#SubstanceAbuse Archives

Kashmir’s Growing Drug Crisis: A Deep Dive Into the Valley’s Hidden Epidemic

May 12, 2025 Editor

The Shadow Pandemic: Understanding Kashmir’s Drug Crisis By Javid Amin | May 12, 2025 Eighty-two kilometers from Srinagar, nestled among the majestic Himalayan foothills, 23-year-old Javaid (name changed) sits in a small rehabilitation center. His sunken eyes and trembling hands tell a story that has become increasingly common across the Kashmir Valley. Three years ago, he was a promising engineering student. Today, he’s fighting a desperate battle against heroin addiction. “It started with charas (cannabis),” he recalls, his voice barely audible. “Then pills, and finally, heroin. Before I knew it,…

Kashmir’s Substance Abuse Crisis: Families Grapple with Stigma and Despair

March 14, 2025 Editor

Substance Abuse in Kashmir: A Crisis Unfolding In the picturesque valleys of Kashmir, a dark and growing crisis is gripping families and communities—substance abuse. The story of Murtaza Hussain, a 27-year-old recovering heroin addict, sheds light on the devastating impact of addiction on individuals and their loved ones. A Promising Future Lost to Addiction Once a disciplined and ambitious student, Hussain’s life took a tragic turn during his 11th grade. His father recalls the early signs: withdrawing from family, skipping school, and staying out late. What began as bad company…

Public Outrage and Substance Abuse Crisis Drive Liquor Ban Movement in Kashmir

March 1, 2025 Editor

Three Bills and a Public Campaign: Why the Valley is Seeing Growing Calls for a Liquor Ban Srinagar 01 March 2025: Ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly’s Budget Session starting on March 3, calls for a liquor ban have been growing stronger in the Union Territory. This movement is driven by concerns over rising drug addiction and social media posts showing apparently drunk tourists, which have added to the public’s worries. However, the debate is complex, as the region also benefits from rising revenues from excise and tourism. Bills…

Shiv Sena Demands Ban on Liquor Sale in J&K

February 15, 2025 Editor

Shiv Sena seeks ban on liquor sale in J&K The Jammu and Kashmir unit of Shiv Sena (UBT) on Friday held a protest demonstration and demanded complete ban on the sale of liquor in the Union Territory. The protest comes in wake of MLAs from three political parties submitting private members’ Bills for enforcing alcohol ban across J&K ahead of the Assembly session scheduled from March 3. Led by party’s UT chief Manish Sahni, demonstrators held placards against liquor sale and demanded immediate ban due to presence of many holy…

Kashmir’s Youth at Risk from Drug Abuse: ‘Not My Kid’ mentality prevails with Over 10 Lakh active users in the Valley

October 10, 2023October 10, 2023 Editor

Over 10 Lakh Active Drug Users in Kashmir’s Vulnerable Youth Population By: Javid Amin Drug addiction, a ubiquitous and alarming problem, is not confined to any particular region and affects diverse populations even in unexpected locations such as Kashmir. The prevalence of substance abuse in this conflict-ridden region is not widely acknowledged, with approximately one million active drug addicts plaguing the land, posing dire consequences for both individuals and society as a whole. Drug addiction is a significant issue in Kashmir, with an estimated 10 lakh active drug addicts. The…

Combatting Youth Drug Addiction: A Multi-Front Battle in Kashmir, from Mosques to Classrooms

September 3, 2023 Editor

Religious centres and educational institutions are assuming a new role in Kashmir by doubling up as counselling and testing centres to curb the fast-spreading menace of drugs. These rare interventions come as the Valley is battling a drug addiction crisis; over 10 lakh people were officially designated drug addicts by the Jammu and Kashmir administration this year. Otherwise restricted for the clergy, the pulpit at Magam Imambara in north Kashmir’s Baramulla, where Shia Muslims organise large religious congregations, recently saw Muzaffar Khan, a clinical psychologist who heads the Drug De-Addiction and Rehabilitation…

Kashmir’s Drug Crisis: A Growing Threat to Young People

August 31, 2023August 31, 2023 Editor

Kashmir’s Drug Crisis: A Call to Action By: Javid Amin The Himalayan region of Kashmir is facing a growing drug addiction crisis. A recent survey found that nearly a million people in Jammu and Kashmir – around 8% of the region’s population – use drugs of some kind. This is a significant increase from previous years, and experts say it is a major cause for concern. There are a number of factors that have contributed to the rise in drug addiction in Kashmir. One is the long-running conflict between India…

SMHS De-addiction Centre sees 75% Increase in Patient Traffic in One Year

August 18, 2023August 18, 2023 Editor

At SMHS, One patient walks into de-addiction centre every 12 minutes: Report The number of patients visiting OPDs in the Valley’s largest District De-addiction Centre in SMHS Hospital, Srinagar, jumped 75% to 41,110 in the year-ending March 2023, Indian Express reported. This means that one patient walked into the OPD every 12 minutes. As per the report, in the previous financial year, over 21,000 follow-up patients and 2,000 new patients had turned up at the DDC while in ’22, the number of new users has gone past 3000 and follow-up patients…