news details |
|
|
| Jammu youth getting addicted to psychotropic drugs | | Insufficient rehab facilities aggravating problems | | Early Times Report
JAMMU: The youth of Jammu region are falling prey to psychotropic drugs and the number is increasing alarmingly. While young people falling prey to drug addiction is a global concern, Jammu and Kashmir which is otherwise a conservative society, too has not been able to protect its youth from this menace.
Statistics of the J&K De Addiction Centre, Jammu indicate that both boys and girls comprise major chunk of those getting addicted to narcotics.
"In 2010 there were 196 cases of drug addiction, in 2011 it came down to 184 cases and then in 2012 there was a gradual increase to 194 and in 2013 till June 43 cases have come up which shows there has been a slight increase in the drug addicts in Jammu region."
"The amount of opium cultivated here has increased each year since 1989, and a huge part of it is consumed locally," said an official of the centre.
Even as the number of addicts has increased remarkably, there are only a few treatment and rehabilitation centres in Jammu.
Project Director at Society for Promotion of Youth and Masses (SPYM) De Addiction Centre Jammu Pallavi Singh said, "Since the establishment of this centre in 1996 almost 6000 people have been treated here as it is the only de addiction centre owned by government which comes under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and there are just two centres in the state."
" we can accommodate only 15 to 16 people a month here hence we focus on addicts between age group of 18 to 25 years as they they form the priority group", said Pallavi.
"These addicts may be taking injectional drugs, alcohol, opium , ghanja, charas and even cough syrups in excess are very common in adolescents between the age group of 10 to 25 years," she further added.
Youth of today are getting addicted to drugs due to various reasons which include family history of addiction, depression, anxiety. Drugs make youth commit crimes like murder, burglary as they want more and more money to purchase drugs to calm down the craving for drugs.
A drug addict on the condition of anonymity said, "I started taking drugs due to depression as I was very much upset due to family problems. I am used to it now. I will prefer to die rather than give up drugs. Earlier my parents were very concerned about drug addiction, they also had taken me to rehabilitation centre but I showed no signs of improvement so they also now don't tell me anything. I have been taking drugs since 6 years." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
