every district needs accessible, well-equipped, and adequately staffed facilities. Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) centres must proliferate, and rehabilitation must extend beyond detox to include skill training and livelihood support, ensuring recovered individuals can reintegrate with dignity. Fourth, the community must be mobilised. Mosques, schools, and civil society organisations must become active partners in creating a social environment where drug use is anathema, not aspirational. Families must be supported, not shamed, in seeking help. The 70,000 number is a warning siren. Behind it are 70,000 human beings – sons, daughters, breadwinners. Their rescue is not just a government responsibility; it is a collective societal imperative. We must act with the urgency this emergency demands, for every day lost is a life lost.