Drug free J&K

Addressing a seminar in Srinagar, minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakina Itoo, underlined the importance of coordinated efforts to root out the evil of drug addiction. To ensure the well being of the future generation, as the seminar highlighted, it is an imperative that the problem of drug addiction is eliminated  from all the spaces, and J&K is made to breathe fresh air. But easier said than done.

The extent of inroads this menace has made into the society is shocking. The figures shared by the relvant government institutions and also by some non-governmental organisations that work in this space, are deeply disturbing. True, statistics should not be taken as literal truth, but they broadly indicate the size of the problem. And in case of drug addiction the size is big enough to make us worry.

Now the question is, how do we fight this menace?  Unless all segments of society activate and fight with all might, this problem is not going to disappear. But certain sections have a greater role to play. The top of the ladder is government itself. Where do these drugs come from? How do they spread in our society? How does it reach to the spaces where our young ones fall prey?

Though we see that law and order agencies often crack whip and take action against the criminal elements who are part of the broader nexus, but is that enough? One would expect that police and other related agencies chase the monster to the last post. To this end, there is a need to equip these departments with the necessary resource – human as well as material. Also give these agencies the required administrative and legal bandwidth to take action against criminal elements.  What is also required is to infuse an element of responsibility. If drugs are found in a particular area and people are getting affected, there should be someone held responsible for this.

Apart from chasing criminal elements it is also incumbent on the government, as well as the society at large, to generate an ecosystem where younger ones express themselves, are heard, and find ample avenues to destress themselves.