Shift from heroin to pharmaceutical drugs witnessed among addicts in Kashmir

Srinagar, June 27: Muneer Ahmed (name changed), a 27-year-old resident of Budgam, was once a heroin addict.

The high cost and scarcity of heroin led him to switch to Tramadol, which he found easier to obtain. Initially prescribed for pain relief, Ahmed began abusing the drug, leading to severe addiction.

His family noticed a drastic change in his behavior and sought help from ATF Budgam.

With counseling and medical support, Ahmed is now in recovery. Like Muneer, most of the youngsters in Kashmir now use pharmaceutical drugs.

Healthcare professionals in Kashmir are increasingly concerned as a shift from heroin to pharmaceutical drugs like Tapentadol and Tramadol is leading to a surge in addiction cases.

These prescription opioid pain relievers have gained popularity due to their accessibility and lower cost compared to heroin, contributing to a significant public health issue.

Dr Majid Shafi, Nodal Officer for Mental Health & Addiction Treatment at the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK), told Greater Kashmir that 5,282 drug addiction cases have been recorded across five Addiction Treatment Facilities (ATFs) in Kashmir, most now using pharmaceutical drugs .

As per the official statistics, 719 drug addiction cases were reported at ATF Bandipora, 937 in ATF Budgam, 1,951 in ATF Kulgam, 1,105 in ATF Pulwama, and 570 in ATF Shopian.

"Most of the cases were heroin users. But now, they are consuming pharmaceutical drugs. Tramadol is a painkiller. It is a good drug, and doctors prescribe it for their patients. But it is being misused,” Shafi said.

He said, however, this newfound appeal has led to a surge in addiction cases, exacerbating mental health issues and straining already burdened healthcare systems.

According to a 10-district addiction survey, Kashmir has approximately 70,000 substance users, with 52,000 individuals using intravenous (IV) heroin. Healthcare professionals are urging serious measures to curb the escalating drug abuse problem.

They said there is a need to focus on mental health support for youngsters in the valley to combat the root causes of substance abuse.

Dr Majid said that 80 percent of addiction cases involve IV drug users, with 40 percent of these individuals infected with Hepatitis C.

"The prevalence of Hepatitis C was already a concern in Kashmir, and it is spreading rapidly among heroin drug abusers," he said.