Drug use rising | J&K has around 9 lakh drug addicts: Centre

Srinagar: The Centre has made the alarming revelation that over 9 lakh people in Jammu and Kashmir suffer from drug addiction.

The Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment in a reply to a query from National Conference (NC) Member of Parliament, Hasnain Masoodi presented the figures of drug addicts in the lower house of the parliament.

   

As per the official figures, over 9 lakh persons in Jammu and Kashmir are drug addicts.

Giving the breakup, the Union Ministry said that an estimated 1.44-lakh persons were consuming cannabis in J&K of which 36,000 were female and the rest 1,08,000 males.

It said that opioid addiction was prevalent among 5.34 lakh males and 8000 females, sedative addiction among 1.6 lakh males and 8000 females.

The ministry said that other drug addiction substances used in J&K are cocaine, inhalants, and hallucinogens, which were consumed by over 2 lakh persons.

Kashmir is slowly becoming India’s drug hub.

A recent study done by the Government Medical College’s Psychiatry Department has revealed that J&K has surpassed Punjab in drug abuse cases and is currently at the number two position among the top drug abuser states or union territories in the country.

With Northeast in India topping the drug abuse list, Kashmir is not far behind.

In reply to a question about ATFs in J&K, the minister said, “The ministry supports setting up of 46 Addiction Treatment Facilities (ATFs) in government hospitals across the country, which is being implemented through AIIMS, New Delhi. Out of these 46 ATFs are running in J&K.”

“The ministry supports 340 Integrated Rehabilitation Centres for Addicts (IRCAs). These IRCAs not only provide treatment to the drug victims but also give services of preventive education, awareness generation, motivational counselling, detoxification, de-addiction aftercare and re-integration into the social mainstream. The ministry also provided support to a special de-addiction centre for women and children.

“Of these 340 IRCAs, one IRCA is running in J&K,” it reads. “The ministry also supports 48 Community-based Peer-led Intervention (CPLI) centres. These CPLIs focus on vulnerable and at-risk children and adolescents. Under this, peer educators engage children in awareness generation and life skill activities. Out of these 48 CPLIs, two CPLIs are running in J&K.”

The ministry said that it supports 71 Outreach and Drop in Centres (ODICs).

These ODICs provide safe and secure spaces of treatment and rehabilitation for substance users, with the provision of screening, assessment and counselling and therefore provide referral and linkages to treatment and rehabilitation services for substance dependence.

Of these 71 ODICs, three are running in J&K.

The ministry also supports setting up of District De-addiction Centres in those districts across India where there are no IRCA, ODIC, and CPLI centres being run with the support of the ministry.

Currently, the ministry supports 15 DDACs of which 5 DDACs are in J&K. 

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