The drug epidemic has wreaked havoc on our society, devastating vulnerable sections of populations who are already battling social isolation, health crises and rejection. There is dire need to take a comprehensive approach to tighten the noose around the drug suppliers and peddlers who are the main culprits behind this scourge. To combat the menace of drugs, the UT Police chief has suggested for attaching the property of drug peddlers acquired through drug money and freezing of bank accounts which seems to have potential to stop miscreants running the drug cartels in the Union Territory and therefore the same should be implemented on ground as soon as possible. The DGP rightly claims that the drug menace is a major threat to the socio-economic structure of Jammu Kashmir. There is also a dire need to identify black-sheep in the police department who are supporting drug peddling just for the sake of money thus playing with the lives of innocent youths.
However, it is observed that the intensity of aggressive anti-drug operations that people witness in Kashmir valley, the same zeal is not apparent in Jammu division. The drug menace is a universal problem and its gravity and bad effects are the same among the youth of the entire Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The mechanism of drug trade networks and matrix of Youths' problem are same thus the menace warrants uniform approach when dealing with it.
As responsible individuals, it is also our prime duty to save the youth from the dangerous effects of drugs and provide them opportunities to become normal citizens of the country. Reports suggest the administration has mooted a plan under which the record of drug consumers should be collected at Panchayat and block levels.
The stakeholders should not waste even a jiffy in taking up the cause as the matter is of grave concern and of urgent nature looking into the future of youths of Jammu Kashmir. The crackdown on drug trafficking and its peddlers had to be further intensified to punish those involved in this heinous crime. The proposals of attaching the drug-money-property and freezing of bank accounts are in tune with the similar actions as being taken in the matter of terror activities in Kashmir in recent months and seems to be effective measures to create fear among those involved in the drug trade.
A multiple-pronged strategy of involving the religious leaders and elders to counsel the youth trapped in drug addiction has been yielding some dividend. These counselling interaction programmes should be more informal and should not sound like some preaching session. The efforts should not be point-blank but in a subtle manner.
Besides, it is necessary to rely on time tested methods to destroy the drug business once and for all, as this is eating up the vitals of the society and ruining the young generation, which is having the responsibility to nation building and steering the country to new heights of progress.
