SHAKEELA ANDRABI
SRINAGAR: Drug abuse has become a major concern and is giving a toughest time to the people of Jammu and Kashmir as hundreds and thousands of young boys and girls are falling prey to drugs, resulting in about 1.4 lakh people currently addicted to various narcotics including heroin, according to official figures. Over the past few years, this number has been increasing. According to the official data the registration of people in Jammu and Kashmir seeking treatment for substance addiction has multiplied many times. After facing three decades of terrorism, the health experts as well as people of Kashmir are now in a dilemma as to how we can overcome of this most difficult situation? Because with every passing day, the numbers are increasing.
A leading Gynaecologist (Associate Professor) of the Valley revealed some shocking data. While speaking to the STATE TIMES, in an exclusive talk show, she said, that recently we received an information about a pregnant women from drug de-addiction centre .She was nine month pregnant. On one hand she was on medication and other hand we had to operate her to deliver the baby. It was really a critical time for the mother, the baby and medical team, but by the grace of Almighty she gave birth to a healthy baby.
The doctor said ,this was the first step but the next step was more critical and important as our aim was to protect the new born baby from the side effects of the drugs that the mother had taken during pregnancy and we succeeded in that too.
According to a study ,the level of opioid abuse in Jammu and Kashmir is among the highest in the country .It is the easy access to drugs of all kinds in the valley that is pushing youngsters down this abyss. “Initially it was believed that college going girls are abusing substances, especially toluene ,a common thinner , glue sniffing because the chemical is readily widespread and is found in paints, petrol, varnishes, lacquers, paint thinners adhesives, glues, rubber cement and shoe polish .But whole scenario has changed school going teen age girls and married women are using heroin and we seeing teen age girls and women using heroin through I.V because of its easily availability”, she added.
“Now we are fail to understand that if the majority of girls are using heroin like substance, how are they are affording huge amount of money. I recently read an article with statistics, which reads that every drug addict is spending 88 thousand per week. Within 12 minutes ,an addict is walking the corridors of SMHS Hospital’s addiction treatment centres for treatment. Because recently I read an article, in which a data was clearly shown that a drug addict person is spending 88 thousand Rupees per week and after every 12 minute a drug addict is walking in SMHS hospital’s drug de-addiction centres corridor for treatment”, she further added. “There is no doubt that drug de-addiction centres are working tirelessly but we are receiving reports of some patients falling back into drug abuse after recovering from bad company. Many girls make full recovery, but after some time they can’t hold their breath without it”, doctor said.