Dr Esther Bloria
India’s geographical and historical ties to the opium trade have created deep-rooted challenges in addressing the current drug addiction crisis. Nowhere is this more visible than in Jammu and Kashmir, a region facing an alarming rise in heroin addiction, locally known as “chitta.”
Situated between the world’s two largest zones of illicit opium production – the Golden Crescent (Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan) and the Golden Triangle (Myanmar, Laos, Thailand) – India remains highly vulnerable to cross-border drug trafficking. Jammu and Kashmir shares the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan, a major conduit for heroin smuggled from Afghanistan. This proximity has transformed the region into a gateway for narcotics, with devastating consequences for its youth.
A Historical Legacy of Opium Use
India’s relationship with opium dates back centuries. During the Mughal era, opium was widely used for medicinal and recreational purposes. Emperors Akbar and Jahangir reportedly consumed kuknar, a poppy-based beverage, and charburgha, a mixture of hemp, wine, and opium. In Rajput traditions, opium use was embedded in rituals and social practices.
The British colonial administration commercialized the opium trade in the 18th and 19th centuries. Under the Opium Act of 1857, cultivation and production were regulated, but consumption remained largely unregulated until the 20th century, when states began to impose restrictions.
Post-independence, opium cultivation for medical and scientific use was allowed in limited regions under strict government control. The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act of 1985 further strengthened India’s legal framework against drug abuse and trafficking, criminalizing production, possession, and sale of narcotics, except for regulated medical use.
Chitta: A Growing Menace
Despite legal measures, heroin – especially its cheap street form, chitta – has emerged as a major public health crisis in Jammu and Kashmir. Over the past few years, there has been a dramatic increase in heroin use among young people, fueled by easy availability, trafficking routes, and socio-political instability.
What begins as experimentation often spirals into full-blown addiction. Heroin directly affects the brain’s reward system, flooding it with dopamine, the neurotransmitter responsible for pleasure. Over time, the brain becomes desensitized, driving users to consume more to achieve the same effect. Eventually, natural dopamine production declines, leading to depression, anxiety, mood swings, and cognitive impairment.
Crime, Accidents, and Social Disruption
The impact of heroin addiction extends beyond health. Many users resort to theft, violence, and drug peddling to sustain their habit. Families suffer, communities break down, and public safety is compromised.
Driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics has led to a rise in accidents. Impaired judgment, slowed reflexes, and distorted perception create dangerous road conditions – not just for users, but for everyone around them.
The Way Forward
The heroin crisis in Jammu and Kashmir is not just a medical or legal issue – it is a societal emergency that demands a multi-pronged response:
* Robust drug prevention programs targeting schools and communities
* Accessible rehabilitation and mental health services
* Strengthened law enforcement to cut off trafficking routes
* Cross-border cooperation with neighboring countries
* Family and community support systems to aid recovery
Most importantly, substance abuse must be addressed with compassion and scientific understanding. Every addict is a patient, not a criminal. Recovery is possible, but only if we respond with urgency and empathy.
(The author is Founder, Lifeline Psychiatric Social Services and Research Centre)
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