The Valley of Kashmir, once known for its serene beauty and cultural grace, is today battling a silent but devastating enemy — drug addiction. What was once whispered in the shadows has now become a glaring reality, affecting every section of society. From urban neighbourhoods to remote villages, the scourge of drugs is tightening its grip, especially on the youth — the very backbone of Kashmir’s future. The alarming rise in narcotics abuse has coincided with growing cross-border trafficking networks. Heroin, brown sugar, and synthetic drugs have flooded the local markets, feeding addiction and fuelling a cycle of crime, poverty, and broken families. Reports indicate that thousands of young men and women are under treatment at de-addiction centres, while many more remain trapped in silence and stigma. Behind every statistic lies a story of a lost dream, a broken home, and a society struggling to heal.While law enforcement agencies have intensified their operations — seizing large consignments, arresting peddlers, and dismantling networks — the problem is far deeper than policing alone can solve. Drug addiction in Kashmir is not just a law-and-order issue; it is a social, psychological, and moral crisis. The easy availability of drugs, unemployment, social pressure, and trauma born from decades of instability have all contributed to this grim scenario. Equally concerning is the infiltration of drugs into educational spaces. Schools and coaching centres, once safe havens of learning, are increasingly being targeted by peddlers who prey on vulnerable students. This calls for urgent preventive steps, from awareness campaigns and strict campus monitoring to building strong moral and emotional resilience among students. The government’s recent emphasis on coordination through NCORD meetings, AI-based surveillance, and strengthening the NDPS Act’s implementation is commendable. However, what’s needed is not just punitive action but preventive care — a whole-of-society approach involving families, educators, religious leaders, and civil society. Strengthen community policing and intelligence networks to choke supply lines. Integrate drug awareness into school and college curricula. Establish more de-addiction and rehabilitation centres with trained psychiatrists and counsellors. Launch large-scale employment and sports initiatives to channel youth energy positively. Promote moral and spiritual education to build inner resistance against addiction. Kashmir cannot afford to lose another generation. The time to act — decisively, compassionately, and collectively — is now.