Taking a glance at the figures unraveled by the concerned minister in the Lok Sabha regarding substance abuse in J&K, one can gauge well that the situation is alarming and needs out of the box initiatives to contain the problem. Or else the time is not far when it would become difficult to a find meaningful citizens in the region. Most of the population has been turning towards intoxicants and substance abuse has become a norm with intake of liquor coming into vogue.
As per the information provided by the Minister of State (MoS) for Social Justice and Empowerment, B L Verma, in reply to an unstarred question of the National Conference MP, Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, regarding the alarming rise in the drug abuse, particularly heroin addiction in the Union Territory, there are 4.47 lakh opioids users and 3.54 lakh alcohol users, and going by the cases registered in this regard one can guess that the number is increasing with each passing day.
Going by the statistics, the number of alcoholics has also swelled out of proportion and therefore the people at helm should at least contain this number because providing liquor to people is a legal contract and steps could be taken to stop people from becoming alcoholics from those who take such drinks occasionally.
It is a fact that narcotics products like heroin and Chitta are illegal and people indulging in substance abuse do get the same from drug peddlers or smugglers but the case of alcohol by and large is legal as illicit liquor’s availability is scarce.
It is advisable for the governments running the affairs in J&K viz both CM Omar Abdullah’s and LG Manoj Sinha’s administration to first contain the people from taking alcohol in routine and that too without any check of quantity.
It is albeit a known fact that the sale of liquor is directly proportional to revenue generation but the government cannot allow people to drink irresponsibly and die just for the sake of good income. It is therefore necessary for the government to either think on the lines of making J&K a dry state or at least bring in legislation to control the quantity of sale to make sure that people take this dangerous combination of chemicals in limited quantities.
On the other hand, the government should continue to act against the drug mafia, peddlers and smugglers as it is doing to curb drug menace in the region because at present the situation is critical.
