Srinagar, May 13: Even if police claims to have gone after the drug peddlers in Srinagar, the health experts said there were still 42 drug dens operational, which openly sell drugs in different pockets of the City.
 Nodal officer, Mental Health, Dr GA Wani told Greater Kashmir that a “preliminary study” carried out a year ago also reveals that drugs and prescribed opiates are easily available to the addicts.
 “As far as we know there are 42 dens in the district selling drugs and opiates,” Wani said.
 “There are some designated places where drugs and cannabis are being sold in wide public gaze.”
 Wani said predominantly the drug addicts are youth within the age group of 18 to 35. “We have found that all of them are multi-substance addicts. We have found they take substances like opium, cannabis, and prescribed opiate medicines”.
 The major cause of drug addiction is being attributed to stress, unemployment, and to genetic disorders as well.
 However, the doctors said the actual number of addicts couldn’t be ascertained.
 “There is less data on the subject. Also we have no community based survey to reveal the actual details of the menace”.
 Recently at a counselling cum treatment camp organised by police at Batamaloo Bus stand, an estimated 300 people registered in the camp and got free of cost medicines and treatment.
 In charge police de-addiction centre, PCR, Muzzafar Ahmad Khan said: “We held camps in the City to sensitize them. We have recently established an outreach community centre at Batamaloo bust stand where a team of experts deals with addicts”.
 He said approximately 500 patients have been treated there while 300 were waiting to get admitted in the de-addiction centre at the PCR.
 A patient from Batamaloo, who was waiting in the cue, to get treatment from the doctors said he had become impotent due to the continuous drug addiction over the years.
  “I am married. But due to impotency I am really concerned and wanted to get divorce,” the patient said.
 “However, I never knew it would devastate me and my life,” the patient added.
 SSP Srinagar, S A Bukhari said they have started a drive in Srinagar to bust the drug dens.
  “We have arrested people and filed cases in this regard,” Bukhari said.
 “We arrested a main supplier from a den in Parimpora. We are doing it with full vigor”.
 He said there efforts would only succeed if “everybody will cooperate with the police to get rid of the menace.”

Lastupdate on : Fri, 13 May 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 13 May 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 14 May 2011 00:00:00 IST