Kashmir's Other Drug War

Partial anti-narcotic enforcement is blocking access to essential psychiatric drugs, affecting over 45% of adults with mental health disorders.

- Mirza Sharafat Hussain Beigh

The war on drugs has intensified, with central and state agencies ramping up efforts to protect the youth from addiction and secure a healthier, more promising future.

But emerging trends are disturbing, with increased involvement of men and women in the racket.

On 4 August 2023, a parliamentary standing committee estimated that Jammu and Kashmir has around 1.35 million drug users. The government is primarily responsible for blocking the supply chain of drugs, yet the major stakeholders are those who consume the same without any care for self and society.

On the other hand, J&K Police have made 536 arrests in 415 cases filed under NDPS Act in north Kashmir alone in the year 2024. Srinagar Police also arrested 156 drug peddlers in the previous year. Apart from detentions, dozens of properties worth crores were attached, including residential houses and vehicles acquired through narco-money.

But sadly, psychiatry patients are becoming collaterals in this drug war.