Heroin crisis continues to devastate youth in Kashmir

Srinagar, Jun 26: The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is an annual affair, almost every institution pledging its solidarity with the cause. Yet, among those who gather for this cause, a high number is affected by drugs in Kashmir on a personal, social or familial level.

In Kashmir, although there is no recent study or survey on the people afflicted with substance addiction, hospital data provides a peek.

This year, between January and May 2025, 706 people registered for de-addiction at a single centre: The Drug De-Addiction Centre of the Department of Psychiatry, GMC Srinagar. This is just a small portion of the mammoth number of people who have registered for de-addiction. On date 36242 people are on follow-up for de-addiction at the Center. Doctors believe, this is just the proverbial tip of the iceberg. ìDeaddiction is not an easy decision and most people take this step towards the later part of their addiction graph, when the damage is done and they can no longer afford it physically and financially,î said Dr Yasir Hussain Rather, In-charge of the De-addiction Centre SMHS Hospital.

Among these 90 percent people are addicted to Opioids, primarily heroin. And what is most concerning, a humongous 60 percent of people abuse heroin and its synthetic derivatives through injections. Dr Fazl e Roub, De-Addiction expert at the Centre said that IV drug abuse was causing a health crisis. ìHeroin is costly. Many people are mixing other opioids with it to cut the cost and then end up with heart infections, gangrene and Hepatitis C, B and HIV,î he said. He further said that stats compiled by the department show 50 percent of those abusing drugs and having registered for the

Who are these people who are ìinto drugsî? The data from the department shows these are young people, in the age group of 20 to 45 years. An undeniable majority, 55 percent is just between 20 and 30 years. Some start even younger, between ages 15 and 20 years, their percentage being 20. The young and the most productive years of Kashmir are getting devastated by drugs, and the commemoration of ceremonial days and customary events in schools and colleges is not making much of a difference.

What is striking in the data is that a vast majority of people getting treatment are drivers ñ 35 percent of people. ìStudents constitute 20 percent of people registering for de-addiction and 20 percent are labourers. Contrary to popular perception, unemployment is not causing addiction,î Dr Rather said. He said, ìWe see more people losing jobs due to continuous drug abuse. They are unable to focus on their work and fall out of their employment.î