Has Kashmir surpassed Punjab in drug abuse? New study makes shocking revelations

SRINAGAR: In a recent study conducted by the Department of Mental Health, it has been found that Kashmir has surpassed Punjab in drug abuse and ranks second in the list of states with rampant drug abuse.

Heroin is the most used drug in the valley, said the study. Department of Psychiatry of the Government Medical College, in its study, said it has been revealed that 67,000 people are drug addicts in Kashmir, most of which use heroin and that too by injection. The study revealed that most drug addicts are in the age group of 17-33 and most of them are unemployed.

Dr. Fazal Ul Rab who did the study said, “The study we did was done in collaboration with the Health Department and the Social Welfare Department, we did this study in ten districts of Kashmir. Actually, we were seeing a lot more patients as compared to 2016. Earlier in 2016 there used to be one room in our department and we used to see five or ten patients a day, now we have 120-130 patients coming daily, the scenario has changed a lot."

The doctor added, “In this survey, we have seen that 67,000 are under the influence of drugs, and in this, the maximum number of people use heroin, around 85 percent. 33 thousand addicts use heroin daily that too by injecting it in the body.” 

In a survey by AIIMS, Punjab's 1.2 percent population were drug abusers, but our survey says we have 2.5 percent population who use drugs, so we have surpassed Punjab” the doctor added.

The study also revealed that in all the ten districts, 67,468 persons are drug addicts and out of them 5,204 persons are opioid addicts and heroin is the major drug that is mostly used through injection. Approx. 33,000 people inject heroin per day and consume one to two grams of heroin. The study also revealed that huge money is involved in the drug industry of the valley. Doctors say that every person who is addicted to heroin is spending 88,000 every month to get drugs. 

Dr. Fazal added, "Per month a drug addict who uses heroin spends 88 thousand. It is quite worrying."

"If we talk about the prevention of drug use, then everyone has a role, the biggest thing is supply, For which law enforcement agencies must see, and then the role of the family is also main, The mind should not go towards drugs, we must keep an eye on the youths, what they do, where they go,” the doctor said.

“Kashmir is more prone to heroin, which is causing sudden deaths, there are a lot of sudden deaths in Kashmir, especially of teenagers," said the study.

There have been many deaths due to drug overdose in the valley. It has been observed that 30 to 40 percent of drug addicts suffer from overdose. Most of the overdose patients suffer from Hepatitis-C disease which leads to severe liver damage. These drug addicts who came to the rehabilitation centre say that there is easy availability of these substances in the market which is a matter of great concern.  Drug addicts say that even the youth who are drug addicts have now become drug paddlers to fulfill their needs 

 A drug addict in Rehabilitation Center said, “Heroin is being used openly. There are two types of heroin, foil, and injection, but more people use injections. It’s available everywhere, there is no place where it is not available.” Adding more, he said, “The government should make such a policy that it is not available easily in the market and the family also needs to remain informed about their children.”

Jammu and Kashmir Police have seized illegal drugs worth crores of rupees from different parts of the Union Territory. Police also say that most of the drug supply comes across the border from Pakistan. Many such consignments are mostly recovered in the Kupwara and Uri areas close to the Line of Control. Apart from this, these narcotic consignments were dropped through drones from across the border near international borders in different parts of Jammu.  

Security forces believe that the business of narcotics is being run from across the border and the money earned from it is used in terrorism.