Srinagar, Jul 11 (KNS): While expressing serious concern over the media reports about steep rise in drug addiction in Kashmir, CPI (M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami today appealed the society as whole to wake up from slumber to counter this menace which is destroying our young generation. Kashmir has been through the three decades of turmoil that resulted in increase in psychosocial disturbances. According to experts most numbers of drug addiction cases belong to a very young generation which is not only unfortunate, but disastrous for the society.

In a statement issued to KNS, Tarigami said, “The grim picture of drug abuse in the Kashmir has put a lot of challenges for the people of the valley in general and for Government agencies, Non-Governmental Organisations in particular. The biggest challenge is the illegal trafficking and sale of drugs within the valley to which police and civil society have an important role to play.”

“Law enforcing agencies, media, civil society, traders, students, teachers and everyone has to join hand and eradicate the drug abuse menace from the society. A drug to which a person becomes addict does not merely impair his cognitive skills and behaviour but also permanently damage certain abilities depending on the amount of a dose. In addition to the impairment of brain, drug addiction also makes people vulnerable to other health risks. The J&K Police have taken an initiative by conducted awareness programs in different areas, but more work needs to be done to eliminate the menace. There are reports that some elements within law enforcing agencies are hand-in-glove with the drug dealers. They need to be identified, isolated and finally punished according to the law,” he said.

CPI (M) leader said, “Government must launch measures aimed at mitigating, and possibly eliminating, drug use by 2020. The other challenge is the limited facilities available for rehabilitation of drug addicts. More drug de addiction centres are needed to rehabilitate the victims.”

“Government Agencies, Educational institutes NGO’s and other social work institutes need to educate people especially young generation about this problem. The awareness on the part of parents and caretakers is also an issue to tackle so that they can detect this problem as early as possible and they can provide immediate help to the person,” he added. (KNS)