Treating Drug Peddlers Like Terrorists A Paradigm Shift

The government has now made it clear: drug peddlers will be treated like terrorists. This is a big change in how the war against drugs will be fought. For years, drug abuse has destroyed our youth, broken families, and pushed many young people towards crime. The time has come to call this what it really is—a silent form of terrorism. Why is this comparison important? Because it changes everything. When a drug peddler is treated like a terrorist, the law becomes much stricter. Bail becomes harder. Punishment becomes longer. Police can seize their property and track their movements more closely. Right now, many peddlers take risks because they think the law is weak. If they know they will be treated like terrorists, they will think twice. Second, drug money often goes to terror groups. Across the border, terrorists use drug smuggling to fund their activities. By treating drug networks as terror networks, the police and other agencies can work together more effectively. They can chase the money trail, break the supply chain, and catch the big fish, not just small peddlers. Third, this changes how society looks at the problem. Many people ignore drug peddlers because they think it is not their problem. Some even see them as small-time criminals. But if they are terrorists, no one will look away. Communities will start reporting them. Neighbours will not stay silent. This public resistance is exactly what will break the drug business. There is another benefit. Police stations often treat drug cases as low priority. Too many files, too few officers. But when drug cases are treated like terror cases, they become a top priority. More raids will happen. More arrests will be made. The government has already shown results. In just 20 days, 350 FIRs were registered, and 440 drug traffickers were arrested. But there is one thing to remember: while peddlers deserve strict punishment, those who are addicted need help, not jail. The government must also open more de-addiction centres and provide counselling and jobs to those who want to quit drugs. The Lieutenant Governor has given a clear message. Drug peddlers are enemies of society. Now it is up to us—the common people—to join this fight. Do not stay silent. Do not look away. Report peddlers. Support addicts who want to recover. Only then can we make Jammu and Kashmir truly drug-free. This is not the government’s war alone. This is our war.