A serious issue but a cause of concern , equally not frequently discussed, to find out a solution by those who could play a leading but committed role in preventing the youngsters in Jammu and Kashmir State from adopting a suicidal path of getting addicted to the use of opioids, sedatives, high degree pain killers, steroids, stimulants, alcohol and the like. The increasing trend to get swayed by this silent killer evil by younger age group , particularly that of adolescents’ and they being loath to reverse the tendency, under ordinary course of circumstances, should worry parents and other close blood relations more than the second tier of ‘minders and protectors’ like teachers, social activists, police, genuine NGOs, medical fraternity and the media.
When something is related to the health care and preventing health hazards, we are afraid, the national conscience is not, by any standards, anywhere near those of the developed countries. Jammu and Kashmir lags far behind even among other States in the country in this regard where preventing adulteration in food items and milk products, spices , packed beverages and food stuffs or even the ones served at public places very rarely are subjected to any inspections, tests and checking of quality, purity and safety, let alone look seriously into how opioids, sedatives and pain relievers were readily available and consumed at will by the specified users.
What actually is an opioid must, in simple parlance but fairly be known in as much as, how its use was deleterious to the health, psychological, mental and neurotic parameters of an individual. Opiods are, in fact, those drugs which are illegal ones like heroin, opium, morphine, synthetic substances, pain relievers of high degrees and are technically graded. National Survey on their use and trends of addiction, ina particular age group, shows startling brackets of between 18 to 25 years. In other words, the most tangible and effectively productive national human resource is silently but firmly shackled with this menace . The latest reports collected from various inputs reveal the sordid picture of Jammu and Kashmir where youngsters are falling prey to the quick relief and relaxation coated poison of these drugs. Just a tip of the iceberg is more than 25000 people alone are used to injecting drugs while unspecified people use various forms of opioids in the State. It is equally disturbing that a proper foolproof, pointed and updated data of users , prevalence , affected groups, type of opioids and substances is not prepared and circulated by the State Government periodically . That could become a base for devising proper policies to effectively address the issue of such sensitivity as also for issuing regulations and applying brakes on their uncontrolled sale. In fact, the issue is not as simple as it looks and verily requires a well pronged strategy to grapple with.
The foremost need is to share vital information about the entire problem in totality through wide publicity in the form of books, pamphlets, slogans painted at public places, school-college debates, holding seminars, TV discussions etc. Frequent interaction of teachers – parents is absolutely paramount and central to the issue . Parents alone are required to play a unique role in comparison to other (lesser) stakeholders and their close rapport with and care of their offspring in adolescent age group could result in checking the menace in individual families. Unbridled availability of cheap corrupting ‘stuff’ and material on internet, acute dearth of playing fields and shrinking tastes and aptitudes to play sports and do physical exertion etc too are all contributing to using of and getting addicted to the menace of opioids, sedatives, stimulants , alcohol and the like.
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