Drug abuse takes heavy toll on JK

Srinagar, Aug 02 : Drug abuse has turned a major challenge for the security agencies in Jammu and Kashmir.
This could be gauged from that fact that Jammu and Kashmir is one among the five states where maximum drug crops are grown and illicit substance seized by the police.
According to Kashmir News Service (KNS) that government had recently directed senior police officials to use the most draconian laws, including the Public Safety Act (PSA)–a law under which a person can be detained without trial for upto two years–against those involved in the cultivation and smuggling of drugs.
“Drug addiction is a bigger challenge than militancy in Jammu and Kashmir,” DGP, Shesh Paul Vaid had also recently said.
While the official figures reveal there was a huge use and cultivation of drugs in the state.
Narcotics Control Bureau of Union Ministry of Home Affairs’s report reveals that J&K is also one among the six states-West Bengal, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, and Bihar-where maximum poppy cultivation is being done.
The report says that J&K is one among the top states in India where maximum drug illicit crops are cultivated.
According to the report, the police seized maximum ‘Hashish’ in Uttar Pradesh, followed by Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, and J&K. In J&K, police seized 178.47 kilograms of Hashish during 2016. Hashish or Charas is the resinous extract derived from the plant, Cannabis sativa.
During 2016, the report says that poppy was destroyed on 309 acres of land. Poppy is the source of the crude drug opium.
Police has also seized over 174.94 kg of Heroin in the state during the 2016.
The Cannabis is also being cultivated on a large scale in the state.
A senior police official wished not to be named told KNS that police has launched a sustained campaign to eradicate drug crops. “Police has been destroying poppy cultivation which is also being reported in the media,” the official said. He said that police was taking strict measures to eradicate drug menace.
In the report, Director General, Narcotics Control Bureau, (NCB), said drug trafficking and drug abuses were important issues across the globe.
“NCB is the national nodal agency for drug law enforcement had been at the fore front of fighting this menace and over the years we have included many new strategies to deal with the issue.” (KNS)