Drug abuse has been prevalent in Kashmir since 1980s, according to a 1993 study in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry which states that 9,726 cases of substance-related disorders were reported to Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS) in eight years starting from January 1980.

Reasons : Why Drugs

M.M Naqshbandi in an article /paper published in international journal, titled as “ Drug addiction and Youth of Kashmir” interviewed 270 young Kashmiri people bet age group of 16-30 in different districts of kashmir .His findings revealed that conflict and unemployment were the main reasons of drug addictions among the youth .
The study also revealed that 90% people dont have any awareness regarding the drug addiction process and only 8% know about drug deaddiction centre in srinagar kashmir According to the study conducted by united nations drug control programme (UNDCP) around 70000 people are drug addicts in kashmir division , among them 31% are women Government Psychiatric hospital srinagar says 90% drug abusers belong to age group of 17- 35 years .
Medicinal opiates such as morphine and codeine or benzodiazepine were first used as recreational drugs in the late nineties. Later, cannabis was more widely used and considered socially acceptable.
But over the past few years, hard drugs, including heroin and cocaine, which carry greater health and financial risks, have become more prevalent.
There has been a steep rise in the number of heroin addicts admitted to the de-addiction centre at the SMHS Hospital since January this year.
Official records at the centre, which is run by the Department of Psychiatry at SMHS Hospital, reveal that out of 342 people admitted for substance abuse from 1 January 2019 to 20 June 2019, at least 309 (90.3 per cent) were abusing heroin in “some or the other form”(Greater kashmir June 25 2019)
Awareness Initiatives
The J&K Police have taken an initiative by conducted awareness programs in three districts of Kashmir Srinagar, Baramulla and Anantnag.
These awareness programs lead the J&K Police to establish drug de addiction center at Police Control Room Srinagar .
J & K govt going to setup 10 de Addiction Centres in every district of Jammu & kashmir.
According to the reports of Drug de addiction and rehabilitation center Srinagar, the total numbers of patients seen in the OPD from February 2008 to December 2016 is 15294 and were diagnosed with ICD 10 .
Among the 15294 patients 472, were diagnosed as alcohol abusers, 1359 as Opioid abusers 7860 as cannabis abusers, 352 cocaine abusers, 1080 as benzodiazepines users, 460 volatile abusers and 3741 were poly drug abusers.
The drug de addiction center is managed by a Clinical psychologist, Psychiatrists, de addiction Social workers, Counsellors, medical officers, and yoga trainer. The center admits a person for detoxification and rehabilitation only after his motivation and proper medical check-up. Usually, a patient is admitted for the period of 3 or 4 weeks. According to center’s IPD report, a total number of 1332 patients has been rehabilitated among which 90 were alcohol abusers, 235 opioid abusers, 275 cannabis abusers, 222 benzodiazepines abusers, 25 cocaine abusers, 165 volatile substance abusers and 330 patients were multiple abusers.
A 24 x 7 National Toll Free Drug De-addiction Helpline Number 1XXX-XX-0031set up to help the victims of drug abuse

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