BEYOND THE SMOKE : LIBERATING KASHMIRI YOUTH FROM DRUGS AND TOBACCO
“Only a fool who doesn’t value this beauty called life would put his lips at the other end of a burning fire” – Rumi
On the shivery night of 13 January 2021, at Sheri-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital, Srinagar, the doctors announced a handsome teenager of 17 years called Aijaz dead on arrival. Soon his pictures flooded the social media and he was presumed to be another victim of heart attack, a phenomenon that has spiked among young Kashmiris in recent months. Some, however blamed his drug addiction and smoking as a possible reason for his death since he had lost his mother couple of months ago and resorted to temporary relief through ‘charas’.
Smoking tobacco and drug abuse among the adolescents as a problem in Kashmir is multifaceted. It is both a problem and a challenge for all sections of society. However, it has specially targeted the youth as is clear from the prevalence of drug usage seen in high proportion among them, who form the world’s most potent human resource as well as future citizens. Drug abuse and smoking amongst the youth particularly in Kashmir has risen into a grave challenge to public health. The youth are becoming easy baits and their vulnerability is growing rapidly since a few decades. The use of various kinds of drugs and tobacco has experienced a boom rapidly amongst the youth in Kashmir. The use of these illicit drugs pose a big threat to humanity, by deteriorating them mentally and physically, damaging family relations and becoming a hindrance in shaping their career as well as progress and development of the societies. According to a data collected in February 2019, by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, 6,00,000 people i.e 4.6 percent of the population of Jammu and Kashmir use opioid drugs, while 80 percent of the drug addicts in Kashmir use heroin and morphine. The more alarming reality is that the numbers have only gone up by now.
The reasons characteristic to increase in the consumption of tobacco and drugs among the youth are the instilled terror from across the border in an effort to sustain terrorism financing resulting in social polarisation. The ever impeaching neighbouring state continuously making endeavours to supply drugs from across the border has faded the century old value systems, tattered the cultural fabric and blemished the syncretic culture of the land. The resulting chaos has dealt a death blow to fundamental social institutions, created social disruptions and ruptured the informal traditional social system, that formed the backbone of the ‘Kashmiri’ way of life. Further, repeated strike calls given by separatists and militants has led to frequent and indefinite loss of school and college education. This has seen an increase due to COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, causing depression and anxiety, inducing the impressionable young minds of Kashmir to the perils of drug addiction.
Furthermore, Pakistan has over the years abused the situation to establish smuggling networks within the valley by ensuring a never ending supply of narcotic drugs across the social strata. This fact can be validated by the Kashmir’s Kupwara District incident of 27 June 2020 where drugs worth INR 64 Crores were seized along with arms and ammunition from two narco-terror smugglers by security forces. Moreover, Pakistan has also made full use of the weak enforcement of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic substances Act, 1985, by India, since in most cases the peddlers though booked under non-bailable offences are often dispensed from custody within five to ten days of arrest.
Due to a continuous expansion of illicit drug marketing and cultivation of cannabis and poppy in many areas of Kashmir followed by an alarming and unprecedented increase in narcotic trade, some considerations are necessary to be adhered to for the benefit of the society at large. The flow of money captured by way of illicit trade in drugs has added new dimensions to the problems already faced. Besides, this inadequate up-gradation of executives and judicial infrastructure for proper and speedy implementation of anti-smuggling laws has encouraged the continuous increase in narcotics smuggling. Many experts have suggested that the families of Kashmiri youths need to integrate the budding generation into the symbiotic relationship that the Army is establishing in the valley by conducting various sports competition, musical festivals, voluntary training courses, co-curricular activities etc. The need of the hour is to formulate holistic approaches for the effective and sustainable livelihood of the addicts as well as for drug smugglers along with the implementation of already laid strict punishments.
Prevention, treatment and rehabilitation all require a positive and life-affirming campaign to cope the menace of substance abuse and smoking. Besides, it is the responsibility of every family, NGOs, religious leaders, civil society, local agencies, youth forums, law enforcement agencies, police, judiciary and other stakeholders to curb this menace and prevent the youth from becoming the victims of this menace and bring them back into the mainstream of the social life. Some ways to curb the spread of drugs and tobacco are enlisted below:-
- Education of effects of drug abuse at school/ university levels.
- Awareness to be widely publicised on youth friendly media platforms like Instagram/ Facebook.
- Provision for a community-based task force to fight the spread. For example, imbibing the role of Imams of masjid on giving awareness on drug abuse and smoking since they are like slow suicide and suicide is forbidden in Islam.
- Awareness on rehabilitation provisions by the state.
- Stricter implementation of Anti-Narcotic Laws.
The problem of drug abuse and smoking is even more alive than ever, today. In addition to the traditional factors of the increase of consumption of drugs, it is very important to sensitise the youth of the ill-effects of the addiction. Utilising virtual platforms with content highlighting the dark side of drugs, using endorsements by youth icons etc are some measures that can be taken to save this young generation. The youth of Kashmir has to be shown the brighter side of day, which can be achieved by publicizing of good motivational content, state sponsored anti-narcotic campaigns and strict overlooking of the drug supply. Let’s take a pledge to save the budding generation of Kashmir which consists of lakhs of Aijazs from the evil shadow of tobacco and drugs. Hence, whenever we come across another Aijaz, let’s together make an endeavour to give him unconditional love and support, instead of treating him as a criminal and blaming him. These initiatives will ensure that the most potent human resource will no longer be a fool to put his lips at the other end of a burning fire.
