Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 10: Nearly 4.5 lakh persons between the age group of 18 to 75 years are addicted to Opioid drugs in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. This is 5.05 percent of the total population of this group.
In a written reply to the question of the National Conference Lok Sabha member Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi regarding an alarming increase in drug abuse in the Union Territory, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment B L Verma informed that as per the National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India conducted by the Ministry through NDDTC, AIIMS during 2018, 4,47,000 people within the age group of 18-75 years are addicted to the opioids drugs in Jammu and Kashmir while 3,54,000 people are addicted to alcohol in the Union Territory of the same age group which is 4 percent of the total population of this group.
1,51,000 people are addicted to sedatives, 1,36,000 to cannabis, and 89000 to inhalants.
Regarding the steps taken by the authorities to check this menace, the Minister said that the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR).
NAPDDR is an umbrella scheme under which financial assistance is provided to state governments and Union Territory (UT) administrations for preventive education and awareness generation, capacity building, skill deve As per the survey 4,47,000 people are addicted to the Opioids drugs in J&K while 3,54,000 people are addicted to alcohol.
Nearly 1,51,000 people are addicted to sedatives, 1,36,000 to cannabis, and 89000 to inhalants.
The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR).
NAPDDR is an umbrella scheme under which financial assistance is provided to state governments and Union Territory (UT) administrations for preventive education and awareness generation.
Under this scheme, programmes are organized for drug demand reduction by States/UTs, etc.
Furthermore, financial assistance is also provided to NGOs for running and maintenance of Integrated Rehabilitation Centres for Addicts (1RCAs), Community-based Peer Led intervention (CPLI) for early Drug Use Prevention among Adolescents, Outreach and Drop-In Centres (ODIC), and District De-Addiction Centres (DDACs). Financial assistance is also provided for addiction treatment facilities in government hospital settings.
The steps undertaken for drug demand reduction in UT of Jammu and Kashmir under the NAPDDR scheme are as under:
Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) is being implemented across all districts of UT of Jammu & Kashmir. More than 98 lakh people including 8 lakh plus youth and 9 lakh plus lakh women have been reached out in J&K.
The department is supporting 1 IRCA, 3 ODICs, 2 CPLIs, 5 DDACs, and 20 ATFs in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir. More than 31 thousand people have been treated for drug de-addiction during the financial year 2023-24.
A Toll-free Helpline for de-addiction, 14446 is being maintained by the Department to provide primary counseling and immediate referral services to the persons seeking help through this helpline. More than 11 thousand calls received so far from UT of Jammu & Kashmir. |
