South Kashmir couple sold Rs 1 crore assets to feed drug addiction

Srinagar, Aug 3: A few weeks ago, a couple from south Kashmir showed up at an Addiction Treatment Facility (ATF) for treatment.

The couple, as per news agency KNO, revealed that it had squandered nearly Rs 1 crore on drugs before deciding to give up on narcotics and seek treatment.

According to the report, the couple sold their household goods including ornaments to finance their daily dose of drugs.

The ATF at one of south Kashmir districts is littered with such stories.

A rehabilitation psychologist who works as a counsellor at one the facility told Greater Kashmir that almost every substance abuser wastes huge sums of money on drugs before seeking treatment.

“I usually see patients who have spent between Rs 10 lakh to Rs 15 lakh on drugs,” said the counselor.

Drug addiction is increasingly affecting the couples where the two sell their property to procure drugs.

The counsellor said that they had seen cases in the recent past where they found males and females using the hardest drugs like heroin.

“Even there are the cases where almost entire families are involved in drug abuse,” said the counselor.

Experts say that it is usually the male partner who initially succumbs to substance abuse, which eventually affects both partners.

“It begins with male partners and later involves the female partners,” said an expert, who declined to be quoted by his name.

He said that south Kashmir was caught in the crosshairs of the hardest drugs with addicts consuming heroin and other injectable drugs.

Since its inception in November 2021, an ATF in south Kashmir has received a total of 1962 patients.

“They include both male and female, but the majority are male,” said the counselor.

The counsellor said that the female patients had inhibitions about visiting the facility.

According to the counsellor, patients who seek medical help are usually those who have the support of their families.

“Besides medical help, the community support could play a crucial role to keep the menace off the society,” said the counsellor.