Heroin Abuse in Kashmir | Crackdown on supply channels spikes treatment seeking graph

Srinagar: A person addicted to heroin spends a whopping Rs 88,000 per month on the drug in Kashmir, a cost that is constantly rising due to the narrowing of supply channels.

The difficulties in procurement are pushing more people to seek treatment, doctors believe.

In the year 2022, a humongous 41,110 people sought treatment for substance abuse in Kashmir, data from Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS) reveals.

The number is nearly double the number of treatment seekers in the year 2021 – 23,403.

As per a study ‘Prevalence and Pattern of Substance Use Disorders in Kashmir (2022)’ carried out by IMHANS in collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare and Directorate of Health, Kashmir, heroin is the primary drug of abuse in all the districts of Kashmir.

The study was carried out across 10 districts of Kashmir province.

The survey revealed that the average cost incurred by one person consuming a gram of heroin per day was to the tune of Rs 88,183.

Precisely, the study reveals that heroin users in Kashmir have a monthly expenditure of Rs 88,183.58, indicating a significant economic burden.

A previous study conducted by the same authors in Srinagar and Anantnag districts of Kashmir also demonstrated a similar strain on the local economy, the researchers state.

The survey findings highlight a concerning opioid epidemic among the youth, with a prevalence rate of 2.23 percent in Kashmir.

This places the region among the areas in the country with highest opioid usage, surpassing Punjab and trailing behind only the North East.

However, over the past year, doctors treating addiction at the Drug De-Addiction and Treatment Center (DDTC) of IMHANS, located at SMHS Hospital here have witnessed that more and more people are coming forward seeking treatment as they are unable to afford heroin now.

In-Charge of DDTC, Prof Yasir H Rather said that the primary reason for this increase in numbers was the cost escalation of heroin owing to the decrease in supply.

“The anti-narcotics forces have been able to shrink the supply with huge consignment seizures and crackdown on peddlers. The results of that are visible,” he said.

Dr Rather said that anecdotal evidence reveals that a gram of heroin would cost Rs 2000-3000 in 2022, but the cost has escalated to around Rs 6000 now due to shortage of supply.

“While the demand remained static for some time and the costs rose, a lot of abusers are left with no choice but to seek treatment,” he said.

The treatment of heroin addiction involves Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST), provided under strict medical supervision.

“OST serves as a compassionate lifeline, providing individuals grappling with opioid addiction the opportunity for recovery and renewal, guiding them towards a path of healing and hope. By replacing destructive cycles with support and evidence based medical intervention, OST paves the way for resilience and lives free from the grips of opioid dependency,” Dr Rather said.

He hopes that the supply channels of heroin would be completely plugged in the near future and fewer lives would be devastated.

Heroin abuse and the costs it incurs have been closely linked to the rise in crimes in Kashmir.

Recently, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar, Muhammad Aijaz said that 95 percent of theft cases in Srinagar were linked to drugs.

As per the official data, in the year 2022, Police registered a total of 1021 cases under the Narcotic Drugs Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, leading to the arrest of 1700 drug peddlers among whom 138 were notorious offenders.

Concurrently, significant amounts of illicit substances were confiscated by the security agencies, including 212 kg charas, 56 kg heroin, 13 kg brown sugar, 4.35 tonnes of poppy straw, and 1.57 tonnes of fukki.